What Are Some Nice NICU Gifts?

Talking to parents of preemies over the last few years has allowed us to compile of list of useful items that moms and dads have received (as gifts) for their premature baby while in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. They range in price and some are as simple as offering to cook a meal or drive a new mom to the hospital. Don't be afraid to be a gift for a preemie. Moms of preemies like to have acknowledgement of the birth of their baby just like ordinary newborn moms.

Below is a list of some of the preemie gift ideas we have heard over the last few years.

Preemie Clothes
Preemie Diapers - sometimes hard to find in small areas
Gift Certificates for resturants around the hospital area
A Notebook for friends or family to write in when they visit or for notes to baby from parent
CD of lullabies- some NICUs allow music to be played in baby's isollete
Offer to prepare a meal for the new parents and family.
Delivery a gift basket of food to new mom or dad
Pay a housekeeper to clean new parents home or offer to help out around the house yourself.
Zaky infant pillow - NICU positioning aid
Baby Story book
Personalized Blanket
Disposable Camera - Preemies change in appears so much. You can never have too many pictures. Parents are photo graph their child throughout the NICU journey.
Calling cards to update family and friends during hospital stay.
Slippers
Hand Sanitizer
Lotions - Washing (Scrubbing) each time you enter the NICU works on your hands pretty quickly. Lotion is always welcoming to dry, over-washed hands.
Notepad or Telephone/Address Book for parents to keep all important telephone numbers in
Snacks for hospital stay or visit (Gum, mints, peanuts, trail mix, bottled water, etc)
Magazines or crossword puzzle books
Asprin
Change for vending machines
Small stuffed animal for baby's incubator or open crib
Photo frame or albums
Pre-made Scrapbook Pages
Baby Thank You Notes - Mom may not have time to run out and get her own, but can fill them out while sitting in the hospital during her free time.
Offer to drive or provide transportation to hospital
Easy portable meals
NICU Milestone Calendar
Gas Cards - gas bills add up especially if your child is in a NICU located somewhere other than your hometown.
BurpClothes
Travel Necessities - tooth brush, toothpaste, kleenex, etc
Cooler Bag for expressing breast milk to hospital
Tote Bag for carrying everything to the hospital each day

Wow! That is some list and we know there are hundreds of other ideas out there. If you have an idea that is not listed, email us and tell us about it. contactus@preemieproud.com

We love to hear from you!

New Arrivals from Preemie-Yums

Yes, our shipment of micro preemie clothing, preemie apparel and preemie accessories have arrived from Preemie-Yums. We finished listing all of the items over the weekend. Please take a look and see what is new.

Here are some of the items we added:

Micro Preemie NICU Wrap Dresses - Pink, Purple or Floral
Micro Preemie Leggings, LS Shirt and Hat Sets - for Girls and Boys
Micro Preemie NICU Wraps- for Boys and Girls (that includes Camo too!)
Micro Preemie Day Gowns and Hats- Blue, Pink, or White

Preemie 3pc Footed Pant Set
Preemie Layette Sets for Boys or Girls
Preemie RoseBud Thermal 2pc Clothing set
Preemie Scratch Mitts - 2 new colors! Now available in yellow and mint as well as pink, blue and white,

There is always something new going on at www.preemieproud.com . Come visit us!

New Arrivals - Chuckleberries

Our new Chuckleberries order has arrived. We will be adding new micro preemie and preemie clothing items and accessories to our website throughout the day.

These items have already been added:
Micro preemie booties
Preemie Booties
Preemie Socks - new style (in three colors)
Micro preemie diaper shirts
Micro Preemie NICU dresses
Micro Preemie diaper cover and shirt sets
Micro Preemie Sleeper / Coverall

More preemie items to come! Keep watching and visit us @ www.preemieproud.com to see what is new!

