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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

what was the baby gift you got from work?

110 replies

Merryoldgoat · 12/10/2021 11:41

My very lovely assistant accountant is going on maternity leave and I want to get her something nice. Budget of £70-£100

What did you get as a gift that you really liked when you went on leave? Or are vouchers preferable?

I was taken out for tea as my goodbye but we can’t do that for her so trying to think of alternatives.

OP posts:
FindingMeno · 12/10/2021 16:35

Diddly squat.
They had the hump I had the audacity to need maternity leave.

Anonymous48 · 12/10/2021 16:37

A baby gift from work? I didn't get one. Neither did anyone else who had a baby. I didn't know it was a thing. I don't know if that's because this was 20 years ago or because I'm not in the UK.

MarmaladeToastAndAMarmaladeCat · 12/10/2021 16:45

I was given a box of white company baby clothes, blanket and hat, a Ewan the sheep, £250 John Lewis vouchers and a burts bees mum to be gift set.

Blackmagicqueen · 12/10/2021 17:00

I was given a hamper with baby grows, vests, bibs, muslins, socks, wipes etc and also a voucher.

Blackmagicqueen · 12/10/2021 17:02

The voucher i found so handy as it wqs enough to buy one of the items we needed. I agree a voucher is great esp if it is a one you can spend in a few places or online.

Plotato · 12/10/2021 17:15

I was asked what I wanted both times, which was nice. I'm afraid I wouldn't have appreciated a nappy cake as mentioned up thread as I used reusable nappies.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 12/10/2021 17:25

Practically, some vouchers would have been useful, as I could have used either for baby clothes or things for me, as spending on clothes, bath stuff or anything else wasn't as high on the list of priorities as paying the rent. Something else that I think would have been nice would have been some sort of soft wrap/pashmina type thing to keep me warm whilst up all night with a baby.

In reality, both pregnancies that went to term - and the one that didn't - all saw a bright, shiny and crisp P45 with a letter saying that I had been made redundant because the rest of the team will be able to absorb my workload and it definitely wasn't anything to do with my pregnancy/loss.

WhereIsMumHiding3 · 12/10/2021 17:25

I think you should ask her if there is something specific she wants

It's nice to do a surprise but if someone asked me I would have said oh I'd love a (or this) baby play mat , bottle steriliser or baby bouncing chair, or that we have x y and z but none of the other stuff yet

That's a lot of money you've collected so I can see why you want to be careful what you spend it on

I had some lovely friends and family buy me little outfits etc but few of them got worn as we had too many in small size that my DS was too long for within a couple weeks

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 12/10/2021 17:36

Vouchers from memory and a few token gifts from contacts.

drpet49 · 12/10/2021 17:39

Vouchers for M&S which I was thrilled with

CorpusCallosum · 12/10/2021 17:44

I had a £50 Next voucher (felt v generous, I was moved), a couple of cute baby gros and a sock/bib bouquet from GooGoo gifts - I hadn't seen one before, was dead impressed and the socks & bibs were great!

I really enjoyed all those things as they were lovely and practical. I don't know what your mat leave package is like but ours is pretty standard so an extra £50 for baby clothes (and some return to work clothes for me!) made a big difference.

ContadoraExplorer · 12/10/2021 17:45

Couple of small gifts and a lot of cash. We put it towards cloth nappies which we had considered but probably wouldn't have bought if it wasn't for the extra cash we were given as a gift.

vincettenoir · 12/10/2021 17:52

I was given presents from some individuals plus vouchers. The gifts were ordinary things: stuffed toys; a bag of hospital toiletries; babygrows etc but I was really touched by them. I think a mixture of vouchers and 1 or 2 small gifts is perfect.

Littlegoth · 12/10/2021 17:56

I got a baby hamper, blankets, baby box and M&S vouchers. The M&S vouchers and baby box were the most appreciated

bumsnett · 12/10/2021 18:39

@NeverDropYourMooncup

Practically, some vouchers would have been useful, as I could have used either for baby clothes or things for me, as spending on clothes, bath stuff or anything else wasn't as high on the list of priorities as paying the rent. Something else that I think would have been nice would have been some sort of soft wrap/pashmina type thing to keep me warm whilst up all night with a baby.

