Thanking our post-partum nurses
Have I mentioned yet that we loved our time in the hospital after June was born? :) I was lucky to give birth in a beautiful, comfy, state-of-the-art facility, which played a role, but the biggest factor by far was our nurses. We didn’t spend much time on the delivery side, but everyone who took care of us on the post-partum floor was so kind, skilled, and encouraging. They made our stay a joy and our recovery swift. John and I said to each other over and over throughout our stay (and in the weeks after!), “Nurses are the best!!” Seriously, they are my new favorite people.
We wanted to do a little something to thank them, so last week June and I took a care package to the hospital. We assembled some of our favorite sweet and savory snacks from Whole Foods (including fresh berries, which I added after this photo!). I wanted some way to corral everything, but buying a basket seemed silly. Instead, I cut the top off a Whole Foods grocery bag and painted bright stripes with paint I had on hand. Happy and recyclable :)
I wanted to bake them something, but John thought they might be weirded out by unpackaged goodies from someone they didn’t know. Hmph. I think he’s the weird one, but went with pre-packaged snacks anyway :)
The most important part, though, was the note. I hope it encouraged these wonderful ladies, as their job is not easy, but makes such a huge difference to families at a vulnerable time. One tip: if you’d like to remember the names of your nurses, make sure you write them down while at the hospital! I never would have remembered them all three months later!!
Any other ideas for sweet thank yous for nurses? I’d love to hear!
Yes! I love this so much, Em. We made little goodie bags for EVERYONE to have at our hospital haha our triage nurse Kim, who actually broke my water when we got to the hospital (and was so kind and excited when she exclaimed I was dilated to a 5!), the patient nurses in delivery, the OB who rushed me into our emergency C-section and helped calm my nerves, the gals in post-op (who were even hilarious at 3:00 am), the nurses in recovery for four days (oh Marge!), the helpful doctor who got us a referral to our pediatrician last minute. SO many good people!
We included: a pack of gum, a Pilot pen, a mini kit kat bar, and Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer in each little clear plastic treat bag. Then I had thank you tags printed with our names and gratitude, and they were put onto each bag with gold and white twine. They were a huge hit and were super simple to make!
That’s lovely Emily! I’m borrowing the tip about writing down their names. We are planning on baking some frozen immaculate baking co dough when I start going into labor and brunging it to them. But I should research if they have a no baked goods policy or something like that. Loving all your tips and your perspective. There seem to be a lot of thoughts and opinions floating around about visitors and out of town guests in the early days. How did you guys handle that? Any advice? Thank you again!!!
Em, I LOVE nurses too! I think they are epic humans, and I’ve told more people that statement than I can count anymore. One medical test became another and another last year until I found myself having a biopsy in the hospital while a doctor checked for cancer. It was terrible…except for sweet nurse Millie. I knew God had a hand in the fact that she was my nurse that day, and I couldn’t help but cry whenever I thought about her caring nature. I decided to surprise her by making a bouquet and popping it into a vase. I called ahead to check her schedule, and the other nurses were so shocked that someone wanted to do something so kind. I was able to give her the bouquet in person along with a hug, and I cried yet again. A kind nurse can make all the difference in any situation. I love that you brought a care package to your nurses!
We did this while we were in the hospital and it was a hit!
Such a great tip to write down all the names!
I’ve never given anything to any of my nurses, but I’ve always thought about it! This is such a good idea! And I actually agree with John (sorry!). It’s good you went with packaged items. People can be funny about baked goods from someone they don’t know that well. Oh, and flowers aren’t always allowed either (the transplant unit at my hospital doesn’t allow flower deliveries).
Maybe I’ll do something like this for my transplant team since my “transplant-iversary” is coming up.
As a nurse, I’m very appreciative of pre packaged goods, so I have to agree with your husband! This is so thoughtful and I’m sure was appreciated by the nurses!!
What a sweet, thoughtful way to love on your nurses! And I love the painted stripes on the paper bag idea in lieu of baskets!! :)
As a nurse, I can tell you this is so very appreciated!! You would not believe how many patients forget to say Thanks. The bag is so fun!!
Such a perfect idea! I have always loved the idea of thanking the staff that carries you through labor and delivery. One of my nearest and dearest friends is a labor and delivery nurse and I respect and love her so much for her ability to show grace, kindness, and love to strangers that pass through the doors of the hospital everyday!
Also, such a great idea to write down their names. I love when someone remembers mine, and try to always remember others too! Tucking this away for down the road :)
PS- I am so enjoying hearing how much you loved your hospital, what a difference I’m sure that made!
@Emily I love that Immaculata dough! We didn’t have any visitors in the hospital (more here: https://emformarvelous.com/notes-from-our-hospital-stay/). Friends started dropping off meals a few days after we got home, and John’s parents came to visit for several days when June was three weeks. Then, my whole family came to visit for a week when she was five weeks. That all felt right to us!
I will never forget my three nurses at Duke Regional or their names (I only had three throughout my stay). The day after I got home, I went to Target while my mom waited in the car with my newborn, ran in and got gift cards for my three incredible nurses (two of which were pregnant, so I got them the baby-themed gift cards, the other nurse got a “thank you” design). I delivered them that same day. Admittedly, I was really generous with the gift card amounts, but those nurses were worth their weight IN GOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I put the gift cards in a sealed thank you note, since I don’t think Duke policy allows employees to accept monetary gifts, but I’m a bit of a rule breaker, so whatever. :-)
In hearing my husband talk about how much the nurses do and my sister-in-law being a nurse, I know they appreciated this and the note more than you can imagine! Such a great idea!