8 thoughtful gifts for labour and delivery nurses

If you’re pregnant right now, you’ve probably encountered this question in forums plenty of times: “What kind of gift can I buy for my labour and delivery nurses?” Of course, this isn’t something you have to do. You might want to add a few items to your hospital bag checklist, just in case.

Nurses don’t expect to receive gifts, but after some awesome nurses help you through such an important time (trust us, the nurses who are on duty can make or break your whole labour experience—you barely see the doctors!), here are some great ways to give an extra thank you.

Nurses always appreciate food, especially if it’s something that can be shared with the team and eaten throughout the day for lunch or dinner. But make sure you go to a grocery store to buy it instead of opting for homemade—most hospitals have to throw out homemade food given to them to prevent any possible transmission of disease from potential food-handling issues.

If you had a smaller group of nurses helping you, say thanks with this punny badge holder. They’ll surely have a laugh and remember you every time they look down at their badge.

At around $10 for a three-pack, these are a fun and affordable gift for labour and delivery nurses.

There’s no such thing as too many pens, especially when boring-looking ones have the tendency to go missing. Buy a few packs of cute pens that can be shared with the team that helped you. Plus, you know that they’ll definitely get use out of them.

Photo: IndigoWe love these inspirational, uplifting pen sets. They come emblazoned with cheerful sayings of gratitude and cost less than a couple of Starbucks lattes.

Not about the savoury? Bring the nurses something sweet that they can share like a box of donuts. But, again, play it safe and stay away from the homemade goods. Packaged snacks, which can be packaged in a gift basket, are perfect to keep in a staff room for everyone to share, too.

You can never go wrong with a card with a sweet message inside—it’s the best way to say thank you!

Consider investing in a set of new baby stationery. For about $20 you'll get plenty of customizable cards and envelopes to send all the thank you notes your heart could ever desire.

Feel like a card isn’t enough? Add in a bouquet of flowers! This is a classic thank-you gift that never fails.

With all the handwashing that goes on in a hospital, some hand cream would be welcomed with open arms. Go for mini ones that can easily be stored in a pocket or purse.

Starting at just $4, these must-haves help tired, exhausted and over-washed hands. Nurses will thank you!

Keep the nurses fuelled during their long shifts with a gift card they can buy coffee or tea with. Make sure the gift card is for a coffee shop that’s either in the hospital or close to it—nurses are busy people and don’t have time to walk far to get a coffee.

The best part? You can score these on Amazon quickly and easily. While you're there, be sure to grab your free Amazon Baby Registry welcome box. It's brimming with samples and goodies worth over $35.

Read more: #ThisIsMyLife: 8 things NOT to say to a woman in labour Checklist: What to bring to the hospital What to pack for a scheduled C-section