present for wife due to give birth to 1st baby in 4 weeks

tunner

Hello to all. I am looking for some tips here. My wife is due to give birth to our 1st in 4 weeks time (I REALLY cant wait!!!) and I want to get her something special to mark the occasion. I dont have that much cash at the moment but dont want to get something cheap either. Was thinking maybe something to combine the birth of our first child and an xmas gift. That way I can spend a little more. I was toying with the idea of an eternity ring (needs to be white gold as she loves that) or maybe a charm bracelett or something but this is alien territory for me.. the thing with the eternity ring is that her engagement ring looks like an eternity ring with about 6 diamonds across it and all the eternity rings ive seen so far look like that.

Any ideas. I have a max of about €400 to spend....


Thanks for ANY help,

Tunner

Glowing

Perhaps you could take her away for a romantic weekend when your baby is about 6 months old? She might prefer that .... arrange a baby sitter, and book a romantic restaurant and a nice hotel for 2 nights. It will give her a bit of pamper time and breathing space after looking after a newborn!

And congrats!

Ludo

Glowing wrote: »

Perhaps you could take her away for a romantic weekend when your baby is about 6 months old? She might prefer that .... arrange a baby sitter, and book a romantic restaurant and a nice hotel for 2 nights. It will give her a bit of pamper time and breathing space after looking after a newborn!

And congrats!

A keepsake/momento is nice alright but the above idea is what I was going to suggest. A day of papmering in a spa or something as well as part of the weekend will be well appreciated.

tunner

id prefer to give her something TBH. I am currently training to be a Garda and funds are very tight. Before I gave up my job to do this I would have ad no financial issues but this is something that I wanted to do for a long time and just before I started in Templemore training we found out that she was pregnant.

Financially things are tough now and she has bore the brunt of most of the bills since I started training so I would like to get her something nice now to say that I appreciate it and to sho my love for her and the new bundle of joy she is about to have..

Keep the ideas coming though and thanks for those who have posted so far..

Tunner

littlebug

I can only speak for myself but if I were in your wife's position and funds were tight I would waayyy prefer an arrangement for a bit of me(or we) time a few months from now over an expensive ring.
I'm sure the ring would be appreciated too and go for it if you can but there are other small things that would be appreciated in the short term!

I had a voucher for a day at a spa (not from my husband mind) which I used once I'd stopped breastfeeding and was able to spend the day away..... it was heavenly:).

My little man was a voracious feeder (ever1-2 hours) for months and wouldn't take a bottle so the best thing my husband did was take over for 1 1/2hours every saturday... enough time for me to get to the nearest town, have a cup of tea and a sticky bun, and read the paper.

Seriously.. in those first few months we're very easily pleased:D

TargetWidow

Having given birth 7 and a half months ago and got the most delicious bit of sparkly stuff for my finger before-hand heres my tuppence worth. Print up vouchers on a computer. Stuff like "This voucher entitles the bearer to /a lengthy soak in the bath/uninterrupted shower/ a night off from washing-sterilising & making up baby bottles/ a no- nappy change day (when mammy doesn't have to change a nappy for an entire day). As others have said here before, it's these little things that really show the men care when baba comes along. Give her a day off or even a half day off one day a week. Promise her she can go to bed early one night a week and you'll look after baba in the night if needs be. My hubby works nights and I would have gladly traded my sparkly ring for any of the above. Good luck and congratulations.:D

metrovelvet

The greatest gift you can give a new mother is time for herself. And yeah ... its so rough a pedicure feels like a 3week vacation in the bahamas.

b3t4

If you're in favour of the idea of a charm bracelet and think she would like it also then I would suggest:

1) Thomas Sabo http://www.thomassabo.com/en/charmclub/collection.html are resonable and lovely at the same time. It'll be silver so similar to white gold without the price tag These used to be available in House of Fraser in Dundrum shopping centre.

2) LinksOfLondon also do charms and charm bracelets but are a bit pricey. http://www.linksoflondon.com/online-shop/women/charms They deliver to Ireland.

