11 Things to Bring as Gifts for Dohale Jevan: A Guide to the Marathi Baby Shower and What to Give the Expecting Mother (2020)

Moving around in the last stages of pregnancy is not a very feasible feat. What an expectant mother should be doing during the final months of pregnancy is resting and eating as healthy as possible. Pampering an expecting woman gets easier with this Breakfast in Bed Hamper from The Gourmet Box.

This delicious and nutritious box contains a jar of flavoured green tea, a pack of single estate locally grown coffee, a box of all natural granola, a box of pancake mix, a jar of fruit preserve, a jar of flavoured nut butter, a box of creamed honey, a pack of dried cranberries and a wooden honey dipper. All the products are delivered in a lovely box tied with a ribbon and a personalised gift tag. This hamper can also be packaged in a gift basket on special request. Buy this cute hamper for ₹3,165.

Pregnancy may give an expecting mother a beautiful glow, but there are also some annoying problems associated with it. One of the main concerns for pregnant women is stretch marks and sagging of skin post birth. But timely action can take help care of stretch marks. Gift the pregnant woman a bottle of Muscle Tone Firming Treatment Oil from Kama Ayurveda.

It’s an amazing concoction of natural ingredients such as turmeric, clarified butter or ghee, sweet flag, sesame oil, and lavender. It’s a 100 per cent natural product, free of any harmful chemicals. The texture of this miracle oil is thick and buttery. Massaging this oil into the skin helps reduce stretch marks, prevents cellulite and the sagging of skin. It helps tone breast and abdominal muscles. It’s perfectly safe for use by pregnant and nursing women. Buy it for ₹850 from nykaa.com.

Walking around can be a pain during pregnancy. The feet often become swollen and carrying around the extra weight can obviously put pressure on them. Therefore a pair of comfy house slippers would be a wonderful gift for an expecting woman. Get these Drunken Womens Non-Disposable House Slippers from amazon.in. These slip-on shoes come in various different sizes. The upper surface and the inside of these slippers are made of fur or fleece. The outsole is made of natural rubber with anti-skid, water resistant function. These free size slippers are available in grey and pink colours. Buy it for ₹1,199.

Staying cosy and comfy during your pregnancy is of utmost importance. Therefore comfortable clothes would be a welcome gift. Can you think of anything more comfortable ton wear than a soft and fluffy robe? Well, we cannot. So our pick for the special lady would be this super soft and comfortable Alexander Del Rossa Women's Plush Fleece Robe. This snow white robe has been constructed from the best quality Turkish polyester.

It has a length of 44 to 46 Inch from top to bottom and measures 25 to 27 Inch around. It has been double stitched for durability and a great finish. The material is water absorbent too. The robe has shawl collars, 2 Side pockets, and a belt with 2 loops. It’s available in 2 sizes for adults; S/M and L/XL. It’s also available in 8 different colours. It’s just perfect for lounging around the house in. Buy this snug robe for ₹11,000 from amazon.in.

During pregnancy it’s normal to feel nauseated from time to time. Women become strangely sensitive to smells during this period which in turn may cause them to feel sick. To keep that from happening, make sure that her surroundings smell fresh and fragrant at all times. Buying her a home fragrance set will not only serve this purpose, but also keep her relaxed and happy owing to the calming properties of certain natural oils like lavender. Pregnant women are prone to feel stressed, depressed or suffer from sleep deprivation.

Burning lavender oil in a diffuser may help with these issues. Get her this Reed Diffuser, Candle & Potpourri Fragrance Gift Set from Iris. It contains a 30 ml bottle of French lavender essential oil along with a ceramic pot, 6 reed sticks, 2 decorative glow light candles, and a 90 gm bag of potpourri. The set will cost you around ₹600 on Amazon.

A diaper bag is something that couples will require from day 1 of the baby being born. Babies go through a dozen diapers every day. Therefore a bag to carry around daily essentials like diapers, cleaning wipes, feeding bottles, change of clothes etc. is an absolute necessity. Gift the mom to be this eco-friendly diaper bag from YouWah. This green foliage print diaper bag is made of hardy canvas and comes with multiple large pockets to carry all your baby’s essentials.

The handles of the bag are white and it has a magnetic lock. No hassle of zippers which may get stuck or broken. This bag not only is functional but pretty stylish too. It measures 14 x 12 x 5 inch and is easily washable. Just throw it in the washing machine if it’s dirty. It’s prone to shrinkage though so make sure to wash it using mildly warm water. Buy this handy bag for ₹519 from Amazon.

During pregnancy doctors always advise to reduce your caffeine intake or sometimes even give up caffeine altogether. This can continue till after the birth of the baby, because of nursing requirements. This is particularly difficult for tea or coffee addicts, who can’t seem to function without the stuff. But it’s important to compromise for the sake of the baby and this may make it a bit easier.

The Moms Co. 100% Caffeine Free Herbal Tea for Breastfeeding Moms is a decaf tea that is safe for consumption during pregnancy. It consists of a herbal blend that is created by and imported from Europe, with the best natural ingredients, for moms and moms-to-be. It’s suitable for moms who are breastfeeding and additionally provides colic relief to infants. It also strengthens the uterine muscles to help the new mom get back her pre-baby body. Buy this amazing product for ₹699 from paytmmall.com.

