
What do you do when your family is cheap?
They are just plain old ‘tight’ and do not like spending money.
This is fine if they are not well to do but what if they are cashed up? They have money and loads of it. Is there an expectation that ‘well to do’ family show some generosity especially in the case of the arrival of a newborn baby? Should they follow newborn etiquette?
In my case, my family were plain old cheap.
Just tight. Their purses were firmly shut.
Newborn etiquette? Are there rules or requirements that we should abide by when someone has a baby? Or is it just common sense that certain customs and practices are followed?
Mothers in the Mamamia office confess to the one thing they weren’t told about giving birth. Post continues after video.
Now there are countless lists on the internet of what to do when a baby is born, most of which you would think are common sense practices.
Firstly, when visiting the hospital, it is common practise to take a gift. A gift is symbolic. It welcomes the baby to the world and helps the parents celebrate the arrival of the baby.
Just a glimpse in every ward, you fill find they are adorned with beautiful fresh flowers, gift baskets, soft toys and baby gifts from visitors of the new arrival.
It’s pretty much common sense to take a gift. Or is it? Are you asking yourself ‘who would visit a newborn with no gift?’
In my case, family turned up to the hospital empty handed.
Both my mother-in-law and sister-in-law announced they didn’t want to buy flowers because they die and are a waste of money. Their comments went over my head and really did not register with me.
I lay in the hospital bed, exhausted and recovering from complications. It was only later in the evening when visiting hours were over that I was alone with my newborn and I was chatting with the other mums in the ward that I noticed. Their shelves were full of gifts and flowers. Mine were empty.
Top Comments
It’s almost like they didn’t realize you’re the first person in the world to have a baby and that therefore requires a multitude of gifts
Count yourself lucky your mother in law and sister in law turned up at the hospital AT ALL. Mine didn't.
For either child.
My MiL came a few weeks after the birth of my first child (my father in law didn't bother then either) thrust a paper bag with a second hand size 3 dressing gown at me and said "I had to get you something".... "empty handed" sounds pretty good compared with "under sufferance".
I didn't have to endure it second time around... none of them came to the hospital and MiL didn't bring anything when she came at around the six week mark.
My sisters in law, both of them and both with children of their own never gifted us a thing.... but the lack of gift was never the problem - the not coming to meet my boys was.
Good news, I was more mature by then and realised it didn't matter at all anyway!