Don't feel like you have to get lots of charms. A simple charm bracelet with one charm on it would be sufficient (this also keeps the price down). You can then build it up over the years if you so want.

The pampering ideas are great as well.

A.

Glowing

Yep, have to agree with the above - if you can't afford a weekend away, then a nice meal, a hairdressers appointment, a facial .... even just a weekend in bed with the papers and some bucks fizz ... a lot more valuable than jewellery etc (nice and all as it is).

P.S Why not pick up a nice silver locket so she can put a pic of the baby in it? It's thoughtful, and shouldn't cost too much ...

Fast_Mover

My €0.02 worth: When I was born all those years ago my father got my mother a ring (I was the 3rd child but first girl) I know that I'm getting that ring when she passes away..I'm not interested in the value of it at all but the meaning behind it.
So moral of story: If its a baby girl ye have, get your wife a piece of jewellery she can pass down to her daughter.

Dfens

As a lot of previous posters have said, it's the little things that keep new moms happy in the first year - doing some night feeds if not breastfeeding, being able to have a nice leisurely bath in peace, go meet a friend for a coffee & chat, see a film together, go for a quick run around the shops without baby in tow. You just need a break from the baby routine every now and again. So the voucher thing would be thoughful.

Weekend away is also a good idea when babs is old enough & you have family to mind him/her for even a night. You could make sure that you get a nice photograph of you both somewhere & frame it as a nice momento.

A family portrait photo taken (I prefer B/W myself) & get it framed in a nice frame - I think there may be vouchers in the baby packs you get in hospital from EUMom for some free portraits.

The locket is a nice idea as a keepsake if you have a little girl.

Why don't you bring up the topic with your wife sometime after the birth, maybe there is something that she'd really like to do/have that you mightn't have thought of.

Moonbeam

I was thinking wow 4 weeks your lucky that is so soon;)

I think a keepsake is a lovely idea but don't worry about spending lots of money on it,it is the symbolic value that it will have forever that counts.

Also,it is very important that you do as much housework and making tea for her as possible at the moment;)

marti101

I agree shed probably prefer for you to take over running tyhe house for a bit.and btw congrats

dlambirl

Congrats OP - I would say that you are counting down the days until the little bundle of joy arrives!!

My 2 cents - i think (personally) that yes, a ring is lovely but a new mom would appreciate a little me time more. I think that the fact that you are willing to spend so much on a momentum of your childs birth is a lovely thought in itself and would be appreciated by your partner but as money is tight, perhaps a small momentum gift and a wkend away in the future would be nice?

JoeyJJ

Was just thinking of getting something myself too, my wife is due in 3 weeks and was thinking of getting her a eternity ring she loves the wedding and engagement rings. I will be doing everything I can to make sure she has time to herself and will be taking some time off work to ensure I take alot of the slack so she can recover. But I understand how OP feels, something to mark to occasion.

TTGV

Hi what a wonderful time for you both. I wish my hubbie was half as thoughtful as you are!!! How about a personalised bottle of Champagne which you can both enjoy at a later date with your own message on it. Try www.throughthegrapevine.ie. Not too expensive.

Best of luck,

tunner

b3t4 wrote: »

If you're in favour of the idea of a charm bracelet and think she would like it also then I would suggest:

1) Thomas Sabo http://www.thomassabo.com/en/charmclub/collection.html are resonable and lovely at the same time. It'll be silver so similar to white gold without the price tag These used to be available in House of Fraser in Dundrum shopping centre.

2) LinksOfLondon also do charms and charm bracelets but are a bit pricey. http://www.linksoflondon.com/online-shop/women/charms They deliver to Ireland.

Don't feel like you have to get lots of charms. A simple charm bracelet with one charm on it would be sufficient (this also keeps the price down). You can then build it up over the years if you so want.

The pampering ideas are great as well.

A.

That Links of London stuff looks nice. Are they a well known brand here? The other site hasnt any nice bracelets. Are there any shops in Dublin specialising in charm bracelets like Brown Thomas or something?

