My father always gave my mother new mom jewelry, unfortunately all I ever got when I had a baby was a bunch of bananas, if I was unlucky and if I was lucky I didn’t even get a visit. It is tradition in some countries to give new mother jewelry, my mom had three children. With the first she was given an eternity ring, with the second (me) she was given a marquisette watch, and with the third she was given a gold locket. While my brother and I were at home being fed on baked beans and toast by my father, as this was the only thing he knew how to cook.
Regardless of me and my damaged psyche after being submitted to the wiles of a baby brother, it is still very fashionable for men to give their wives new mom jewelry, now, rather brazenly referred to as “push presents”. I wonder what you give to a wife who has had a Caesarian Section, their own branch of Tiffany & Co?
Nowadays, some people refer to the gift of jewelry to a wife on the arrival of a new child, as a push present. It sounds yucky to me, like the harder you scream and the more you have to push, the bigger and more expensive the gift. I had two caesarians, maybe that why I got a pat on the back and a bunch of bananas?
Men who thank their wives for giving birth are doing the right thing. My daughter didn’t want to start a family and her husband did, so she made sure she got her push present before she got pregnant. She didn’t think she would have time to enjoy it after she gave birth.
So get it she did, a very expensive diamond ring, which as she so rightly surmised she wouldn’t have time to enjoy after the baby came, because she lost her mind and her ring. And a trip to the Caribbean to practice baby making, at least she got to enjoy that. Having lost her ring and her mind after the baby was born, and having to get a new one, both the ring and her mind! She did the right thing in not demanding a “push present” when my darling grandchild arrived. It is a girl by the way!
Now I am not saying that you should demand or expect to receive new mom jewelry, but if it is tradition in your family, perhaps it would be a good idea to receive it before you have the baby. This is just to make sure you get some pleasure out of your gift first. If you don’t, then new dads, you are going to have to do some quick thinking.
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