Hope you dont mind me posting in here...

[karlilay]

Hello :wave:

A old friend of mine had her baby on Thur. She had been in hospital on full bed rest from 25 weeks as she started to contract.
Anyway, they transferred her back to her local hospital (she was down here visiting her mum when she was admitted) and the contractions started again and they couldnt stop them this time. He was born at 28+5 and he weighted 2lb 8oz.

I really want to get something for him, but im so confused at what to get. I have spoken with her over the phone, and she was very tearful. She said he was breathing on his own already, but obviously she couldnt sit and cuddle all day him like she so wants to do.

I want to buy her/him something special. And i wondered if there was anything you had when your little ones were in NICU that helped you along a bit, or a certain gift you loved to receive. I just want to get this right...

Hope no one minds this post.

 

[bumpsmum]

Congratulations to your friend that is a great weight for gestation and fabi he is breathing on his own. Gift wise I think the best you can do is be there for your friend, she will go through a whole range of emotion. Care package of snacks or some homemade meals would be ideal for her and her family.

Clothes wise at this point would be useless and expensive, maybe a special wee blanket like a small square, I had a handmade blanket my gran made and I wore it for a whole and xpressed some milk on it so it got my smell and Daniel lay on it. A parents scent is very important to the bonding process ESP if he can't have skin to skin contact right away xx

 

[twinmummy06]

Gift wise I would say buy her some kind of special journal she can use to record her NICU journey in. It would be something I know I would have loved to have, to look back on.

 

[jandksmommy]

Some things that I really appreciated when my wee one was born were small teddy bears to decorate the NICU pod, gift cards for gas as we live 2 hours away from the hospital, homemade frozen meals so that I didn't have to worry about cooking some nights, and when some friends insisted that I come out for lunch with them to get me away from the NICU for a few hours (it was refreshing to do something 'normal in the middle of all that worry and stress!).

 

[dizz]

Nice handcream - the gels and constant handwashing wrecked the living daylights outta my hands in the hospital.

 

[gryphongrl]

Food was the best thing I've received... homemade dinners I could reheat have been priceless and what with going back and forth to the NICU I ended up eating out too much, which isn't healthy and very expensive. And like someone else mentioned, doing something normal together can help a lot (once, a friend picked me up between care times and we got a manicure - yes your hands are torn up from the soap - it was fabulous).

It's very nice of you to be thinking of her during this time, just don't forget to check in and let her know you're thinking of her, even if you don't hear back (sometimes there is no time for anything nonessential but it was always nice to get an email, text or just see someone had rung the phone).

 

[AP]

Tiny teddies for the incubator or blankets I think become the most cherished keepsakes later on

 

[katy1310]

For me it was the little bears people gave us for in the incubator, the other day, Sophie hunted out the tiny Peter Rabbit that my mum and dad gave her when she was born and it brought back so many memories. He was with her in her incubator right through 7 weeks in intensive care, 3 weeks in high dependency and 2 weeks in special care, then he slept in her moses basket with her when she came home.

Your friend's little man sounds as if he is doing really well and that's such a good weight too. Breathing on his own is great at this stage as well.

xxx

 

[Stelly]

Im a new preemie mom, our son was born at 28+4 on the 21st. I really apprexiated the journal and nice pen my cousin gave me- it has helped immensely. Lotion (all the washing/scrubbing is murder on hands)... my grandma made a quilt to cover his isolette... just having friends stop through and say hi. I havent left the hospital hardly at all because for me personally it stresses me out being away-- bringing a homemade meal and sharing with me at the.hospital was lovely

 

[whistle]

Hand cream was the best gift I had - I had the hands of a 90 year old by the time he came home! I would have loved someone to make me a meal - we lived off bread and butter for most of the time. Your support and a listening ear will be really appreciated - she may feel the need to talk over the birth and first few weeks a lot as she gets her head around it.