Prem babies - what to buy
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Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24461
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Topic: Prem babies - what to buy
Posted By: Crakleys
Subject: Prem babies - what to buy
Date Posted: 11 February 2009 at 12:09pm
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Hi everyone, I was wondering if you lovely ladies might have some helpful advice for me.
My friend is about to have a very prem baby. She didn't get chance to have a baby shower or get properly organised. Just wondering if there are any gifts you would suggest for prem babies as ooposed to any other baby gifts? Like what sizes, etc? Thanks so much for any advice. x |
Replies:
Posted By: myfullhouse
Date Posted: 11 February 2009 at 12:13pm
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I think there was a thread similar to this a while ago. I assume that the baby will be in hospital for some time so she may not need any clothes.
Maybe some more practical gifts will be appreciated such as meals for the freezer so when she does go home she doesn't have to think about cooking, or someone in to do some house cleaning for her, a nice blanket/throw for her to have when she is in hospital with baby ------------- Lindsey 
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Posted By: LenaJudson
Date Posted: 11 February 2009 at 1:06pm
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Maybe also vouchers / money to go towards parking / petrol (or bus) to and from the hospital? I know that is an expense that no-one accounts for.
I don't want this to come across harsh but i think (depending on how prem very prem is) - but to concentrate more on the parents and easing stress off them - then once baby is home instead of a baby shower have a "Welcome Home" baby shower and can do the same sort of things then (and alter a few of the traditional games etc) Prem sizes i think are the 5 0's? depending on how prem i think most of the babies in NICU just have nappies as their skin is too delicate for clothing. That's about as far as my ideas go... good luck and hope your friend and baby are ok!! |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 11 February 2009 at 1:13pm
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I can't help much from a parents point of view, but from a NICU nurses point of view of what we see I migh thave a few tips.
Just how prem are you talking? 23 - 27ish weeks (in which case your friend is in for a very long haul) or more like 28 weeks plus? Really it all depends, ask your friend what she needs, or wait until baby is getting a little btter as if it's very prem then mum will have alot on her plate for a first few months - so just being there for her, taking her out sometimes, visiting etc are really helpful - also like Linzy said, offers of help and housework/meals are really helpful during that time too. In terms of stuff for baby, baby will be naked up until it's old enough to go into a cot, as it's been said, really tiny ones have very delicate skin, then once they are around 30weeks plus it's also the fact that, well, they're in an incubator to help regulate their temp, so clothes will either mean they cook, or that the heat isn't getting to their skin - so clothes aren't used on baby's in incubators. So once it's in a cot it will probably need a few little, little clothes such as prem/size 00000, or 0000 (some babies are really long and skinny so do need the next size up) you can usually use hospital clothes but most mums do like to have their little things to dress baby in so they feel a bit more like it's actually truely now THEIR baby. good clothes to get are plenty of cotton things so that they can be layered to create warmth. Polarfleece sleepsuits aren't that good as yes they heat baby up but they don't breathe/regulate the temperature like cotton and babies tend to "cook". Woolens are great as once in a cot they still usually need a fair amount of nice warm wool (real stuff, not acrylic) the suggestion of a nice throw etc would be nice as it's lovely to have their own blankie when they are up for kangaroo cuddles. Another nice thought is a diary or keepsake baby book, as some mums find it helpful to write it all down day by day when things are tough and having a record of how far the baby has come is so very valuable. Last but not least, the baby shower, can still come later - try waiting until baby is about a month or a couple of weeks away from coming home, and still throw one for her... as really, once baby gets growing, it will still need all the same stuff as any other baby.... and waiting until home is kind of "visable" on the horizon for her means she won't be getting all these lovely big things at the shower that she can't quite use yet. hope that helps.  ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja 
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Posted By: kiwisj
Date Posted: 11 February 2009 at 2:02pm
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I think Janine has covered things pretty well! But I can give you a Mum's POV ....
It does depend on HOW prem you're talking. Mind you, even at 32 weeks we didn't have Callum in his own clothes in the NICU .. he wore his first outfit the day we went home. He was 1.95kg and he was in 00000 clothing - it was actually a bit baggy round the arm/leg holes and tummy but it's the length that's important! He didn't fit any of the 00000 stuff that had feet 
I had JUST had my baby shower but we didn't have everything. A lot of the new baby stuff was too "old" for Callum when he came home, like our carrier, car seat and rocker. We didn't get one, but I have been told Moby wraps are fab for preemies and kangaroo cuddles. The things I appreciated most while I was in hospital (and then when I was home before he was) - my girlfriends brought lunch to the hospital to share, really nice things from our favourite cafe. Books, magazines and someone lent me their Nintendo DS Lite. In my case, the NICU had strict visiting hours (Singapore rules) so while I was in hospital myself I still had loads of time to kill when I had no baby  Visitors were great!
Help with housework, getting a few things in from the supermarket, making a few freezer meals (she won't have had time to stock the freezer herself if she planned to), ASK which things she would like help with. Be prepared for her to say "Oh, nothing" though .. it's hard to know what you need sometimes. Are you close friends? Perhaps you could have a chat with her DH/DP and see what he would like help with? My DH found my two closest girlfriends a HUGE help when I was in hospital and it was easier for him to deal with other people than it was for me. Hope that helps  ------------- SJ Callum - Dec 2008 Daniel - Oct 2010 |
Posted By: Crakleys
Date Posted: 11 February 2009 at 3:05pm
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Thanks so much for your thoughtful messages, I will take them on board and chat to my girlfriends about what we should do.
Some wonderful information there. Thanks again :D |
Posted By: weegee
Date Posted: 12 February 2009 at 9:06pm
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The other recent thread on this was http://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=22392 - here ------------- 
Mum to JJ, 4 July 2008 & Addie, 28 July 2010 |