Push Gifts for Dad's

bkapps

My DH has been so amazing during my pregnancy. I want to give him something special in the hospital. Any ideas?

Ivorytower2

You might think this is kind of cheesey, but I'm making a custom monopoly game for DH. It's called My Monopoly. You fill in all the properties with your own memories, so I'll use the places we went on our honeymoon for like Boardwalk and Park Place and then all the the other places that are special to us for one reason or another. You can add corresponding pictures too.

I love it because I think it will be a reminder of all the great memories we had when our life was just the two of us.

Good luck!

Marchie1214

I wouldn't call it a push present. He is not the one doing all the pushing.

RedBaramid

Real confessions: I've been keeping a secret diary from DH about my journey through this pregnancy as letters to him. I've been paying special attention to talk about all the things he has done to make this pregnancy memorable and easier (also a running tab of all the awful jokes he has told.) I plan on giving it to him probably after I go back to work so I also get to write about his first weeks as a father.  This pregnancy has really made me fall in love with him in a whole new way, and it didn't take me long to figure out that I wanted to document how that love was growing, and at first it was just for me and private, but as it evolved I couldn't think of a better way to show my appreciation of how strong he has been for me than to give it to him. (Although the baby is a close second of course.)

GeminiJordan

I think having his baby is a nice enough gift itself, being a good support system is pretty obligatory on his part regardless. You could buy a cute "I love my daddy" type outfit for LO if you wanted to do something nice and baby related.

Jayhawkali

My husbands bday is a week after baby's tentative csection date. He's getting a daughter for his bday and to watch his favorite team play football. Might have his mom bring cake or beer for him.

bumpuser5078523

For our first I got him two cigars and a bottle of whiskey. I didn't call it a push present though. I figured he would want to share it with his brother to celebrate his baby boy.

conradraging

While the term push present for anyone makes me kind of stabby, I think it's a great idea. I got a special "manly" diaper bag for DH and plan on filling it up and giving it to him. Probably with "I love my daddy" type stuff. Although I might stick in something non baby related.

I also don't like the idea that his support is "obligatory" and thus you should not give him anything...

mrsdanielleM2010

In addition to giving DH a son, I'm hoping that when labor is over, he will have survived my wrath. That would be enough of a gift.


Kidding. Dh is a big cigar aficionado so I asked his bf to suggest a cigar I can buy about 40 of and put custom bands on. He's gonna love it.

trebekastan

DH keeps asking me what I'm getting him for his "Poke Present"... We actually aren't doing push or poke presents but he just likes the name he made up for them.

punnybunny

DH doesn't smoke or drink so no cigars or alcohol for him. I was leaning toward a collection of "I love my daddy" and "daddy's little girl/princess" type outfits and baby accessories.

mrsH1112

@RedBaramid-
I love your idea! TOTALLY would be something Id do.  Now Im annoyed at myself for not thinking about doing something like that!   I think your DH will love it.  Its so important for couples to know that regardless of all the crazy stuff going on that your SO cares and acknowledges the other for everything they are and how they have supported them and made them feel!

@mrsdanielleM2010- I really like this idea too.  Something sort of personalized that he would really be into as a treat for him.  Good one!

JackieB15

I just got my husband a card and packed it in the hospital bag. My brother brought some beer when he came to visit and he appreciated that, so maybe I'll make sure someone brings some again this time.

rlyttle

DS's birthday is 9/14, our anniversary is 9/19, and my doctor wants to induce the week of the 22nd. DH will be celebrating all freaking month!! I'm thinking some cheesecake on our anniversary and a new baby will be more than enough for him. Maybe I'll have a beer with him when we bring the baby home. That will be a nice push present for the both of us 

Linz-E

Im in the camp where isn't baby enough? Doesn't get more special than that. 

Bella2425

Nope. I don't expect (or want/need) anything from him either. 
We are however, getting our DS something, I want to make sure he still feels special.

JD83

Since DH's birthday is 9/3 and I know how much he misses his Philly soft pretzels, I'm going to order some and have them stashed away in the hospital bag for him. EDD isn't until the 20th, but who knows when she's going to decide to grace us with her presence.

portentosa

trebekastan said:

DH keeps asking me what I'm getting him for his "Poke Present"... We actually aren't doing push or poke presents but he just likes the name he made up for them.