We have already mentioned how the new mom enjoys feeling fresh and enjoys pleasant fragrances. Well, we have got something else that will make her feel great by appealing to her nasal senses. The Khadi Natural Handmade Soap Kit contains 25 gm each of 12 handmade soaps made from mild glycerine and natural perfumes.

The kit includes herbal aloe vera soap, Khadi herbal chandan haldi soap, herbal neem tulsi soap, herbal rose water soap, herbal saffron soap, herbal sandalwood soap, herbal mix fruit soap, herbal mint soap, herbal lemon soap, herbal strawberry soap, herbal basil scrub soap, and herbal khus soap.

These soaps from the esteemed Khadi Naturals brand are made of pure herbal ingredients. They will not just appeal to the pregnant woman’s olfactory sense, but also keep her skin squeaky clean without stripping it off all moisture. The whole gift set comes in a beautifully designed box with floral patterns and is priced at just ₹199 on nykaa.com.

The safety of the expecting mother and that of the baby is of utmost importance. We simply cannot take any risks when it comes to the protection of the mother and child. Therefore these Safety 1st Foam Baby On Board and Mom-To-Be Sign Board would be a great gift for Dohale Jevan. These signs attach easily to car window with a suction cup and informs and reminds other drivers on the road to drive safely and be careful. It’s made from soft foam material and is therefore completely safe to use. It has two sided reversible messaging with one side reading mom (to be) on board and the other side saying baby on board. This product has been crash tested. Buy it for ₹751 from amazon.in.

If the mom to be is a modern young woman with a sense of humour, then she will definitely enjoy our next gift. The Funny Baby Loading Women's Pregnancy Maternity T-shirt from YaYa Cafe is a wearable gift and one that is cool and comfortable to boot. It’s a round neck top or t-shirt with half sleeves and has a regular fit.

Made from pure cotton, it will not cause the mother to be any discomfort or itchiness. The design on it is done by digital printing. It’s available in black and white colours. The sizes available are S,M, L, XL, and XXL. What’s the great feature of this shirt? Well. It comes with an elastic around the waist to accommodate the growing belly! That is pretty convenient isn’t it? Buy this super cool maternity t-shirt for ₹749 from amazon.in.

The mother will naturally be excited to experience the baby's journey through the first year. Get her this memory book that has ample space for her to record all the special memories, photos, milestones and happenings. The book can capture the mother's thoughts and emotions from before the baby's birth through the first year. Buy it on Amazon for Rs. 339.

Having a celebration before the birth of a baby is a custom followed in most cultures. In the west it’s called a baby shower. But India being the diverse country it is has many names for the event. In the northern states it’s known as Godh Bharai, in the east it’s known as Shaad; the southerners call it Valaikappu or Seemantham and in Maharashtra it’s known as Dohale Jevan.

The word Dohale Jevan is believed to carry the meaning of ‘Woman with Two Hearts’ with the word ‘Doh’ literally meaning two. Dohale Jevan is a religious and social ceremony performed in the sixth or seventh month of pregnancy, when the baby is believed to start connecting with the mother on a more cerebral level thus expressing its wishes through her. The ceremony is aimed towards satisfying a mother’s pregnancy cravings which are also believed to that of the baby’s.

The Dohale Jevan ceremony involves religious rituals and also a few unique customs. As the Dohale Jevan is a Hindu ceremony, there is usually a puja, followed by some fun activities. The mother to be dresses up in a new saree and adorns herself with jewellery made of flowers because as not to burden her with the weight of heavy metal jewellery. The expecting mother sits on a swing or a traditional Jhoola.

There are certain symbols associated with Dohale Jevan like the moon, the lotus flower and the bow and arrow known as a Dhanushya-Baan. The ritual is to pray to the moon in order to bestow the baby with a character as radiant as its rays, the lotus symbolises wisdom and the bow and arrow is an icon of bravery. There is often a dance performance by traditional Marathi folk dancers where they put up performances and plays that narrate stories related to the history of Dohale Jevan.

The main purpose of Dohale Jevan is to fulfil the cravings of the expecting mom. Therefore the menu is a very important part of the Dohale Jevan ceremony. There is a unique ritual involving various kinds of Kheer which is an Indian rice and milk dessert. There are various kinds of kheer offered to the mom and each one symbolises either male or female. The kind of kheer the mother picks is meant to foretell the sex of the baby. Apart from Kheer, various kinds of fruits and sweets are served. The woman gets to pick the menu. Marathis are usually strict vegetarians, therefore a variety of vegetarian fare is served on Dohale Jevan.

Dohale Jevan takes place during the seventh month of the pregnancy. This is a pretty advanced stage, so before you plan the baby shower, ask the pregnant woman if she is feeling up to it. Interacting with a lot of people or sitting down upright for lengthy periods can be exhausting for a pregnant woman. Therefore we suggest that you keep the ceremony small and intimate.

Invite the people who are close to the woman and are an integral part of her life. The guest list should include the baby’s grandparents from both sides, close relatives, close friends of the mom. It’s customary for the women of the family to arrange and participate in the ceremony. That’s a pretty good idea, as women naturally have a more maternal instinct. Have the ceremony at home so that the woman can retire to the bedroom if she feels tired or needs a small nap.