If you're looking for an inexpensive, relatively thoughtful gift for a pregnant woman, a pregnancy-related magazine subscription is a no-brainer.
A gift like this has multiple benefits:
1. Any gift is thoughtful, this one happens to be useful as well.
2. They are a great informational resource.
3. It is automated gifting; one subscription gets you 6-12 separate little gifts.
4. They are inexpensive, between $12 and $15. One magazine in the store would run about 5 bucks.
5. Each time one arrives, she'll remember how thoughtful you were. She'll probably burst in to tears then.
A couple of magazines my wife reads are Fit Pregnancy ($15) and Pregnancy ($12). Granted, they may be an enticement to her to spend more money, but as long as she finds them a worthwhile read then they've served their purpose.
Pregnancy Magazines, inexpensive and thoughtful
The magic of gift cards, the curse of maternity clothes
It can be especially difficult to buy clothing for pregnant women. You take your life in your hands when guessing sizes for non-pregnant women, and they often don't care for the styles that their partner chooses. Adding hormones and weight gain sensitivity into the mix turns purchasing maternity clothes into a game of Russian Roulette.
She may take an improperly sized garment as an insinuation that you are calling her fat. She may be annoyed by a pattern or scratchy fabrics which make her irritable. Maternity clothes are already a big bone of contention for women, which makes it difficult for men to make an informed decision. A very simple way to circumvent this by giving her a gift card or gift certificate instead of selecting and actual item.
Maternity clothes are often not fashionable, uncomfortable or poorly made. Letting her make her own selection transfers the onus for bad clothing from a poor decision on your part to the fault of the manufacturer for not making something she likes.
Gift cards show consideration while treading lightly around these other issues, but if you absolutely must buy something, a few tips to keep in mind:
1. Comfort comes first.
2. Stick to the maternity equivalent of her normal size. Here's a sizing chart from iMaternity.com
3. Natural fabrics feel better against the skin.
4. Patterns hide size best, however can easily go from fashionable to tacky. (Don't think this means Hawaiian shirts or lumberjack plaid.)
Accessories like scarves, hats, jewelry, bags, etc. should match her pre-maternity styles. You might want to stay away from shoes and pregnant women's feet often grow.