Nurse gifts

Charla1224

I'm trying to find projects to keep myself busy so I'm not symptom spotting too much. With the help of Pinterest I started wondering about gifts I could put together for our L&D nurses and postpartum nurses (different floor). Does anyone else have plans to do this? What are your plans? Maybe share a picture if you're extra proud and creative. 

doozer1345

It's too late for me to get motivated to be creative so I plan to do what I did last time. There's a Dunkin Donuts across the street from the hospital so I'm going to send my mom or DH to get a couple dozen donuts and a box of coffee for the nurses. However, I've seen and loved these:

Charla1224

DUH! Thanks @doozer1345 there's a little known beignet shop near the hospital I'm delivering at. I'll put my ILs in charge of placing a couple orders along with coffee. 

doozer1345

It was super simple and the nurses loved it.
ETA: Beignets...yum

Sharra13

doozer1345 said:

However, I've seen and loved these:

Oh, I love those!  How do you know how many to get/make, though??

codeeye

Nurses at our hospital aren't allowed to accept gifts. However! I work there so I am just planning to send my fella out to get coffee and donuts for the gals on the unit (from one co-worker to another of course

doozer1345

@Sharra13 Call ahead to the hospital and ask how many nurses are on the floor or how many typically are assigned to one person. My hospital does 1 nurse a shift for mama and baby. So I'd make 6-8 since I know I'll be staying 2 nights and 3 days.

dsmith211

MIL bakes so she's making cupcakes and bringing them to the birth center for us when it's time to give to everyone there. It's a relatively small place so it's not too much work and everyone loves food.

mello13

Based on what I've been told by several friends that are nurses, food/baked goods are always the right choice. So that's my plan as well. 

rlworzalla

DH doesn't think this is necessary. I would like to do something but I may just have to go the route of doughnuts and coffee because he won't think it's worth it. will I be a bad person if I don't??

mello13

@rlworzalla  Perhaps once DH see's what you go through, and the way the nurses care for you and LO afterward, he'll be more inclined. Also, who wouldn't like coffee and doughnuts?! I mean, really, it's not a crappy thank you, especially for 12 hour workers!

mcb2016

I honestly am not a gift person, and I would never have thought of doing anything like this. 

vinerie

Is this a common thing? I haven't even thought of this. 

obryana6219

I have friends who are L & D nurses and they've told me that if patients give them homemade baked goods they go in the trash.  If it's something from a restaurant or pre-packaged it's fine but otherwise they don't take any chances.  Just a thought so someone isn't slaving away over something that may get tossed.  I'm sure not all of them do this.

doozer1345

vinerie said:

Is this a common thing? I haven't even thought of this. 

As far as I know it is. Most people I know have done this BUT I don't think it's expected necessarily.

Charla1224

 @vinerie I wouldn't call this a common thing. Based on what I've heard your nurses are with you through such an intimate time friends of mine wanted to thank them somehow. They suggested I plan something ahead of time. Plus my BIL and SIL are nurses. I know how stressful and draining their long shifts can be so before deciding on coffee and donuts I was considering a basket of snacks. 

js8812

I'll probably have my H go to a bagel shop and bring a box of bagels and cream cheese. 

KidShrink

I was on my 4th L&D trip tonight (we've been discussing a frequent flyer program with them...this is getting ridiculous), but DH (who works for Cadbury or the equivalent of Nabisco/Mr Christie) had just beought home a stash of goodies. So since we felt so ridiculous to be going there again (because I need to learn how to walk again it seems), we just brought them some chocolate tonight! The nurse was certainly happy. They're great to begin with (small town hospital), but I'm sure this can only help! We will definitely bring some more when it's the real deal. 

katxattack1212

For my first, I had custom M&M's made that I packaged in little tins. We intended them to be a shower favors but forgot all about them. I decided to just take them to the hospital and hand them out to nurses, etc. 
Everyone really liked them! I had never heard of such gifts, I just needed  $100 worth of custom M&M's outta my house! 
This time...I don't know if I'll do anything. 

