Janah
I've had a lot of friends give birth over the last few years, and a subject that's popped up time and time again is push presents.
'He got you a what?' I exclaimed, the first time a friend had told me she'd been given one. But once she explained what a push present was, I instantly liked the idea of them.
So what exactly is a push present?
And what if you haven't pushed at all - do you still get a pressie if you've delivered by caesarean?!
Good news - if you've given birth to a baby, you qualify for a push present!
A push present is a gift that the partner buys for their other half who has just delivered a baby. It is typically presented shortly after the birth, sometimes even in the delivery room.
Of course, a newborn bundle of joy will always be the biggest gift for any parents - but a push present is a nice way of saying "thanks for everything you just went through to bring our child into the world."
What makes a great push present?
Push presents seem to be more popular over in America than they are here in the UK, and the gift of choice seems to be jewellery for our friends across the pond - although I've heard of everything from cars to holidays becoming push gifts for delighted new mums.
Some celebrity examples of especially lavish push presents include Kim Kardashian's diamond choker worth millions, gifted to her by her husband after the birth of their second child.
Let's not forget Mariah Carey's gorgeous diamond necklace engraved with the names of her twin babies she'd just delivered.
Even our very own royal family has had a go - but with surprisingly less decadence than you'd expect. Prince William gifted the Duchess of Cambridge with a sweet teddy bear from Harrods after the birth of their first tot Prince George. I think I like that one the best!
The surprising side-effect of receiving a push present
Push presents have been a firm fixture amongst the celebrity crowd for a while now, but could they be making their way over to the UK and becoming a thing with our own family and friends too? A close friend of mine was feeling quite insecure after the birth of her first child last year, when her partner surprised her with a push present in the delivery room. It was a jacket she'd always wanted, and a card telling her how proud he was of her.
This made her so happy - it was a sweet, unexpected gesture and it allowed her to build her confidence back up and start feeling like herself again.
This is what I love about push presents. They're more than just an excuse to be lavish. It's a chance to show someone who's just done something super brave and admirable that they are appreciated and loved. Childbirth can be very tiring and taxing for a new mother, so that little gift could mean more to her than you would ever imagine.
What would be your perfect push present?