Crea

As a mother of 3 who still hasn't been given an eternity ring:( I would recommend getting her one. Get one with the diamonds inset into the band so it won't look like the engagement ring.
As for the vouchers for time to herself for a bath, doing a nightfeed, helping in the house etc - you should be doing that anyway.

tunner

Thats what I was initially going to get her but her engagement ring looks like that so it would look a bit odd having 2 of the same looking rings on her finger (her engagement ring looks like this but I got it in applebys jewellers in dublin http://www.rocks.ie/5stones.htm)

Fast_Mover

She doesn't have to wear it on the same finger. My mother wears hers on ring finger of the right hand.

b3t4

tunner wrote: »

That Links of London stuff looks nice. Are they a well known brand here? The other site hasnt any nice bracelets. Are there any shops in Dublin specialising in charm bracelets like Brown Thomas or something?

Not sure what you mean by brand. I got my sister a bracelet and charm from them for her graduation and she loved them.

I'm not sure of shops that specialise in charms. As I said, the house of fraser place had the thomas sabo collection. You can get the charms from them and get a different chain. Actually, that house of fraser place also has links of london brand but they didn't have the same charm selection as what is avaialble on the website.

A.

TargetWidow

tunner wrote: »

Thats what I was initially going to get her but her engagement ring looks like that so it would look a bit odd having 2 of the same looking rings on her finger (her engagement ring looks like this but I got it in applebys jewellers in dublin http://www.rocks.ie/5stones.htm)

Bless you Tunner...:D, a quote from Lana from Fair City (-first expensive diamond ring robbed. Second ring bought by Leo. First ring recovered. Leo tries to convince Lana to sell one......to be said in best Russian accent)
"But Leo, I have ten fingers!!!"

What a lovely man! Enjoy the new baba when it arrives.
I'm still sticking to my metaphorical guns. Bottle making will get you more nookie than bling! :D:D

Moonbeam

If she likes Newbridge silver,they do charm bracelets.

Crea

I'm still sticking to my metaphorical guns. Bottle making will get you more nookie than bling!

Don't believe a word of it!!

I was looking at the Appleby site (girl porn!) and I get the impression that the engagement ring is like number 357. If that's the cased then I agree that more bling on the finger would be OTT.
If it's more like the other 2 then you'd get away with 655, 362 and 360 under wedding bands.
You could get her a ring for another finger with the birthstone of the month the baby is born in - tourquoise or blue topaz for December

The locket idea is a good one.
A charm bracelet with 2-3 charms on it like a baby shoe, rattle, love heart and give her a new charm on you childs birthday every year.

This is a website for jewellery especially for mothers- some of it is twee and some downright vomit but it might give you ideas.
http://www.lifetimemothers.com/default.asp

Let us know when Tunner Jr arrives.

ilo.na

On special occasions like that I usually give something personal i.e. rather spend time on making something special than just spending money.
I'd buy a huge picture frame and put pictures, stickers, little notes or stories, maybe poems and all kinds of items that remind both of you of something you shared together etc... that way you actually make an effort into getting her something she wouldn't get from just anyone and it's something that lasts forever...

helping out and giving her a chance for some time for herself is something you should be doing anyway!

chocciebutton

You can't beat an eternity ring, they are usually given after the birth of your 1st child.

LolaDub

Links of london have a concession in house of fraser, dundrum.

When i was working in brown thomas i remember a man whose wife had just given birth coming in to buy a heap of things his wife had been looking at previously. It was such a romantic idea!

Op what about a mix? Like a few smaller things together, maybe a smaller or cheaper piece of jewellery, some printed vouchers for free time as per earlier suggestion and a voucher for a facial? I think blue eriu do them for about 60 euro? You could come in under the 400 euro and i think a new mum would be over the moon. Its a lovely idea anyhow, whatever you decide! Good luck on the new arrival!

mummyofds

I am the mother of 4 children and after each birth my husband brought me a bunch of flowers that were yellow and purple, what made it special was that he remembered the right colour of the flowers each time and when I got home from hospital he made me the same beautiful dinner each time I arrived home, my point is that it is not the value of the gift,it is the thought that goes into it that is the real gift.