Push Presents: Jewelry for Proud Mamas

My husband does not believe in "Push Presents." His attitude is similar to how he feels about holiday decorations (see Halloween post). I mean , realistically, that baby is coming out one way or another whether you husband is dangling a fancy bauble at the side of the bed or not. On the other hand, we are the ones who do all that pushing (or having major surgery) and dealing with the short term healing and long term scarring (physical and emotional) of bringing our little bundles of joy into the world. Needless to say, I did not receive a push present, but the holidays are coming and I'm still holding out hope for a baby inspired bauble (oh, and our 3rd anniversary is in December, so I guess I have two shots at this). So here's a collection of my favorite mommy jewelry, from the decadent to the recession conscious. And don't forget the grandmas, they typically love shiny things too!

Ok, let's start with the wish-listy, truly decadent pieces. By far the most inspiring mommy jewelry I have seen is by Heather Moore, but it ain't cheap. If I didn't already have a charm bracelet highlighting the important events in my life I would certainly be clamoring for one of the charm necklaces. Dream piece: a necklace with an initial charm (everyone in our nuclear family has the same first and last initial so that's a no brainer), Pooka's name and birth date charm, and a wedding date charm. Then more charms could be added as future offspring are added to our brood. I think I would like it to look like the Thomas and Heather Necklace. Or how about this stunning Rose, White, and Yellow Gold Channel Set Necklace (a girl can dream, right?). Some of the bracelets are amzing too. I love these very original Leather Cuff Bracelets. You can choose a series of names, words, messages and dates to fill this cuff in a graffiti style. I also like the bangle bracelets and cuff bracelets. You could add a new bangle with each additional child, although this could present a problem if you're like the Duggars! Heather Moore also offers rings, key chains, and even cufflinks and belt buckles. How cool would Daddy look sporting this belt buckle to work!

Another long time favorite of mine is Jeanine Payer. For years I have been collecting pieces of her unique jewelry featuring famous quotes. We've also given them as gifts to both of our mothers. My past pieces were chosen for their quotes and designs, but Payer now offers personalized photo pieces. Here's a great way to keep a picture of your little one close to your heart with a sweet saying (choose from 3 different quotes), and offers another chance to use that great birth announcement photo! I love the simplicity of the Hutton and Seurat necklaces. While you are there, take a look at the beautiful new 20th Anniversay Collection. I particularly like the Avalon and Vineet necklaces.

The Vintage Pearl has adorable silver necklaces that you can have personalized for a great price. Check out the Family Nest Necklace for a different look. I also like the elegant Mother of Pearl Necklace. Another designer to try is StephanieMc Designs who has an Etsy shop for her jewelry. The Framed Mommy Necklace is a great choice for moms and grandmas alike. Its features a charm with children's names and small charms for each birthstone. It's especially great for grandmas that have multiple grandchildren. Or for plenty of variety, Bliss Living has over three pages worth of mommy jewelry to choose among from multiple artists. The Julian & Co pieces with mini hand and foot prints are my favorite choice!

Don't know whether you are having a girl or boy or haven't picked a name yet? For years I have been wearing the simple string charm bracelets from Gas Bijoux. I actually don't take them off, sleeping and showering in them. When I was pregnant with Pooka I purchased the "Maman" charm bracelet for my mother to let her know I was grateful to her for raising me, since I was experiencing first hand the trials and tribulations of pregnancy. After Pooka was born I added the pink Maman bracelet to my own collection. Gas Bijoux has boutiques in SoHo and the Upper West Side. You can see the bracelet style among the flash slideshow on their site, but unfortunately they do not have images of the individual bracelets online. I will try to post a photo of them online in the near future.

There are choices in every price range if you want to wear your new mommy-hood in pride. They make a wonderful gift for new or expectant mommies, so with the holidays around the corner make sure to add them to your list. Oh, and you should do it soon because many of these vendors take a few weeks to make the personalized charms!