In reality, both pregnancies that went to term - and the one that didn't - all saw a bright, shiny and crisp P45 with a letter saying that I had been made redundant because the rest of the team will be able to absorb my workload and it definitely wasn't anything to do with my pregnancy/loss.

That is not legal is it?
NeverDropYourMooncup · 12/10/2021 18:43

Each employer said almost exactly the same thing, making it very clear that it wasn't due to my pregnancy, so I presume that it was the officially perfect wording for HR professionals to get out of possible claims for discrimination at the time.

The Equality Act tightened up on this loophole, but came too late for me.

Onionbhajisandwich · 12/10/2021 19:02

I got a beautiful Moses basket and bedding from my colleagues and my boss found out which hairdressers I went to and got me a voucher to get my hair done (which was hugely appreciated as I was feeling a bit low about how I looked after the birth / sleepless nights).

YoungGiftedPlump · 12/10/2021 19:18

@ChristmasFluff

I got a teddy and some flowers when baby was born, and a card when I went on maternity leave.

But the chronic fatigue group I ran made a beautiful quilted baby blanket that I still have today, over 20 years later. I still have the teddy too (it was one of my son't favourites), but I love that blanket, and the work that went into it, so much.

A teddy is a very odd and personal gift. Did you ever wear it?
catgirl1976 · 12/10/2021 19:29

I can't remember the gift but when my boss heard I had given birth he sent a massive Domino's order to the delivery ward for me. Amazing

Except they wouldn't let it in for infection control purposes so I never got it :(

And when my excited mum arrived to visit me and her first DGC and gave my name the nurse said "Oh that poor girl" - referring to the Domino's denial rather than - as my poor mum quite reasonably thought - something terrible happening to me or DS.

I still think forlornly of the pizza. Although obviously I got a baby which is better. Honest.

Famousinlove · 12/10/2021 19:35

@YoungGiftedPlump A teddy is a very odd and personal gift. Did you ever wear it?

I hope @ChristmasFluff looks something like this

what was the baby gift you got from work?
lazyarse123 · 12/10/2021 20:00

[quote Famousinlove]**@YoungGiftedPlump* A teddy is a very odd and personal gift. Did you ever wear it?*

I hope @ChristmasFluff looks something like this[/quote]
Brilliant GrinGrin
I got a baby box filled with clothes, creams etc plus everyone bought me and baby individual gifts, can't remember now it was 32 years ago. It took three of us to carry thing's to the car when dh picked me up. I cried all the way home it was lovely.
Flowers too.

Nodancingshoes · 12/10/2021 20:27

We always make a hamper for people having babies at our workplace. Nice basket, blanket, soft toy, baby grow, socks, bibs and a baby record book usually x

Wilkolampshade · 12/10/2021 20:39

A bunch of flowers and then, from someone I barely knew, the most enormous and extraordinary box of chocolates of the very highest quality imaginable, with a charming handwritten note. Nothing weird, he was/is a big family man and was just happy for me and my husband. Never had anything like it before or since. The giver was just a terribly nice bloke on the board of directors. I was the lowest of the low at the time, very much passing through. It was so sweet and even though I felt like a fat old heifer at the time made me feel human again. It was lovely.

YoungGiftedPlump · 12/10/2021 21:12

[quote Famousinlove]**@YoungGiftedPlump* A teddy is a very odd and personal gift. Did you ever wear it?*

I hope @ChristmasFluff looks something like this[/quote]
Oh Crap

It said a teddy for me- I just thought lingerie not bear

Plotato · 12/10/2021 21:19

It said a teddy for me- I just thought lingerie not bear

One of the funniest things I've read on MN. A teddy bear is such a normal gift in the context of the thread - how your mind went to lingerie I've no idea Grin