My DH's first response was Ginger's response.... isn't the baby the present? Then he went on to make up the term "Pump Present" before I scrolled down to your DH's invention. He is sticking with his own ingenious play on words. :P

Pancake227

For my first I got my husband a shirt that said "Daddy est. 2012". This time...probably nothing. I'm too damn tired.

bumpuser10199668

When DH and I got engaged, I gave him an engraved watch with "Yes" and the date on it. I was planning on buying him a watch and engraving it with "Hi Dad" or something similar, but he went and bought the watch I had picked for him so....I got nothin'.

brittneyandadam

DH doesn't drink beer, doesn't smoke cigars, won't carry a bag, and doesn't wear t-shirts with writing. His present will be his firstborn daughter and the satisfaction of "look what we made"

Minmcgar

No way! Just his new little bundle of joy : )

Djcieply

When we had DS I picked up a "congrats on becoming a daddy" card and wrote something special in it for him, but I dont think Im even going to do that this time.

mrsdanielleM2010

Just asked dh's fb for help choosing cigars. He already ordered a batch and was going to do the same gift. Back to the drawing board!

andrieya

I just gifted my husband some NY Giants onesies for our baby girl. He was super excited about that. The letter thing though--wow! Above and beyond amazing.

amom2four

My dh gets his first biological son to carry on his last name. Oh, and to live because as I lay in bed most nights not sleeping for hours due to the constant kicking, he is always snoring. This is bs.

Cw1080

I don't totally get how annoyed people get about those couples who do exchange gifts around the birth. If it makes sense for you as a couple to celebrate milestones by exchanging gifts, then it probably seems normal that the birth of a child would be a gift exchanging occasion. But if that's not your thing--and it's not mine--it's not a judgement on the value you place on the occasion that someone else is commemorating it in a different way. It's certainly not a matter of the child being "enough of a present"--no one is exchanging gifts to compensate for a deficient child who isn't enough of a present! It's just that happens to be in keeping with how they as a couple mark these occasions. Do you. And judge away at the terrible name, because, ick. But this is a completely private decision that people have made about how to work things in their individual relationships--you certainly don't have to do it, but it's not necessary to act like that is a reflection on the value you place on the child.

trebekastan

Cw1080 said:

I don't totally get how annoyed people get about those couples who do exchange gifts around the birth. If it makes sense for you as a couple to celebrate milestones by exchanging gifts, then it probably seems normal that the birth of a child would be a gift exchanging occasion. But if that's not your thing--and it's not mine--it's not a judgement on the value you place on the occasion that someone else is commemorating it in a different way. It's certainly not a matter of the child being "enough of a present"--no one is exchanging gifts to compensate for a deficient child who isn't enough of a present! It's just that happens to be in keeping with how they as a couple mark these occasions. Do you. And judge away at the terrible name, because, ick. But this is a completely private decision that people have made about how to work things in their individual relationships--you certainly don't have to do it, but it's not necessary to act like that is a reflection on the value you place on the child.

I don't think a single person here did that. They just expressed that it leaves a bad taste in their mouths. That is THEIR opinion.

Cw1080

trebekastan said:

Cw1080 said:

I don't totally get how annoyed people get about those couples who do exchange gifts around the birth. If it makes sense for you as a couple to celebrate milestones by exchanging gifts, then it probably seems normal that the birth of a child would be a gift exchanging occasion. But if that's not your thing--and it's not mine--it's not a judgement on the value you place on the occasion that someone else is commemorating it in a different way. It's certainly not a matter of the child being "enough of a present"--no one is exchanging gifts to compensate for a deficient child who isn't enough of a present! It's just that happens to be in keeping with how they as a couple mark these occasions. Do you. And judge away at the terrible name, because, ick. But this is a completely private decision that people have made about how to work things in their individual relationships--you certainly don't have to do it, but it's not necessary to act like that is a reflection on the value you place on the child.

I don't think a single person here did that. They just expressed that it leaves a bad taste in their mouths. That is THEIR opinion.

Which, of course, they're entitled to express. I was just pointing out the problem with the way it's being expressed--"the baby is the present"--since I feel like that really misrepresents the idea behind these presents. Do them, don't do them, whatever works for you, but I just feel like it's a little snarky--and probably completely unintentionally so--to tell someone who is doing them that for you, the baby is present enough, because the implication is that for the push present camp, the baby won't be enough. We don't celebrate anniversaries with a present, for instance, but it's because presents aren't our thing, not because being together is a present enough. This conversation has been totally civil, and I'm really not trying to call anyone out or cause drama or whatever, but this isn't the first conversation about push presents I've seen where a certain percentage of the responses are from people who don't do them because the baby is the present, and that idea just doesn't make sense to me. In that case, most events that people tend to celebrate with a present wouldn't warrant a present. Oh, you graduated? Congrats, your diploma is your present! You know what I mean?

