When should I.....?

[stormkeeper_lovedoris]

One of my favorite coworkers, Katie, is pregnant and due on March 3. I likely won't go to her shower but I want to get her a gift. When is it too early?

They know the sex of the baby and thus I think this means they are past the main 'danger zone'; miscarriage is much less likely by now. (She did have a miscarriage a few years ago). So is it too early to get a gift now?

I love Katie; she and her husband have been hugely involved in our LGBT employee group. She does a lot of the grunt work that no one else wants to.

Comments

[scribblemyname]

I'd think it's okay to get her one.

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

You mean get her one now as opposed to waiting a month or so, right?

[scribblemyname]

Yeah.

[denisia.livejournal.com]

Maybe it would be best to get her a small generic congratulations gift now, and leave the big "congrats on the baby" gift until the shower? If she's due in March it means she's only four months in...and unfortunately that still leaves a long time for miscarriage or something else to go wrong, even if it is not as likely. When she has the shower it's going to be a lot closer to the end of the pregnancy.

Way back when I asked about baby gifts, a friend of mine brought up the point that the mom needs TLC too, and the presents always concentrate on the newborn. So maybe what you could get Katie right now, if you wanted to get her a gift, could be a "pamper the mom-to-be" sort of thing? Like a gift certificate to a restaurant she likes or a spa?

[denisia.livejournal.com]

To edit the above, I know you said you weren't going to the shower, and I didn't mean that you had to...I just meant that maybe timing the gift WITH the shower, or around that date, would work.

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea, coincide with whenever the shower is.

[maddiec24.livejournal.com]

I would probably wait until time for the shower, even if I wasn't going. And I do always try and include something for the mother-to-be - - with my friends, it's usually a book, or lotion/shower gel sets, something with which to pamper themselves.

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Makes sense - thank you.

[rhoda-rants.livejournal.com]

I'd wait and see if she's registered anywhere. I hate buying baby gifts myself, so I like having a a list to work with. That's just me.

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Oh yes - I do have the name of where they're registered at. Can't imagine trying to buy a baby gift without a registry. :)

[nytshd3.livejournal.com]

it's so sweet of you to think of her, but i would definitely wait until closer to the date of the shower. then you can give it to her and say something like i'm not able to make it to your shower but i wanted to get you this (based on what you said above, i'm assuming you expect to be invited and just don't plan to attend). also gives her time to get all registered.

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

Makes sense - thank you.

[rivulet027.livejournal.com]

I second the idea of waiting till you know where she's registered. General rule of thumb is to wait past the first trimester.

[stormkpr.livejournal.com]

I think they are passed the first trimester (since they know the baby's sex), but yeah I probably do need to wait a bit more. :)

[whipsy.livejournal.com]

Maybe wait until it's closer to the shower. Personally, I didn't want anyone to even mention the pregnancy, I was afraid they'd jinx it (silly, I know, but I was so worried!). And since your coworker has had a miscarriage before, she might be more sensitive to it?

Someone said get her a little something for her now and save the big present for later. I think that's a great idea! =)