push present

n.

An expensive gift given to a woman by her husband in appreciation for having recently given birth.

Example Citations:

At a recent moms' group brunch, the baby talk took a conspiratorial turn. The topic: Who was expecting a "push present?" ...

Always a piece of serious jewellery, frequently diamonds — stud earrings, a jewel-encircled tennis bracelet or a solitaire pendant — push presents have become the posh way for new dads to compensate their partners for the agonies of childbirth.

—Andrea Zoe Aster, "Push, push (and I'll buy you a pendant)," The Globe and Mail, December 11, 2007

In a more innocent age, new mothers generally considered their babies to be the greatest gift imaginable. Today, they are likely to want some sort of tangible bonus as well.

This bonus goes by various names. Some call it the 'baby mama gift.' Others refer to it as the 'baby bauble.' But it's most popularly known as the 'push present.'

That's 'push' as in, 'I the mother, having been through the wringer and pushed out this blessed event, hereby claim my reward.' Or 'push' as in, 'I've delivered something special and now I'm pushing you, my husband/boyfriend, to follow suit.'

—Thomas Vinciguerra, "A Bundle of Joy Isn't Enough?," The New York Times, December 6, 2007

Earliest Citation:

Let us say that Annette Bening has lost all that baby weight — Warren must have given her a ThighMaster as a push present — and looked ravishing in a stream-lined Calvin Klein.

—Karen Heller, "Tacky fun is what Oscar fashion is all about ," Austin American-Statesman, March 31, 1992

Related Words:

perennial shower

placenta pill

regift

Categories:

Lifestyles

Pregnancy and Parenting