Maternity Gift Ideas for Your Newly Pregnant Partner
You've just discovered that your partner is pregnant.
Amid the excitement, congratulations and conversations about what happens next, you may want to give her something to mark the occasion.
But what makes a good pregnancy gift?
The answer is surprisingly simple:
Choose something for her.
There will be plenty of time for tiny clothes, blankets, toys and everything else the baby will eventually need. A gift at the beginning of pregnancy is an opportunity to celebrate the person carrying the baby.
Here are some ideas.
1. Something She Can Enjoy Right Now
One of the nicest things about an early pregnancy gift is that it doesn't need to have anything to do with babies.
Think about what your partner already enjoys.
Perhaps it's her favourite flowers, a beautiful book, dinner somewhere she loves, a favourite food or something she's had her eye on for a while.
The fact that she's pregnant doesn't mean every present suddenly has to contain the word "maternity".
Sometimes the most thoughtful pregnancy gift is simply something you know she will love.
2. Something Comfortable
Pregnancy can change what feels comfortable, although when and how that happens varies enormously from woman to woman.
Comfortable clothing, pyjamas or loungewear can make a practical gift later in pregnancy.
But this is one category where surprise isn't necessarily an advantage.
Sizing, fabric and personal style matter, so let her choose if you're unsure.
A shopping trip together can be part of the gift.
3. An Experience Together
Not every pregnancy gift has to arrive in a box.
An afternoon tea, dinner, weekend away, theatre tickets or simply planning a day together can make a wonderful present.
Choose something appropriate for your partner and her stage of pregnancy, and remember that energy levels and how she feels may change.
The important part is making time for one another.
4. Something That Gives Her Time
One of the most useful gifts can cost very little.
Take something off her list.
Cook dinner. Deal with the washing. Take responsibility for an errand she's been putting off. Organise something that normally falls to her.
It may not look particularly impressive wrapped in ribbon, but practical support can be extraordinarily thoughtful.
Our Pregnancy for Partners Guide has more ideas for supporting your partner throughout the nine months.
5. A Keepsake
Pregnancy contains moments that can become important memories later.
A journal, photograph album, keepsake box or something personal to the two of you can mark the beginning of this new chapter.
You might also write her a letter.
It doesn't need to be elaborate. Tell her how you felt when you discovered you were going to become parents and what you're looking forward to.
Years from now, that may mean considerably more than an expensive present.
6. A Thoughtful Self-Care Gift
If your partner enjoys skincare, bathing, candles or other self-care rituals, a beautifully presented gift can be a lovely way of giving something specifically for her.
Choose according to her tastes, rather than assuming every pregnant woman wants the same things.
Pregnancy is also a sensible time to be more careful about products making therapeutic or medical claims. If either of you is unsure whether a particular ingredient or product is appropriate during pregnancy, check with a pharmacist, midwife, GP or other qualified healthcare professional.
A gift doesn't need to promise to fix pregnancy symptoms to be enjoyable.
Sometimes it's enough for it to feel beautiful, considered and hers.
7. Something for Later in Pregnancy
You don't have to do all your gifting at the beginning.
A small present when you first discover the pregnancy followed by something later can be particularly thoughtful.
As the pregnancy progresses, her priorities may change too.
You might mark the beginning of a new trimester, celebrate after an appointment or simply surprise her on an entirely ordinary Tuesday.
There doesn't need to be an official occasion.
Our guide to When Is the Best Time to Celebrate a Pregnancy? explores this in more detail.
8. Start Thinking About After the Birth
One particularly thoughtful approach is to choose something she'll appreciate after the baby arrives.
So many presents following a birth are understandably for the newborn that the new mother can become rather lost amongst the babygrows and blankets.
You could prepare meals for the freezer, organise some practical help or choose something specifically for her to open after the birth.
Our Postpartum Gifts Guide explains what to consider when choosing a gift for the fourth trimester.
How Much Should You Spend on a Pregnancy Gift?
There is no correct amount.
A meaningful pregnancy gift doesn't have to be expensive, and the price of a present isn't a measure of how much you care about your partner.
Set a budget that makes sense for you.
A £10 gesture chosen because you know she'll love it can be far more meaningful than a £100 gift chosen because somebody told you that's what pregnant women are supposed to want.
What Should You Avoid?
Perhaps the biggest mistake is buying something based entirely on the pregnancy rather than the person.
Your partner hasn't stopped being herself because she's becoming a mother.
Be wary, too, of gifts that make exaggerated claims about pregnancy, healing, health or what a product can supposedly do for the baby.
And unless you know she'll appreciate it, think twice before presenting household equipment or something exclusively for the baby as a gift for her.
The Best Pregnancy Gift Is Personal
There is no universal "best" maternity gift.
For one woman it might be jewellery. For another, comfortable pyjamas. For somebody else, a weekend away, a pregnancy journal or an evening with her favourite takeaway and absolutely nothing planned.
What makes a pregnancy gift thoughtful isn't the category it belongs to.
It's the fact that you've considered who she is, what she likes and what might make her feel appreciated.
The baby will receive plenty of presents soon enough.
This one can be for her.
Further Reading
Pregnancy for Partners: How to Support Her Through the 9 Months
When Is the Best Time to Celebrate a Pregnancy?
Postpartum Gifts: The Complete Guide
Written by Primrose + Ginger