A Push Present: What is it and Where to Find a Perfect Ideas?

Growing a human is hard work. Your body is changing rapidly, you might have swollen feet, have to pee all the time, have sleepless nights, and be hungry non-stop. What a wild ride! Pregnancy and birth don’t get enough credit, but they’re some of the most difficult, or at least intense, things a person can go through. If you currently are or ever have been pregnant, you deserve not only to be respected but celebrated. 

Many of us get presents for birthdays, holidays, weddings, why not for babies? No, we’re not talking about the necessary gear you get during a baby shower. Although we’re not complaining about that! At the ‘end’ of this journey, you get the best present of all of course – a baby (or two). But don’t you think that you should be rewarded along the way? We think so too. That’s where push presents come in. 

What is a Push Present? 

A push present, also known as ‘baby baubles’, is exactly what it sounds like – a present for a person who pushed out a baby, or had a belly birth of course. C-sections are just as much work as a vaginal birth.  Push presents are typically given to the pregnant person from their partner or spouse, but they can also be given by close family members or friends. They are typically given right before, at, or after birth. We try to push for inclusivity in everything we discuss. The same is true for lighthearted topics like push presents. You deserve to be celebrated no matter what your journey to parenthood looks like. While push presents are typically for the pregnant person, they’re great for non-gestational parents, adoptive parents, and anyone else who is on the parenthood journey. Why should someone get a push present? Well for one, just being them. Secondly, it’s not just your body that changes during pregnancy. Your hormones, emotions, your whole identity are changing. Not to mention the time showing up to appointments and ultrasounds, all while balancing work, life, and possibly other children. Push presents acknowledge this change and are a way of showing appreciation for a pregnant person. 

The History of Push Presents

So how did this awesome tradition start? Supposedly, the history of push presents originated in India hundreds of years ago. It’s modeled after a ritual called Godh Bharai, which is like a traditional baby shower. Here the family, mother-to-be, and unborn baby are celebrated and blessed. In Hindi, Godh Bharai means to ‘fill the lap’, so it makes sense that the mother or birthing person is showered with gifts during the event. These gifts often consist of feasts of fruits and sweets. This celebration is typically held around seven to eight months of pregnancy, and also asks the pregnant person to rest, and avoid chores and errands – a gift in itself.

The idea of a push present has started to grow in popularity in Western cultures since about 2010, thanks in large part to social media. Here we see examples of celebrities and the ultra-wealthy giving big extravagant push presents like J.Lo’s 2.5 million dollar earrings or Kim Kardashian’s million-dollar choker necklace. The idea of a push present can be a little weird and add to the comparison game that happens on social media. But that’s not the goal. At the heart of it, push presents are a way of recognizing and commemorating the journey of pregnancy, and all that it comes with. They’re not about showing off, although it’s totally fine if that’s what you want to do.

So what kind of things can a non-celebrity ask for their push present?

Push Present Ideas

Don’t let the expensive jewelry and cars you see on social media deter you. A push present is anything that the birthing person will love and find meaningful, and is within your budget. 

Here are some great push presentation ideas:

• A vacation, also known as a “babymoon”.
• Thoughtful jewelry, this could include the baby’s birthstone.
• A fancy coffee machine – you’ll need it!
• A purse or fancy diaper bag. 
• A plush robe to lounge in, that also makes nursing easier. Don’t forget the slippers!
• A smartwatch or new tech product, you might be spending a lot more time than usual on your phone. 
• Luxurious sheets – you deserve all the rest during and after pregnancy.

Remember that it doesn’t have to be big or extravagant. Something like a beautiful houseplant plant can be just as meaningful. The journey towards becoming a parent can be difficult no matter what it looks like for you. Even if it was easy, or somewhere in the middle – everyone deserves a push present that’s meaningful for them. 

If you’re pregnant and hoping for a push present, don’t be afraid to drop hints or be explicit about what you want. You earned it – and then some!