Should New Mums Expect A Push Present?

Diamond rings, designer bags...some women are lavished with gifts from their partner after giving birth, others consider the idea ridiculous

- Eimear O’hagan And Gillian Harvey

No - ‘You know what you’re signing up for’

Gillian Harvey, 40, is a writer from Hertfordshire and lives with her husband, Ray, 68, and their children, Lily, nine, twins Joe and Tim, seven, Evie, five, and Robbie, four.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not anti-presents. Quite the reverse, in fact. But the idea of getting a gift because you’ve pushed a baby out seems a bit bizarre to me. For a start, you haven’t done your partner a favor. You know exactly what you’re signing up for when you agree to have children.

Yes, biology dictates that the woman has to do the lion’s share of the physical stuff until the bairn is born. But what are you going to do if your other half doesn’t get you a gift? Hold baby in? Trust me, I’ve had five of them. When they want to come out, there’s no stopping them.