Well, I don't like it being called pregnancy compensation, or a push present, but as I said in my earlier post, a gift of jewellery upon the birth of a child has been a tradition in my dad's family for at least three generations. Mind you, partially the same piece of jewellery handed down, so reduces the financial investment!

I had no idea about the jewellery/pregnancy compensation scheme. Maybe I am a bit too low maintenance to get involved in the discussion! Is this a new thing? Or maybe local to NV?!

These posts are making me laugh, especially you shouldn't ask for compensation or ask for a present as it's shallow but in the next breath say that we are currently working on our fourth piece of jewellery!

If you feel that way the don't accept the gift!

Bring on the Baby Bling! I hate my hands, so didn't get a ring but was lucky enough to get the most fab pair of diamond earrings. Husband had just been working in S.Africa though so got them "on the cheap" (if there is such a thing) out there. I am unashamedly shallow and love my baby bling and hope for some more should another baby be forthcoming! However, still have to agree with those who have said that if it was a toss up between a hands-on daddy and a lovely home against the baby bling, then the rocks lose out every time. Lucky, lucky me though, I have all 3!

I think it's the least a husband can do to show his love and appreciation. It isn't compensation, it's because he is thanking you for doing something that he can NOT do that is for both of you, and because it is damn hard. My husband wasn't convinced about a "push present" at first (before I was pregnant) but I got a diamond eternity ring for my daughter. I definitely expect something else for number 2

To those husbands who took their own initiative to surprise their wives/partners, WELL DONE, you are recognising what an incredible and massive job it is to become a mother!!

I was very fortunate to be given a stunning piece of jewellery for each of my three children and I think it is a great way for us as a couple to mark their births. I was horrified however when someone called them "push pressy", I really don't feel that as a mum you should request compensation for the all pregnancy/ labour/ feeding job, as to be honest... you agreed to it in the first place, right? For number four, we're working on a fourth piece of jewellery (we had the previous ones made, so that they are really bespoke) but this time I want my husband to get something too (like a nice watch), he is so involved with the children (having actually delivered number two due to very quick labour) that I find unfair for him to have nothing. Bottom line I think it very much depends on how your couple works...

I was very surprised when my hubby turned up in hospital when my little girl was born 3 years ago and presented me a beautiful diamond eternity ring and then I had a little boy 4 months ago and he bought me a lovely cartier watch!!! I was certainly not expecting either but was obviously rather chuffed!! I said it was almost worth having 1 more babe for the lovely gifts! I was joking though no more for us which was a releif to him!!!

We have two beautiful daughters (2yrs and half, and 9 months old).
I think it is shallow to ask for a present, sorry to be a boring one!
My husband gave me a ring for each girls because he felt like it - so he said - and to make me feel better. Both times it was an unexpected surprised because each birth were coinciding with us having made huge investments and therefore being short on cash... I think of these rings as being their rings and therefore I am borrowing them. My plan is to give each of my daughters their rings when they will turn 30.

I got given a diamond eternity ring for our baby born last year. I was told though that I got a ring because he our first, I have 5 little diamonds in there so he says that covers all the other children we have

I got nothing from hubby, although I did get a beautiful bracelet from mum for ds1, but for ds2 I got 3 units of blood, a week long stay in st georges and infertility. (don't get me wrong im very lucky to have both gorgeous and healthy toddlers). BUT I still feel a bit hard done by!

We have had some good humoured and some not so good humoured conversations about it with friends and family and consensus is that tradition dictates that you should be awarded an eternity ring on the birth of your first born son as it leads to hubby's name continuing eternally - old fashioned but true. A cruel friend told his wife that getting something for having a girl was a modern invention to compensate! Regardless to say she went out and got herself some very shiny compensation, as soon as she could get to bond st.

And just to add insult to injury, for my first mothers day present, already pregnant with no2, I got a lobby dustpan and brush to save my back. Was not pleased as he got it from work, at cost, and it didnt make any difference that it was a sparkly chrome one either.

Very sweetly my hubby got me diamond earrings & a beautiful diamond necklace after our first was born, number 2 arrived 4 months ago & we're currently discussing what I'd like (I want a diamond & sapphire ring). We're not made of money by any stretch of the imagination bur luckily my hubby agrees that it is really hard work (pregnancy, labour, breastfeeding, sleep deprivation etc etc) and he wanted to treat me as a thank you & congratulations from him. Who am I to argue?! . My opinion is that if you can afford it then you should be treated. It's also lovely to have a piece of jewellery as a keepsake associated with the birth of each child ( well that's my story and I'm sticking to it)

I think what it comes down to is how both of you feel about it. If the man buys a ring which he can't really afford cos he thinks it's some kind of obligation rather than because he really wants to then that doesn't seem right. I agree that pregnancy/birth is tough and the man can never fully experience that and he should definitely appreciate what his other half has been through, but it doesn't have to be by giving a ring necessarily. Then again if it's something he can easily afford and knows it would mean a lot, then there certainly isn't anything weird about it I don't think, it's just a lovely thing to do.

I don't think there's any overall right or wrong about this, and it would be wrong to suggest otherwise. What matters is that you two as a couple are on the same page about it. Let's face it, a baby rocks your world enough - there's not really time or space for any ill feeling about bling!

I think for me it comes to this: we both have two wonderful babies, but only i carried them. I used to have a precious belly, now i have a precious ring and watch... I wouldn t have traded it if i had been given the choice, but it makes me feel it is appreciated.

I got a Rolex Oyster for my first but nothing for my second! But honestly, 23 years on I can honestly say your baby is your gift - a gift to each other. I mean, how many of you gave your husbands/partners a gift for making it happen?!

lol, MumSW4, too true!!! No trinket can compensate for the indignities we suffer

Moops, I did go through a phase of being a bit peeved. The ring is meant to go to the first son's wife, when she has their first son. So I had fingers crossed my SiL only had girls The ring's Victorian so this might be a tradition that goes back a lot further than I know about. There would have been something coming my way but my grandmother was burgled and they took all the jewellery.

So I want to start again and begin a new tradition. A piece of jewellery I can give to the partner of my boys and hopefully get handed down further.

And in the meantime, I get to wear a little bit of bling.

Apologies for excessive smilie use!