The other day, when my girlfriend who has two kids sent me her hospital packing list, I was surprised to see the item "gifts for the labor and delivery staff." Really?

Momlogic's Talitha: Black sweatsuit, check. Non-thong cotton panties, check. Outfit for my newborn to wear home, check. Gifts for labor and delivery nurses? That I have not gotten to yet. I've been so preoccupied thinking about how I'm going to manage pushing this baby out, getting the nursery ready, and just overall being pregnant that getting gifts for hospital staff wasn't even something I would have thought about! Should I do it?

"Trust me, they'll give you a better room and will be nicer to you if you bring gifts," the above girlfriend said to me. She then suggested leaving some gift baskets in the car, just in case I go into labor early. According to her, the nurses will be your best friends for the days you are at the hospital, and they will ultimately be the ones responsible for your -- and your baby's -- well being during that time. "It was the best thing I could have done," she exclaims.

Well OK, if she says so, I guess it couldn't hurt. But part of me thinks, hey, it's their job to take care of me, right? Will they give me a room with a window, the better jello, a less painful epidural, and maybe even an Ambien per my request if I bring them cookies? Alright, I'm in!

Some options? Baskets from Trader Joe's, cookies, candy, and even treats like lotions and bath soaks are gifts that won't go bad sitting in the back of your car for a while.

Should I stuff some dollar bills in my hospital gown to tip off the anesthesiologist? Hmm ... Now she's really got me thinking.