Preemie Camoflauge (Camo) Items

New micro preemie camo clothing items ( for girls and boys ) will be arriving by the end of this week! Just in time for the upcoming fall season! Visit www.preemieproud.com

Look for:

Micro Preemie Green Camo NICU Wraps w/ matching Green Camo Hats
Micro Preemie Pink Camo NICU Wraps w/ matching Pink Camo Hats
Micro Preemie X-Long T-Shirts (Gown) w/ matching Camo Hats

Blue Camo NICU Wraps are currently in stock now @ www.preemieproud.com !

New Daddy's will love these items for the new "little hunter" in their lives!

Always a Sale!

A manufacturer asked us just recently "do you always have a sale going on?" Our response was simple.

"Yes!"

Even if there is no holiday, a new baby is always reason enough to celebrate and run a sale. We love being able to provide micro preemie and preemie items to new parents or friends and family looking for a gift for the new angel in their life.

Preemie-Yums & Chuckleberries

We are anxiously awaiting our next shipment of micro preemie and preemie items from both Preemie-Yums and Chuckleberries. Keep watching for:

Micro Preemie NICU Dresses

Micro Preemie Wrap Dresses

Micro Preemie Booties

Preemie Booties

Preemie Clothing

Micro Preemie accessories

Preemie Layette Sets

Special Occassion outfits

and more!

Micro Preemie Clothes - Are They Needed or Not?

As a mom, to a former micro preemie, my answer to this debated question is simple. YES! YES! YES! Micro Preemie NICU Clothing is needed! (for a few reasons)

Most micro preemie babies spend their first few days on warming bed and then transfer to an isollete or incubator as they become more stable. So technically, these tiny premature infants do not have to have clothes and often cannot be dressed during the times they are unstable, requiring constant medical care and access. Therefore, warming beds and incubators help the premature baby to keep their body temperature a little more regulated. Does this seem like a contradiction to my answer above? It isn't....read on.

As micro preemies become more stable, most Neonatal Intensive Care Units will allow new parents to dress their babies as long as their health allows. For anyone that has not personally been through the emotional NICU Journey, I'm not sure you can fully understand the roller coaster ride parents take while watching their new baby struggle each day for the very life you want so desparetly for them to have. Each day you struggle with not being able to provide for your child, like not being able to hold them, change them, bath them or feed them at will. Waiting and watching....You feel HELPLESS! But one day, you walk into the Neonatal Unit and your baby has made a milestone! (Milestones are huge in the NICU) He or she is stable and strong enough to be dress. As a parent, you can now bring in tiny hats or NICU friendly clothes for your preemie to wear. And...if you are lucky, you may get to change them or dress them during your daily visits. You may also be allowed to bring blankets, socks, and booties for them. What a day! A milestone is reached, your new little angel is stronger AND you now have something that you (as parents) can actively take part in. You can be a part of your child's day to day care!

So the first reason micro preemie clothes are needed is simple: THE PARENTS! It means so much to be able to dress your child! it may be the most emotionally important reason of all!

Even though these tiniest preemies often are in incubators to help regulate their body temperature, NICU clothing, hats, booties and socks may help infants to hold onto some of their body heat.

If you have a family member or friend with a new micro preemie, clothing would be an excellent gift. It will do a world of good for the parents!

How do you know what to buy? Look for NICU Apparel that is hospital friendly and nurse friendly. These garments are easier for the medical staff to use. They often allow quicker access to premature infants by having Velcro® closures or snaps.

Here is a list of some suggested micro preemie items:
*Hats
*Socks or Booties
*Micro Preemie Size Blankets
*NICU T-Shirts or Isollete Tops
*IV Shirts
*NICU Wraps
*NICU Gowns / Day Gowns
*NICU Diaper Shirts
*NICU Diaper Covers

These items and more can be found at our website http://www.preemieproud.com/ . Please feel free to email us questions if you have any concerning micro preemie clothes. contactus@preemieproud.com

What is your opinion or experiences on this subject? Please feel free to post your thoughts on micro preemie clothes.