The Best Gifts For Labor and Delivery Nurses
As your due date approaches, you’ll be busy trying to prepare your home for your baby’s arrival. But, it’s crucial to prepare yourself for labor and delivery, too!
In addition to things like packing your hospital bag, finishing up your baby shower thank you notes, and organizing the nursery, you’ll want to figure out if you’re going to get any gifts for your labor and delivery nurses.
Bringing gifts to your labor and delivery nurses is not only a special way to say thank you but also a way to show them that you appreciate everything they did for you!
In this post, you’ll find the top 12 gifts for labor and delivery nurses, plus FAQs to help you figure out what the best options are for you.
Let’s get started!
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Thoughtful Gifts For Labor and Delivery Nurses
1. Lip Balm
No matter where you work, it’s nice to have lip balm handy. But, because hospitals seem to have such dry air, lip balm makes an even better gift idea for your labor and delivery nurses.
I have used this lip balm for years, and it’s always been my favorite. Plus, these lip balms come in a pack of nine, making it a great option if you have multiple nurses (or want to keep a few for yourself 😉 )
2. Cute Tumbler
Nurses have to stay hydrated during long shifts. What’s better than gifting a cute, insulated tumbler?
This insulated tumbler holds 22oz, ensuring fewer trips to get a refill during busy workdays. Plus, since it’s insulated, it will keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold for much longer!
3. Hand Sanitizer
Of course, hand sanitizer is pretty crucial while working in a hospital. These hand sanitizers are a great addition to a nurse’s gift bag because they also come with a holder that can attach to many different things.
I also like these hand sanitizers because they are scented with essential oil and come with three different scents.
4. Hand Lotion
With the frequent hand washing and sanitizing your nurses do, hand lotion is another excellent option to add to their gift bag.
These healing hand lotions are a great choice because they help repair dry skin and keep it healthy. Plus, it comes in a four-pack, giving you plenty if you want to gift to multiple nurses.
5. Hair Ties
Hair ties are great additions to a nurse’s gift because you can never have too many of them! And when it comes to hair ties, these ones are definitely the best I’ve ever used!
Another great thing about these hair coils is that they come in many different colors and have eight in a pack so that you can keep a couple for yourself!
6. Nice Pens
Quality pens are always great to receive when you do a lot of writing at work. This pack of gel ink ball pens is fun because there are cute colors to choose from, plus the pens are so lovely to write with!
7. Fuzzy Socks
If you are looking for pampering-themed nurses’ gift ideas, fuzzy socks are a great place to start.
This 6-pack of cozy socks is budget-friendly and highly rated; plus, there are many adorable prints to choose from!
8. Eye Masks
To continue with the pampering theme, eye masks make another excellent gift idea for labor and delivery nurses. There is no doubt that they will love putting an eye mask on while relaxing after a long shift!
These eye masks are fantastic and add a luxurious feel to your nurses’ gift without breaking the bank.
9. Prepackaged Snacks
Snacks are always a hit when it comes to filling a gift bag. Plus, nurses will inevitably get hungry working long hours!
When picking out snacks, try to stay with prepackaged ones. Prepackaged snacks will stay fresh for longer, and they can be easier to eat when you have a quick break. Here are some popular snack options to get you started:
- Trail Mix
- Granola Bars
- Pretzels
- Popcorn
- Jerky
- Fruit (Like apples and bananas)
- Fruit Snacks
- Protein Bars
10. Sweet Treats
Like snacks, sweets make another great addition to any gift bag. You can do something simple like some candy or Rice Krispie Treats or pick up a cookie tray for the nurses to share.
11. Bottled Drinks
Having something to drink other than water can offer a quick pick-me-up during a long day. Here are some excellent options that most people will enjoy:
- Cold Brew
- Sports Drinks (Like Powerade or Gatorade)
- Juice (Like apple or orange)
- Green Tea
12. Handwritten Thank You Notes
Lastly, a handwritten thank you note is one of the best things to add when putting together gifts for your labor and delivery nurses. Nothing shows your gratitude more than exactly how you feel written down!
If you bring the gifts for your labor and delivery nurses with you when you first go to the hospital, you’ll want to ensure that you pack a few blank thank you cards in your hospital bag. Then, towards the end of your hospital stay, you can take a minute to express your feelings in the notes.
On the other hand, if you will be returning to the hospital after the fact with gifts for your nurses, then you don’t have to worry about getting the thank you cards finished while you’re healing.