Anyway, my point is mostly semantics, not anything specific anyone said.

portentosa

Cw1080 said:

I don't totally get how annoyed people get about those couples who do exchange gifts around the birth. If it makes sense for you as a couple to celebrate milestones by exchanging gifts, then it probably seems normal that the birth of a child would be a gift exchanging occasion. But if that's not your thing--and it's not mine--it's not a judgement on the value you place on the occasion that someone else is commemorating it in a different way. It's certainly not a matter of the child being "enough of a present"--no one is exchanging gifts to compensate for a deficient child who isn't enough of a present! It's just that happens to be in keeping with how they as a couple mark these occasions. Do you. And judge away at the terrible name, because, ick. But this is a completely private decision that people have made about how to work things in their individual relationships--you certainly don't have to do it, but it's not necessary to act like that is a reflection on the value you place on the child.

I don't think a single person here did that. They just expressed that it leaves a bad taste in their mouths. That is THEIR opinion.

Which, of course, they're entitled to express. I was just pointing out the problem with the way it's being expressed--"the baby is the present"--since I feel like that really misrepresents the idea behind these presents. Do them, don't do them, whatever works for you, but I just feel like it's a little snarky--and probably completely unintentionally so--to tell someone who is doing them that for you, the baby is present enough, because the implication is that for the push present camp, the baby won't be enough. We don't celebrate anniversaries with a present, for instance, but it's because presents aren't our thing, not because being together is a present enough. This conversation has been totally civil, and I'm really not trying to call anyone out or cause drama or whatever, but this isn't the first conversation about push presents I've seen where a certain percentage of the responses are from people who don't do them because the baby is the present, and that idea just doesn't make sense to me. In that case, most events that people tend to celebrate with a present wouldn't warrant a present. Oh, you graduated? Congrats, your diploma is your present! You know what I mean? Anyway, my point is mostly semantics, not anything specific anyone said.

"The baby is enough" is the opinion of many posters in here, as trebeck said. It's not a judgement against people that would exchange push presents, in fact some people have posted really cute present ideas. I am not a fan of push presents in general and am of the opinion of "the baby is enough" but I LOVE the secret diary idea that was posted.

No one is putting down anyone else's choice, I agree.... you're reaching.

Cw1080

Fair enough. My apologies for overreaching--I wasn't trying to call anyone out, but it clearly came across that way, so I'm sorry for the misunderstanding.

conradraging

Now I feel like I need to add that I'm only getting a present for DH because he's been away basically the whole pregnancy, and thus hasn't really been involved in picking anything out with me, so I want him to have something to feel included. I don't think he "deserves" a present, and I definitely don't think I do. I just know he feels like he hasn't been able to be involved so I thought some I love my daddy type stuff would make him smile.

I wholeheartedly agree that "the baby is enough".

trebekastan

conradraging said:

Now I feel like I need to add that I'm only getting a present for DH because he's been away basically the whole pregnancy, and this hasn't really been involved in picking anything out with me, so I want him to have something to feel included. I don't think he "deserves" a present, and I definitely don't think I do. I just know he feels like he hasn't been able to be involved so I thought some I love my daddy type stuff would make him smile. I wholeheartedly agree that "the baby is enough".

Exactly, and it makes sense in your case. I guess for me it pales in comparison to the actual child. "We just created life and brought him forth into this world....here's a watch to commemorate." (Sorry if anyone is doing a watch) It's not that it's not a nice gesture, I just personally would feel silly giving a gift on that day. 

CUBBIESMAMA3

Things have changed dramatically for the better with DH and I since the birth of our son, so I wanted to get him something small to thank him for being so much more supportive this time around. 

We have a great beer section at our local grocery store, so I was just going to get him a six pack of his favorite beer, (that is very hard to find, btw) as a small thank you, as well as a pack or two of his favorite pretzels to go with it.  

I think that he's getting me one of my favorite drinks and/or foods as well, and we will probably go out to our favorite special occasion restaurant when I get home from the hospital.  That's just how we celebrate.  :-)