Gift for premmie bub and mum?

Hi, a friend of mine had her baby at 28weeks via c-sec last week. She was discharged on Friday and is commuting obviously while bub is in hossy. I would really like to give her a nice gift to congratulate her on the birth as I'm guessing the whole event has been very stressful and she won't have had the time to "celebrate the birth" we are cooking meals and I have offfered to look after her eldest if she needs it.

So what were the things either material or just things you would have liked people to have done, said etc to help with a tiny bub in nicu?

Thanks for your help

this thread from a while ago might help you out

i know i got some info from it when a friend had her bubba at 24 weeks a while back

When my DD was in NICU I really needed a nice notebook. The doctors give you so much information to process and also to relay to DH. Also just to write your general thoughts and feelings. It is sad but good to look back on.

Thanks BG will check that link out !

Daintree - what a great idea! thanks

I am having similar issues. I have a friend who just had a 26weeker last week.
Am thinking about getting all the nappy creams, nappy bags, etc... the small stuff that she mightn't have thought of.
Then there's the issue of clothing for a 1 pound baby.

Niadla - i'd be reluctant to get creams and things as bubba will possibly have many months of very sensitive skin. getting things for mum is a good idea though


ummmm, friend who had her premmie at 24 weeks got given a record book for premmie milestones (think from hospy gift shop) which she loved...

Not a problem :D it is something that I found came in very handy, a nice to keep.

I agree with BG, I would steer clear of any creams for bubba skin.

You never expect to have a baby in NICU and therefore do not have clothes to suit. My DD was not prem but was very sick. It is really quiet warm in NICU and as my daughter was due in the middle of winter I did not have many light clothes. When in hospital my DD wore button up suits everyday, weather it was singlet/tshirt sleeve/long sleeve but no legs, do you know the ones? 3 buttons at the crotch?
If buying clothes for baby to wear while still in NICU buy things that button up. They have so many leads/moniters on them and it is difficult to put clothes on. Suits that button up like wondersuits are ok. Pants can not really be worn as they usually have a lead on their foot and you cannot remove pants to change their nappy without bothering the lead.

Anyway, enough babbling!

Good Luck with searching for your perfect gift for such a pecious baby.

Congrats to your friend.

I honestly wouldnt bother with clothes just yet. Bubs more than likely wont be able to wear normal baby clothes for a wee bit yet. Brendan (30 weeks) didnt get to wear clothes until he was out of the isolette, that was at just over 3 weeks old. I'd check with the NICU first, as hospitals have different standards ect.

Def a diary, really wish I had one.
Also batteries for her camera?

A petrol gift card, or if shes travelling on public transport some bus passes or soemthing?

All the best to your friend.

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A petrol gift card, or if shes travelling on public transport some bus passes or soemthing?

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I didn't even think of that! I took the train/tram into the city everyday for 3 months, it does get very costly then DH would drive in at night spend a couple of hours there then drive home so we did there and back in the car also (plus roadtolls as we are in Melb).
We had $200- worth of petrol vouchers and they didn't last long (especially since we had to travel in the peek of the petrol prices last May-Aug).

I think the diary suggestion is a fabulous idea as with the petrol gift card.

Hi Saram - my partner and l had a 28 weeker in November (he is now almost 6mths and doing really well).
Be sure to send your friend a baby card congratulating her on the birth. Once the shock and disbelief wore off that is one of the things l really wanted. For friends to acknowledge that we had had our bub. A lot of people didn't give cards until we got home which was because they didn't know what to say. Whether the baby is healthy or really sick it is still nice to receive some recognition of the birth. As a friend you may find it worthwhile reading about the journey your friend is going through and going to face. There are some wonderful websites to checkout that will give you some understanding - lilaussieprems.com.au is great.
I wrote a daily diary - mainly of all the hospital terms and what medication/treatments he was having each day so l could remember. There is a wonderful prem diary called Bubbe (Bub born early) you can find it at Bub Born Early - Home of The BubBE Book: An NICU Journal for the Premature Child and Parents also has some fantastic information.
If you would like to get some clothes, l would suggest 5 zero clothes for when bub comes home or if you want something special - visit a baby bunting store (or most babies stores have these) and purchase something from the Earlybirds range. I would suggest the 1.5kg - 2.5kg size as this will be closer to the size of the bub by the time they can wear clothes.
There is a company called Latoriana LaToriana - Buy Baby Goods, Toys, Clothes & Gifts Online in Australia - it has a great section on premmie babies. They stock a comforter called the Zaky. It was designed by a doctor who had a prem baby and didn't want to leave her alone overnight so she made the Zaky. The parents sleep with it and then leave it in the isolette to comfort the baby so they can smell their parents scent. We were given one of these from my sister and Charlie loved it in the isolette.... This company also stock the earlybird range.
I hope this helps and please continue to call your friend - l found that no-one really called me as they didn't know what to say and it was an awfully long 10.5weeks.

HI Sally,

I did end up giving my friend a gift basket and taking it up to NICU and leaving it there with a note from me as I didn't have their address or phone number - I tend to loose my address book a lot. I was shocked by the response from others to wait until bub was home to give a gift I thought that was so unthoughtful but on the otherhand I didn't want to give a lot of things that would be reminders if things went badly so based on the input from here I did up this basket
- bottled water
-little snacks (apples, little packets of biscuits)
-tin of activite and shaker for increasing supply
- a little slip in photo album to keep near for expressing and on the roadtravelling to and from hossy
- a diary/notebook to record dr notes and her own relfections
- a story book to read to bub
-a colouring in book for her other child
- a "congratulations on your birth" card
- a pink soft cuddly flower (little girl)

I also told her I will make her a wrap (like a hug-a-bub) when she is ready for kangaroo cuddles and bringing baby home and offered to sit with her or look after her eldest.

She rang back that night and was so grateful for us thinking of her and her family which was what I wanted to communicate - just that we were celebrating her baby and knew what a long journey she had to go.

Thanks so much for everyones suggestions it was soooo helpful to understand what is appreciated/needed with a tiny bub in nicu.

thanks

That's a great gift Sarah. I think I would have really appreciated a gift like that when I had my twins in NICU born at 27 weeks! I got size 00 clothes or 000 and I couldn't imagine when I would be able to use them... am now, but those gifts are fantastic! Well done! If you can go in and take her out for a coffee every now and then, that's a great idea too... I know just to get your mind off it for a while gives you a break!
:clap:

A gift for the mum is a great idea, but you might like to check with the mum about a pressie for the bub. Our friends had a 24 weeker a couple of years ago and specifically asked for no baby presents until he came home. When he did finally come home a week after his due date, it made it more 'normal' - bringing the baby home and getting newborn presents.