Dinner.

Frozen or take them out. Take the family out. A gift certificate to a local restaurant.

You can almost never go wrong with food. It's exhausting for someone to have to figure out food for a family every day of the week.

People tend to express care in the ways that they would like to receive it.

Do you notice your friend giving gifts to other people? Maybe instead, she does small acts of kindness, or maybe she compliments people freely? Sometimes it's as simple as quality time.

When someone is going through a tough time, they might feel very alone. Offering to listen without trying to solve the problem (trust me, they've already thought of all the options) is such a generous act.

I kinda rambled.. hopefully that makes sense and good luck. You're a good friend.

Flowers

Sugar free candy?

🧸

Case of favorite sparkling water

I dunno I'm spit ballin here

Food is love.

My vote is for hot soup.

Play Lego with the kids while she goes for a nap or walk.

Is she a tea-drinker? Maybe a bag of some really nice tea from a proper tea shop, herbal or otherwise. My experience is that tea drinkers really appreciate a nice artisan-style brew. It's an understated but thoughtful gesture.

The smallest thing I can think about is probably one of those rice grains with a poem written on it.

When my wife is in a bad mood I try handing her random objects like a stick from outside. [Wife] you can't be mad, you now have an anti-grumpy stick

*I swear this actually works. We are a strange couple

If you found out she has gestational diabetes from anyone else but her, and that she's having a hard time, let it be. If she told you herself in an honest moment of comfort, tell her "I'm so sorry. That sucks." And let her vent. The last thing she wants is for anyone to make a big deal about it, solve her problems, or choose her diet.

Bring in donuts again. Seriously. She's an adult and can choose to eat them.

Bring in a more health conscious option. Once again, she can choose to eat it or not.

You're trying to find an option when most likely you shouldn't know about her personal health issues in the first place. Unless you have a very close relationship that you aren't letting us know about, you shouldn't be trying to figure out something to give her to make her feel better. She could very easily feel ostracized for her pregnancy in the first place. Employers arent super cool with pregnancies, let alone pregnancies that are in any magnitude more difficult.

What makes will make her feel better is a coworker that respects her space and private health matters. Don't treat her as special. Treat her as human.

I can't read the original text, so I'm mostly replying to your edit.

• Doing something nice isn't an asshole move

• Doing nothing isn't an asshole move

• It's not a lose-lose scenario

• You're not an asshole

• This planet is better with you on it

Okay now that I've got the obvious stuff out of the way, DON'T LISTEN TO THE HATERS! The vast amount of replies were positive and encouraging. You obviously edited your post, which is a bit of an overreaction, but I get it. I'm sensitive too and I genuinely think it's a good thing (mostly when I see that quality in others 🤷‍♂️). Empathetic people like you literally improve the world, for everyone. But ignore the bitter people who do the opposite and want everyone else to be miserable too. Even if you had no impact, you should do good things because they are true and pure and worth it, no matter how the recipient responds and no matter how other people view it. They'll also make you feel good! Just keep being you...

Get her a book, maybe from the Diskworld series, its great for big and small.

Maybe a new journal and pen? A coffee or tea? A gift card to treat herself?

Flowers. Or a little potted plant. But yeah cut flowers are the traditional gift.

A picture book for her kids, so she can read to them. Or a board game, to play with them.

Someone gave me a usb stick with a few kindle books on it one time, that was nice.

A flowery handkerchief or scarf is always a nice gift for a woman who has everything, I never dislike getting one. I have pretty handkerchiefs in my glasses case to clean them with. Better than scratching them with a tissue, and nice to look at too.

A ready-to-bake lasagna or two in those tinfoil trays. No need to worry about dinner, and one to freeze for another day.

You can use alternative low-carb high fibre pasta. (Just saw the carbs thing) Or just make a different meal.

It's not another 'thing' to clutter the house, and it takes off a bunch of stress.

A candle

Seconding the Lego suggestion. There's some really nice fairly cheap sets of flowers, succulents, and city postcards.

We buy people Lego flowers instead of real flowers these days. For something that dies super fast, flowers are too damned expensive.

Flowers?

Stuffed toys, books for the kids and also spend some time with them and reassure her. Give confidence and strength that they can figure it out.

Book/s to read to the kids?

A nice, somewhat mid tier soap or moisturizer gift set. Make sure it's specific enough like face cream so it's clearly a self care or treat yo self thing, vs a "you smell thing", trick is to add a note letting her know she matters and deserves some me time.

Write a note to let that person know how valuable and wonderful a person that they are. Using specific examples is good. This isn't the time for vague platitudes. I would tie any gift in with how much they have done for others, and how deserving they are.