Help needed on gift for colleague going on maternity leave

[JustShaggingForNow]

Ladies - some help please!

My colleague is going on maternity leave at the end of this week and I have been given the role of choosing a pressie for her.

I ahve asked her DH for suggestions as to things that thye don't yet have but as she is super organised she has bought everything already. He suggested gift vouchers but I think that's a bit uninspired!

what do you think about there two options

John Lewis blanket or Little white Company blanket

I have approx £100 to spend to any other suggestions would be very welcome!!

Thanks for you help in advance!

x

go with the DH's suggestion and get vouchers it is probably for the best then they can pick something together for the baby when its a bit older or needing new stuff
hell we got someone going on maternity leave asda vouchers so they could buy nappies when needed and she was delighted with it

Another one saying no to posh/expensive things. Vouchers I could spend on maternity leave would definitely have been appreciated.

Personally I'd prefer the posh/expensive things as they often the things I'd like but can't justify.
Maybe a nice Aden and Anais swaddle/some muslin cloths and some nice bath stuff from L'occitane and a voucher with whatever is left?

I'd say spend about 35-40 and give the rest in vouchers. I love the large Aden swaddle muslins, and I got a photo and clay foot mound thingy frame which was nice.

I would get stuff for mother tbh rather than baby as she is the one leaving work not baby, she is the one you know right now.

Maybe:

-Kindle so she can read whilst awake at night with baby

• nice blanket big enough for adult. Can fold over sofa edge and use with baby and themselves on sofa again when up with baby or just cold.

• nice indoor lantern and candles. Remember she still a regular human not just a baby machine

• a hamper with nice fancy cordials. Nice when they aren't drinking alcohol.

I had a wonderful gift from my students of a Jo Malone candle and soap, Neil's yard bath foam and a posh French teddy for baby when I went on mat leave. I felt so spoilt and I've used all the bath foam, packed teddy in my bag and saving the candle for labouring at home.

zombie thread, the baby will be at school now!

i second the pp idea of hand and footprint from john lewis! I was given this as a present by someone, I think its actually about £70 the package we were given, it is my favourite thing and is still up in my 5yo DS room! we had it done when he was just 5 weeks old! it will be something I treasure forever! im now pregnant with DS2 and really hoping someone gets us the same thing again or at least vouchers we can put towards it as its not an expense we can afford while on mat pay. Mothercare now do it too.

www.mothercare.com/Memory-Makers-Gift-Experience--Double-Imprint-in-Wooden-Frame/845143,default,pd.html

how does this happen! didn't even see the date lol

Costa card.
Comfy cardi to chuck over outfits, with matching scarf for breastfeeding.
Don't bother with smellies or skin lotions. Some mornings she won't have time to shower.

I was given Cook vouchers by friends after a long stay in hospital after birth and it was brilliant - nice food and no need to cook for a week after we got home. Vouchers isn't unimaginative in a situation like this - it acknowledges that everyone's tastes and decisions when it comes to baby stuff are different. There will be stuff she'll discover she needs after the birth that she hasn't even thought of and it'll be great to have vouchers to cover it - or just to spend on nice baby clothes she likes. Everyone will be buying her newborn stuff, but she can use the vouchers for bigger sizes a few months down the line. I ended up with about 10 baby blankets after DS was born, all of them lovely, but more than I needed.

And it just goes to show - there have been quite a few suggestions of actual gifts on this thread and so far I would not be particularly delighted to be given any of them! I wouldn't want an acquaintance to choose me a sling (I enjoyed researching what I wanted myself, there are loads of different types) or a cardigan or pyjamas (it's bloody difficult to buy the right clothes for your nearest and dearest, let alone a work colleague), I think the baby footprints thing is more fun to do at home yourself with some paint and paper, I'd loathe a family photo session, I'm not keen on scented candles, I'm not one for long baths etc. etc. - I sound like a right ungrateful cow! But I'm just pointing out that people's tastes in these things differ hugely and vouchers means she gets the chance to choose something she loves.

Plus, her DH very likely asked her about it, even if he says he didn't, so I'd assume the gift voucher suggestion comes from her.

When I left work, I left with around 8 really nice blankets and god knows how many teddies and other things. Was very grateful but i still had a long list of things i needed and therefore the most helpful thing I got was £150 'one4all' gift card. Can be spent in hundreds of places so meant we could buy what we needed but also went for a meal at Pizza express (our last meal out together).
I also loved the gift box full if my favourite sweets that I received