Moms of preemies - gift ideas

[missym]

My SIL just had her baby boy at 30 weeks 5 days. Her water broke and the risk of infection was too high, so they had to deliver. The baby is small (3lb 4oz) but doing well, thankfully.

We want to send a gift basket and were wondering if anyone could give us ideas aside from clothes. I know there must be special things that will help them out but don't know what those might be! Also, any recommendations as far as good quality preemie clothes would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
Missy, mom to Gwen 03/03

[COElizabeth]

A group of friends sent a basket of goodies from Harry and David or some place like that when my friend's baby was in the hospital (not early but with some serious complications). My friend said she really appreciated having some snacks handy while they were camped out at the hospital.

I hope your nephew does great and is home before long!

Elizabeth, Mom to James, 9-20-02

[Momof3Labs]

Magazines
Children's books to read to the baby
Preemie clothes (but not too many, and no zippers, only snaps so that they can run wires out of the outfit) - Wal-Mart has preemie clothes
Calling card
Restaurant/fast food gift certificates

There's more, I just can't think of it now (a good friend of mine had twins at 23 weeks). Here's old threads on the same topic:

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboar...ng_type=search

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboar...ng_type=search

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboar...ng_type=search

[JMarie]

Aidan was considered a preemie (35 weeks) and in the hospital for 8 days. The best gifts we received were food, food, and food! Many of DH's family members brought us meals first to the hospital and then to take home. We probably wouldn't have eaten much otherwise.

Jennifer
Mom to Aidan Christopher
01/28/03

[C99]

The best gifts will be offers of help, etc. A gift certificate for housecleaning or laundry services while they are in the NICU with the baby, meals and snacks, etc. Everyone carries premie stuff now. I think the Little Me premie stuff (found at BRU) is really cute and the Carter's stuff can be good too.

[nicurn96]

I am a NICU nurse that recently became a SAHM. All NICUs have different policies but these are some things we used often:

Beanie Babies - these are great to put into the isolette for the babies to snuggle, hold in a pacifer, or help position the baby or a tube.

Receiving blankets - parents could bring in their own and we used them for covering the mattress and swaddling the baby. Parents often got tired of the ugly hospital issued blankets and the cute receiving blankets were something cute that they could brighten up the bedside with.

Small fleece blankets - about the size of a placemat. The nurses started making these for the babies. We cut up fleece and sewed the edges. The small size is perfect for the baby to lay on or to lay over the baby when it is swaddled.

Big quilts or afghans. - We like to cover the isolettes and beds from bright lights and try to make it as dark as possible.

Preemie clothes - these are great, one of my favorite things was to dress a little baby up in the tiny clothes after a bath. I especially love when they have all matching stuff ie: hat, blanket outfit. We often would change the sheets/blankets to match the outfit. FYI Gerber preemie clothes run small and are good for littler babies, other brands may still be big even though they are preemie.

A name sign - often the nurses make them but a baby can always have more than one cute homemade sign with the babies name on it so when the doctors and nurses looked in on the baby they can call it by name.
Another homemade idea is preemie milestone signs. For example: graduated to open crib, first bottle, first smile, weaned from oxygen, weaned off the vent, first feeding, and weight gains.

A cassette tape/CD with heartbeat music and even a little tape player. We didn't always use them inside the isolette but these were great when the baby graduated to a big boy bed.

I hope some of these ideas help. Like I said not all NICUs will let parents bring in toys, clothes, and blankets from home but ours did and it really helped make their space more thier own.

We also allowed 2 mylar balloons per baby!

Lisa
Mommy to Lydia~5/13/2003

[Tondi G]

I think Harry and David is a great idea! That and maybe some gift certificates for restraunts that deliver.... even pizza. Something to make it easy for them when they come home from the hospital and cooking is the last thing on their minds! Even a basket of bakery items.... assorted muffins (buy the Costco muffins they are SOOO yummy), cookies, croissants etc. I suppose maybe writing them a note saying you will be there to help out when Baby comes home.... give mom a chance to brush her teeth and shower or take a nap without worrying, especially when her husband goes back to work! You could also suprise them by either doing it yourself or paying someone to come and clean their house really good before baby come home from the NICU!!!! One thing I loved when DS was brand new was my mom coming over and after her initial ooing adn awing over baby she would dive right in and do dishes or pop a load of laundry in and fold it!!!! It was super helpful!

I would look at Baby Gap for Preemie clothes.... everything it SUPER soft and so cute! They have one pieces, bodysuit onsies, bundlers(gowns with snaps for the wires), lil tiny pants, and kimono tops..... they are for babies up to 5lbs, only available at Gap.com Here check this out

http://www.gap.com/asp/Product.asp?w...25&wpid=231885

Scroll to the bottom of the page to see all 5 things
http://www.gap.com/asp/Dept_Index_Al...id=5374&pgnb=1

You can definetly find preemie stuff at Babies R Us too! Don't forget about nice super soft blankets they can use when cuddling baby! And just lots of help and support!!!!

Good luck to your SIL and baby boy!!!!

~Tondi and Mason 7/8/01

[missym]

Thanks, everyone, for the great ideas! We'll be talking to SIL today, so we'll find out what the policies are. A goodie basket for the grown-ups is a definite.

Unfortunately, they live in California and we're in Indiana, so we have to make due with long-distance help. It's really hard, because we would love to be there for them, but between our jobs and DD, it's not possible to fly out there right now. Thank goodness BIL's parents are there and provide great support.

The baby's name is Todd. I forgot to mention he's 17 inches long! Wow!

Missy, mom to Gwen 03/03