LDSJM123

Lurking from July. 

We plan on bringing tumblers for the L&D nurses similar to what is pictured above. For the postpartum nurses, we are going to bring them a breakfast basket. Something along these lines. Granola bars, oatmeal packs, coffee's, fruit snacks, bottles of water, mini boxes of cereal, nice chocolates, and whatever else breakfasty I can find. I'll be skipping fruit, because I want to put it together ahead of time and have it ready to go with the hospital bag.

rlworzalla

@mello13 he likes the idea of a good gift but not the tumbler or premade things. I meant more that he wouldn't think it was worth it to put the effort into the handmade gift, not necessarily that they don't deserve something for helping out. 

nerdymama15

Since everything happened so suddenly with us we weren't prepared for this. So since yesterday was DD's one week birthday we took some cupcakes in for her nurses in the NICU and took some cupcakes to the nurses station on the hall I stayed on when I was not in the ICU. Nothing too over the top, but simple.  We might do something else before she is discharged, but have not decided yet.

Dasha420

I have some of the stuff already. I got little cellophane bags and individual sized hand creams.

I want to put some chocolate bars in, a starbucks frap glass bottle per bag, and maybe a pen or two. I'll make about seven.

I just want them to have it because they will be around to welcome my LO with me. Plus, its a cute idea so why not?

vinerie

I feel like a selfish ass because this never occurred to me. And I generally am someone who will give people Satarbucks cards and such as thank yous. I guess I'm going to bring something!

ETA: how many gifts should one plan on bringing?

doozer1345

vinerie said:

I feel like a selfish ass because this never occurred to me. And I generally am someone who will give people Satarbucks cards and such as thank yous. I guess I'm going to bring something!

ETA: how many gifts should one plan on bringing?

Well it's not like you haven't had a million other things to prepare for or going on right now ((sarcasm))

LadySamLady

I will probably send H or my dad out for donuts or bagels as a thank you. My H is convinced this is unheard of and complained that he will feel awkward giving the nurses something to express our appreciation. That's when I reminded him that I'm probably going to poop in front of these people so he can shut up about things that he will feel awkward doing at the hospital. 

yogahh

Yeah, didn't think of this, but now thinking it is a good idea. I would make cookies to bring, but don't want them thrown out. So count me as another whose husband will be getting coffee and donuts.

NinnyJean

We'll do either donuts and coffee or maybe get a couple pizzas the night before to switch it up since donuts and coffee seems to be everyone's go to 

vinerie

Ok, coffee and donuts is a great idea! I'll put my H on that, as well. 

kbrands7

We went with donuts/pastries last time and will likely do the same this time around. 

jenl1681

I feel kinda bad, since I already have two kids and this just never occurred to me! With DS I was in the the birthing suite for 36 hours, so I saw a million nurses come and go. With DD she came in just under 3 hours and I had one extremely awesome nurse who didn't leave my side. This was all in the L&D wing, then you get moved to maternity down the hall and have a whole new set of nurses there. Should I be thinking of two sets of gifts? 

doozer1345

jenl1681 said:

I feel kinda bad, since I already have two kids and this just never occurred to me! With DS I was in the the birthing suite for 36 hours, so I saw a million nurses come and go. With DD she came in just under 3 hours and I had one extremely awesome nurse who didn't leave my side. This was all in the L&D wing, then you get moved to maternity down the hall and have a whole new set of nurses there. Should I be thinking of two sets of gifts? 

This is why we will do 2-3 dozen donuts and probably a couple of boxes of coffee. It's easier to just drop them off on the different floors/areas.

saladflambe

Well I WAS planning on making cupcakes, but if they're just going to get tossed, then I'll send DH out to get donuts & coffee  

AdorkablePixie

I was going to do homemade chocolate chip cookies, I am glad to know they usually get thrown out! I'd be upset if I wasted the time, effort, and money and they were just going to go in the trash!

Now I am thinking of a basket like PP posted with granola bars, protein bars, and little starbucks drinks, maybe some chocolate too because who doesn't love chocolate?!