Threshold Gifts: Honoring the Transition into Parenthood
The moment a person becomes a parent is one of the most profound rite of passage we experience in our lifetime. It doesn't matter if it's your first baby or your fourth. The person who walks through the transformation of pregnancy, birth, and new parenthood deserves to be honored.
We've been supporting New York City families through these transitions for 13 years, and one of the questions we hear most often is some version of: what do I give someone who is about to become a parent, or who just did?
Oftentimes our answer is very practical: give the gift of time or presence. Cook a meal. Help tidy their home. Purchase something off the registry, or pass on your tried and true hand me downs.
However, sometimes we want something a but more sentimental. We want to gift them a threshold gift to honor this very special time and life moment.
Here are some of our favorite ways to do that:
Jewelry That Lasts
We've been loving Aurate New York because their pieces are gorgeous, and made with solid recycled gold and sustainably sourced materials. They're jewelry is made to last which means this is not only a gift, it’s an heirloom that can be passed down.
For a new parent, a delicate gold necklace, a meaningful ring, or a simple stacking band can becomes an easy way to feel elevated in an often draining and exhausting phase of life.
For a push present, a "birth day" gift, or a postpartum celebration, we love the idea of choosing something the new parent can wear everyday. Something that is lightweight, wearable, and beautiful; that reminds the new parent they are loved and not alone in this transition.
Breastmilk Keepsake Jewelry
For parents who are breastfeeding or have breastfed, breastmilk keepsake jewelry is one of the most deeply personal threshold gifts we know of. A small amount of breastmilk is preserved and set into a ring, pendant, or bracelet creating a wearable piece that literally carries the nourishment a parent gave their child.
A few makers we admire:
Gems and Juniper: gorgeous keepsake pieces made using a small amount of your breast milk to create a stunning milk stone.
Mamma’s Liquid Love: creates beautifully minimalist pieces in gold and silver settings and are understated enough to wear every day.
These make extraordinary gifts from a partner, from a friend, or a grandparent or from the parent to themselves as a way to mark this special time and connection with their baby.
Other Threshold Gift Ideas We Love
A few more things worth considering for the new parent in your life:
A custom birth print from a maker like Still Novel captures the exact date, time, and details of a birth in a frameable piece of art.
A postpartum meal delivery subscription. We loveChiyo for their nourishing, thoughtfully prepared meals designed specifically for postpartum recovery.
A keepsake box for all the small objects that accumulate in the newborn period. Some parents like to keep the hospital bracelet, the first lock of hair, and other treasures from the newborn period. We love this keepsake box from Rifle Paper Co.
The transition into parenthood is a threshold worth honoring and celebrating. We hope these gift ideas are helpful.
If you're looking for support as you prepare for your own threshold with finding a doula, building your postpartum team, or figuring out what you need we're here to help!
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