Do You Bring a Gift for Labor and Delivery Nurses? What We Did

Before I had a baby, I had no idea that bringing a gift for your labor and delivery nurses was even a thing.

My aunt had mentioned to my mom that she had brought something for the nurses when her daughter-in-law had her babies. My mom loved the idea, so when I had both of my kids, she put together a simple basket of snacks for the nurses.

It wasn't elaborate. It wasn't something I had carefully planned during pregnancy. And it definitely wasn't something I felt like I had to do.

But after having two babies and experiencing just how incredible labor and delivery, postpartum and NICU nurses can be, I understand why people want to bring them a little something.

Do You Have to Bring a Gift for Labor and Delivery Nurses?

Absolutely not.

I want to start there because the last thing a pregnant mom needs is another item added to her hospital checklist. You do not need to bring a gift basket for your nurses. You don't need to spend a certain amount of money, order personalized gifts or show up at the hospital with an Instagram-worthy basket.

For us, it was simply a nice way to say thank you. My mom was actually the one who handled it for me, which made it even easier. She brought snacks to the hospital during our stay and left them for the nurses to share in their break room.

What We Put in Our Nurse Gift Basket

We kept it really simple and focused on individually packaged snacks. My mom included things like granola and protein bars, candy, individually packaged cookies like Oreos and a variety of other grab-and-go snacks.

That was really it. We didn't include drinks, personalized gifts or anything particularly fancy. The idea was just to give the nurses something they could quickly grab during a shift.

If I were doing it myself today, I'd do essentially the same thing. Individually packaged snacks are easy to buy, easy to put together and easy for different nurses to share.

When Do You Give the Nurses Their Gift?

We didn't have one big ceremonial moment where we handed over a basket. My mom brought snacks throughout our hospital stays, and they went into the nurses' break room. It felt casual, which I liked.

You could certainly bring something with you when you arrive at the hospital, but I don't think you need to worry about having your nurse gift ready before you go into labor.

Especially because, as I learned with my second baby, birth doesn't always happen according to your plans.

What About Postpartum Nurses?

We brought snacks for them, too.

Your labor and delivery nurses are only part of your hospital experience. Once I moved to postpartum, there was an entirely different group of nurses taking care of me and my baby.

If you want to give something and you're staying in the hospital for a few days, you can absolutely include the postpartum nurses as well. Again, though, this isn't an obligation. We chose to do it because we were grateful for the people taking care of us.

What About NICU Nurses?

With my second baby, NICU nurses became a huge part of our hospital experience.

My daughter was born at 33 weeks and spent just under two and a half weeks in the NICU. We brought snacks for the NICU nurses as well, again keeping it simple and putting things in the break room for everyone to share.

NICU wasn't something I had planned for when I was preparing to have my baby. It was an unexpected part of our story, and the nurses cared for my daughter during a time when I couldn't be with her every second of the day.

Bringing snacks certainly couldn't repay them for that. It was just a small gesture of appreciation.

How Much Should You Spend on a Labor and Delivery Nurse Gift?

There is no amount you "should" spend.

In my case, my mom bought everything, so I don't even have a specific budget to recommend. But based on what we actually gave, I wouldn't feel pressure to spend a lot of money.

A few boxes of individually wrapped snacks can be plenty. I've also had a friend say she planned to bring coffee and Munchkins for the nurses. I think that's another perfect example of how uncomplicated this can be.

It really is the thought behind it.

What Should You Put in a Labor and Delivery Nurse Gift Basket?

If you want to make one, I'd keep it easy. Some ideas include individually wrapped granola bars, protein bars, cookies, crackers, candy or other packaged snacks.

You don't need all of those things. Pick a few options, put them in a basket or bag and you're done.

And if making a basket feels like one more task you don't have the energy for at the end of pregnancy? Skip it.

Should You Bring Individual Gifts for Your Nurses?

We didn't.

Because so many different nurses cared for us throughout labor and delivery, postpartum and the NICU, a shared basket made much more sense for us than trying to give individual gifts.

There may be a particular nurse who makes a huge impact on your experience, and you can certainly thank that person individually if you want to. But I wouldn't go into the hospital feeling like you need to have a separate gift ready for every nurse you meet.

What I Would Do Again

If I were having another baby, I'd absolutely keep this tradition. I'd buy a variety of individually packaged snacks, put them together and have someone bring them to the hospital for the nurses' break room.

But I'd also remind myself that it is completely optional.

There are so many things moms are told they need to buy, pack, research and prepare before having a baby. A labor and delivery nurse gift should not become another source of stress.

If you want to bring something, it's a really nice gesture. If you don't, that's okay too. The nurses aren't taking care of you because you brought them snacks. We simply found ourselves incredibly grateful for the people taking care of us, and this was one small way our family chose to say thank you.