Here are our top three blank thank you cards for labor and delivery nurses:
1. Beyond Grateful
2. Watercolor ‘Thank You’
3. Floral ‘Thank You’
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Gifts You Should Avoid Giving To Labor and Delivery Nurses
While you might think that any gift idea is suitable for labor and delivery nurses, there are some gifts that you should avoid giving. Here are the top three gifts to avoid giving your labor and delivery nurses:
1. Cash
While you might think giving a cash ‘tip’ to your nurse is a nice gesture, it’s strictly prohibited in most hospitals. In many hospitals, nurses can get in trouble for accepting cash gifts, so it’s best not to try.
2. Expensive or Elaborate Gifts
Another gift idea to stay away from is very expensive or elaborate gifts. For example, you won’t want to try to gift something like expensive jewelry or tickets to a sports game.
Sticking with lower-priced gift items like the ideas above will be a safer choice, and the nurses will still greatly appreciate them!
3. High-Value Gift Cards
If you are set on giving your labor and delivery nurses gift cards, keep them to very low dollar amounts. For example, a five-dollar coffee gift card will likely be ok, but it’s still a good idea to call the hospital to see if they are ok with that kind of gesture.
How many labor and delivery nurses will I have?
When preparing gifts for your labor and delivery nurses ahead of time, it’s crucial to know how many nurses you’ll need gifts for. You’ll want to avoid not having enough gifts while not having too many leftovers, either.
Generally, you can expect anywhere from 1-3 labor and delivery nurses. If you have an extended stay at the hospital, you will likely have more than three nurses.
When I had my son, I had one primary nurse during my delivery. During recovery, I had two nurses that primarily helped me. Now, some other nurses had popped in and out of my room occasionally, but I had a total of three nurses that helped me regularly.
If you’d like to return to the hospital after your baby is born to give your nurses their gifts, you will know exactly how many nurses to prepare for. Picking out gifts afterward can make planning things a little easier!
How many gifts should I get for my labor and delivery nurses?
The number of gifts you give your labor and delivery nurses is entirely up to you! You’ll want to keep in mind not to gift anything elaborate or expensive. But, you should also remember that even a small token of appreciation is fantastic!
When To Give Labor and Delivery Nurses Their Gifts
While there is no wrong time to give labor and delivery nurses their gifts, here are some of the most appropriate times:
While Recovering
Once you’ve delivered your baby and you’re in your recovery room, any time you feel is right will be a great time to give your nurses their gifts.
Before You Leave the Hospital
One of the most popular times to give labor and delivery nurses their gifts is right before heading home from the hospital. Waiting until you’re ready to leave the hospital to give gifts will create a special goodbye for you and your nurses.
At Your Babys First Checkup
Many hospitals will want you to come back with your baby a few days to a week after they’re born for a quick check-up. This could be an excellent opportunity to give your nurses their gifts if you didn’t want to prepare gifts before you went into labor.
Related Articles:
- The Best Snacks To Pack In Your Hospital Bag
- Powerful Birth Affirmations For Labor and Delivery
- How To Do a Diaper Raffle: The Ultimate Guide
- 30+ Things To Do Before Your Due Date
- The Best Big Sibling Gifts From the New Baby
The Best Ways To Give Labor and Delivery Nurse Gifts
Once you’ve decided when you want to give your labor and delivery nurses their gifts, you’ll need to choose how you want to give them! Here are some great suggestions:
In a Basket in Your Room
If you choose to make little goodie bags for your nurses, you can stick all of the gifts in cute bags like these ones and put the bags in a basket. Then, you can place the basket on a table or near your room door, and your nurses can grab a bag when they want to.
Drop Gifts Off at the Nurses’ Station
Another great way to give your gifts is to drop them off at the nurses’ station. Dropping gifts off at the nurses’ station is especially lovely when you have gifts for all of the nurses to share, like food, for example.
Individually
And lastly, you can give your nurses their gifts individually. When one of your nurses comes into your room, you can give them their gift and tell them how much they helped you. It will surely be a bright moment for you and your nurse’s day!
Do I have to give gifts to my labor and delivery nurses?
Absolutely not! Your labor and delivery nurses will not expect you to give them anything, and it won’t affect their treatment of you if you don’t bring gifts. If you can’t afford to bring gifts to your nurses (or you don’t want to), it’s completely fine.
I hope you enjoyed these gifts for labor and delivery nurses! Remember, don’t feel obligated to bring gifts for your nurses, as they don’t expect you to. Giving gifts to show your appreciation is always better when you want to do it, not when you feel you have to!
Before you go, check out these related articles:
- The Best Postpartum Essentials For New Moms
- Crucial Tips You’ll Need For Bathing Your Newborn
- Important Breastfeeding Tips For New Moms
- Simple Tips For Postpartum Weight Loss
- What To Do If Your Baby Refuses Their Bottle
What are your favorite gifts for labor and delivery nurses? I would love to know in the comments below!
