First I should clarify that I am a birth junkie and, as such, am giving here suggestions for the pregnant woman you may know.  If you are looking for a shopping guide for someone else, all I say to you is shame- you should have done your shopping last January.

So, if you’re shopping for a pregnant woman and you’re reading this blog, it is quite likely that you can look up her registry and shop from where you are sitting.  I don’t discourage that.  I like to buy gifts from people’s registries because I know I’ve chosen something that they want (and hopefully need, but with baby things, there is sooo much they just don’t need).  I don’t stop there, however.  I like to add something to the gift so that it is more personal and thoughtful and so they don’t end up knowing how much I’ve spent.  Go ahead and buy the bouncer, but then add a book.  Not to be read while the baby is bouncing- I was thinking more along the lines of Active Birth by  Janet Balaskas, The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth by  Sheila Kitzinger, Birth by Tina Cassidy or maybe The Birth Partner by  Penny Simkin (which she should leave lying around for her partner to pick up).  Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by  Ina May Gaskin has some inspiring birth stories she can easily read without realizing how much she’s getting from them.  There are so many great books.  For some more suggestions, click on my books tab.  You might also consider getting her a mix of herbs to use in a sitz bath or regular bath to heal her postpartum perineum.  I make a lovely organic batch you can purchase by contacting me.

Another fabulous idea is some spa time.  This is actually good for any adult on your list.  In fact, if you know me personally, please assume I am hinting directly to you.  A gift certificate to a spa that has regular packages as well as prenatal massage is great because she can choose to use it while she’s pregnant or some time afterwards, when she will probably need it just as much.  If she hasn’t used it by the time the baby is born, however, part of your gift should be a nudge to get going as it is likely she will never find the time to do it on her own.

My final suggestion is to offer to pay, either partially or in full, alone or with some friends, for the services of a doula.  You might choose a birth doula or a postpartum doula or have the mother-to-be decide which she would prefer.  Either way, you shouldn’t actually hire a doula for her, even if you’ve gotten a recommendation for the best doula in town, as hiring a doula is very personal.

I hope that there is a great decrease in the number of unnecessities purchased for the babies of 2010 thanks to this blog.

Happy shopping!  (that’s an oxymoron, isn’t it?)