Tis The Season

I love Christmas. I love the snow (which we don't get here in TX), building snow forts in the dazzling night sky, the scent of the pine tree, the roaring fire, the baking and cooking, the family and friends visiting, the warm cups of joy clutched in cold fists... I love it all. Except one thing: when I'm asked to make a Christmas list for myself.

Maybe it's my nature, maybe I feel shy about saying 'I want' something, maybe its

because I am happy with all of the above, that gifts are an afterthought... whatever the reason, I am inevitably asked to send out a gift list for myself after the kids have sent out theirs.

For that reason, and in case you are considering giving your midwife, doula, or childbirth educator a gift this season, consider this doula's "open Christmas list".

If you are shopping for a childbirth educator, I can tell you that, unless she works through a hospital, CBE work doesn't make a lot of money. She has expenses and some of her items are either consumable/perishable or will wear out over time.

• Budget Friendly - a gift card to her favorite bookstore for her latest wishlist book. Or a copy of the Business of Being Born
• Moderate Cost - A knitted uterus is a great choice, especially for newer childbirth educators.
• No Expense too Great - a flip chart of childbirth graphics. This is an awesome one that I am personally in love with.

If you are shopping for a doula, I can suggest items that will help her to be the best that she can be for the future women that she attends. Although the number one most precious and perfect gift you can give her is word-of-mouth advertising and referrals, there are other, more tangible, gifts that will help her on her way.

• Budget Friendly - a necklace to inspire her, or a set of childbirth education booklets for her and her clients would be perfect.
• Moderate Cost - the hypnodoula packet would give her excellent continued education and help her expand her bag of tools, or a homeopathy starter kit, or, if she is newer and wants a wonderful educational item, a Rebozo and DVD is a great idea.
• No Expense too Great - if she is interested in becoming a placenta encapsulationist, a dehydrator would get her on her way nicely, and a birth stool would go wonderfully with any doula to any birth.

Midwives are a little more difficult, unless you know specifically what she doesn't have that she would like or needs.

• Budget Friendly - if you know her assistant or any of her peers, ask them what her favorite restaurant is, a giftcard is a great way to tell her how much you appreciate her, as is buying a second of any book in her lending library (in the event one is not returned).
• Moderate - Again, jewelry is always appreciated, as is a copy of any DVD in her lending library, or a hand-painted (placenta) bowl. 
• No Expense Too Great - a shrine is a beautiful piece of artwork to add to her office, or an antique for her collection.

 And finally, if you really don't mind the cost, a wonderful gift to any midwife, doula, or childbirth educator is to gift her services to someone who cannot afford them. This allows the birthworker to give back, in turn.

Other items that all doulas, midwives, and CBE educators can always use are gift cards to bookstores or gift certificates to places like Doula Shop and Birth with Love.

In fact, we like to recycle, and places such as Ebay have resale and items at great prices.

So, if you are thinking of giving a gift to your birthworker this season, consider some of the ideas above. And have a Merry Christmas!