#Babyboggles: What To Get For Your First Fathers Day

Heat's Editor-in-chief and new mum Lucie Cave was stuck for ideas for her husbands first fathers day, then she realized it had been staring her in the face all along...

It all started when I was six months pregnant. I couldn't sleep very well- you're not allowed to sleep on your back (or front!) and lying on your side gets a bit uncomfortable with such a heavy load. So I got one of those pregnancy pillows the big one that wraps around your whole body and promises to give you a dreamy nights sleep.

At first it was amazing, it was like kipping on a cloud. But then, because I have the bladder of a gnat at best I needed a wee about 800 times a night and it was an effort climbing out of the comfort ring.

Plus I am very short so it did feel a bit like a lifeboat instead of a bed. So I decided to try a bog standard cushion between my legs for a couple of nights instead. And the pregnancy pillow went on the floor.

The next night, as I climbed into bed beside my husband Ben I leant across to give him a kiss and found my lips sinking into a soft sponge-like mound. Instead of finding his beautifully honed* torso beside me, there was a long velvet tube. He had adopted the pregnancy pillow for himself and was now cocooned smugly inside it.

(*Ben just read this and made me add that bit)

"I'm keeping this if you don't want it," he grinned.

"But I might need it back!" I reasoned.

"I've been doing squats in the gym and it’s really helping the pain. It's soothing to have it rested between my legs. Let me take it for a spin."

"Ok, just for a couple of nights."

That was 9 months ago.

We now have a seven month old son called Ridley who sleeps in his own room.

Meanwhile Ben is still firmly attached to the pregnancy pillow. It's so big it feels like there are four of us in bed.

"It's not very romantic," I told him one night after he pushed the pillow out of the way to indicate he wanted 'sexy time'. "And at this rate Ridley will be 18 and will think its normal for couples to sleep with a weird contraption wedged in between them."

"But I need her..." he pleaded (yes, that's right, he even has a name for 'her'- he calls her 'Synthia' after the synthetics on Channel 4's Humans).. "She's my new synthetic lover and she helps me sleep. She's good for my muscles."

So she's still here. I can't even hide her in a cupboard because she's the size of a grown adult. I give her angry looks sometimes but she doesn't acknowledge me. I threatened to burn her once while Ben was at work but he rushed home early just to make sure I hadn't done any damage.

With Fathers Day coming up maybe I've accidentally stumbled upon a present for dads everywhere. But if you're not keen on letting your partner cuddle up to something else instead of you... maybe try one of these for size...

Personalised family poster

Clearly if you’re sending this to your dad and have about 80 siblings this isn’t going to work (unless he has a very big wall) but this is a cute idea if you’ve just had a sprog– there’s even the option to put heights in so you could always make your partner extra tall if it helps soothe his ego.

Shop here.

A drink with his name on

Notonthehighstreet.com do an amazing range of stuff for fathers day and you can never go wrong with a gift that centres around some sort of alcoholic beverage. Shop here.

A record breaking gadget (which also happens to be a buggy)

The best fathers day present is be something that makes him think it’s for him when really you're the one who reaps the benefit. Meet the GBPockit- the smallest buggy in the world (and official Guinness Book of Records holder), a bona fide gadget that menfolk will love playing with AND something that will make holidays avec child a whole lot lighter.

Socks ahoy!

Dads of every age love a sock– so why not give those smelly feet of his actual names?

A hammer!

Now he’s got no excuse not to build you that Eiffel Tower shaped wardrobe… Shop here.

Something for the nutters

If he likes nuts and he likes gardening… voila! Shop here.

For the train spotter in him

A bona fide ticket from National Rail– only this one can be printed with some life-affirming quote of your choice. And unlike the trains will get to you on time. Shop here.

A new hiking accessory

Baby Bjorn have just launched a very manly outdoors baby carrier. So as long as your partner looks like the fella in the picture and looks hot in a chunky wool knit then you’re laughing. Shop here.

Make your own booze

If he loves a G+T then send him off to make it himself on a gin making experience day. Just don't leave him in charge of the baby afterwards…

Or just buy him one of those pregnancy pillows and be done with it…

READ MORE: Things To Do On Father's Day