Present for pregnant friend?

[RunLyraRun]

My best friend is currently 8 weeks pregnant with her first baby. I'm very excited for her as they'd been trying for 2yrs and conceived on their first "go" of IVF

We live a couple of hundred miles apart so don't see each other that often, but we're meeting up for a weekend away at the end of this month and I would like to give her something nice to celebrate her pregnancy. She'll be 12 weeks by then, (all being well touch wood fingers crossed etc).

Can you give me some ideas as to what a pregnant lady might like to receive as a gift at this stage of pregnancy? Not having children myself (currently TTC), I'm a little short of ideas...so far all I have thought of is bumpbands and posh stretchmark cream!

Want to spend £30/40 ish. Thanks all.

Nice maternity top? include gift receipt so she can exchange it.

Or I quite like the willow tree ornament of the pregnant lady but I realise not everyone is a fan of such!

Or a voucher for a pregnancy massage/treatment?

Or a pregnancy book? The "Best Friends Guides" are good and that could be appropriate?

Actually I would say stretchmark cream is a fab idea!!
Also what about a nice pregnancy journal so she can keep a record of her pregnancy.

why not get a nice box/basket with tissue paper in and make your own gift basket... stretch mark cream, comfy socks, hair bands, chocolates, a book/diary that kind of stuff.

its really nice cause each little gift can be wrapped individually and is more fun to open.

and if shes 12 weeks she will be near to a scan and you could get a little frame for it (if shes the type of person to frame it of course).

Mama Mio mini-kits are lovely - they have a range of the products so that she can try them all and decide what she likes. They are also fab - I have used the stretch mark butter every day from 12 weeks -I'm now 35 weeks and have no stretch marks. You can get a selection of different kits within your price range and the butter on its own is around £20. Or failing that, my friends bought me a couple of maternity clothing pieces, a gap maternity coat was most appreciated and I have worn it throughout - maternity clothes cost a fortune so every little helps.

or maybe a nice new dressing gown and pair of slippers... trust me she will live in it towards the end of the pregnancy as all other clothes are uncomfy.

Great ideas, thank you very much. I want to buy everything you've suggested so may go a little over budget!!

I like www.makesachange.co.uk which has lovely eco and fair trade stuff for babies, if she's so inclined. Also they do gift vouchers if you don't know what to get. I have seen them advertising a 10% discount for MNetters on here somewhere - code was mumsnet.

Some really good chocolates - unless she's feeling sick of course. Hotel Chocolat always does it for me.

The best gift I've ever received whilst pregnant was "Mum To Be Body Butter" from Sanctuary. The smell is absolutely amazing and it's super creamy and perfect for rubbing all over your bump! I got a huge tub of it and I seriously used all of it!

I got lovely wooden bunting for a pregnant friend to go in the nursery (www.moobaacluck.com). They were able to do something pretty unisex. For the amount you're looking to spend you could also get her something like a pedicure as before too long she won't be able to reach her toes!

Brilliant thanks again ladies, loads of great ideas here

Best thing to see me through pregnancy is a support pillow - it is a lifesaver in terms of letting you sleep from early pregnancy right to the end, it's also v helpful for breastfeeding support and then a cushion to put behind the baby when they're learning to sit. It's not exactly a beautiful or sophisticated present but v useful.