Help! - Ideas for gift to parents of v premature baby

[Ladymuck]

A girl on my team at work has just given birth to a baby boy (25 weeks pg - I didn't even know she was!). Baby is 1lbs 8, and I am guessing that they'll be in hospital for a few months.

Any ideas as to what the best present would be?

[Charlee]

This will sound bad but i would wait untill you know if the babys going to survive as its very small, god bless it i hope it does, but anyway you could get some tiny dee clothes for preme babys, theres really cute, or maybe one of those handprint kits or a baby book? i hope there all ok. x

[astonished]

I would buy a really nice picture frame and still get a card.

[kid]

A photo album with a lovely message from you inside it.

That way, even if the worst happens and the baby doesn't survive, they can still put photos of the baby in it.

[PrincessPeaHead]

a friend of mine had babies at 26 and 28 weeks - both times she felt extremely superstitious about receiving presents for them. I would send her a card to say many congratulations, sorry it happened so early, we are keeping our fingers crossed that everything will be OK, please let me know if I can do anything" and then save the presents for when the baby is out of hospital.

[Ladymuck]

THanks guys. THe reason I was asking is that obviously its not quite "normal", and I just felt that the usual bouquet might not be the best thing. A photo album sounds great.

[hub2dee]

Something to do with Bliss (the premature baby charity) ?

They have some useful leaflets published which hospitals don't always have to hand. Perhaps get these sent to you and save the new parents some hassle ?

Very much hope it works out for your colleague.

[alexsmum]

one of my friends had her baby at 26 weeks and we bought her some preemy sleepsuits for him. she liked that he had something of his own that fitted him and it was also a sign that we weren't being doommongers if you see what i mean?

[soapbox]

When my friends had their premmie twins I took both twins a tiny hat (the one thing they did wear in the incubators), and a huge pile of magazines for mum and dad to give them something to look at while spending long hours sitting in special care.

[wheresmyfroggy]

nephew was born at 28 weeks and dw and I got him a cuddly kangaroo (because of kangaroo care that is given in prem SCBU)

Sil really appreciated cards at the time

[Ladymuck]

THanks. Hub2dee, I must say that I'm a bit shocked that the SCBU wouldn't have any of the BLISS stuff available, so that's definitely worth a thought.

[hub2dee]

They might, Ladymuck, but we were only given something by the obstetric physiotherapist ! (ie. nothing in NICU / SCBU). Seeing the images, and reading the text relevant to babies born so early might be really useful, as would the helpline numbers etc.

[robinia]

When dd was born I appreciated the cuddly toys most. Gave me something to cheer up her "bay". We weren't able to put clothes on her when she was in the incubator, only later when she had moved to the lower dependency room.

[Nemo1977]

what about a card and then some of those meals you can get..is it from chef on board so that when they go home they only have to heat something up? Maybe photoframe....

[PeachyClair]

With my Sis, I cross stitched babe's initials onto a tiny hat, and left the rest for a few weeks.

My baby wasn't in SCBU but WAS small on release- 5lbs- I appreciated any small clothes I was given then, as I had only bought NB size. Perhaps you can find someone who could crochet you a jacket ready for when he does go home, at the hospital's approx discharge weight?

[PeachyClair]

Sorry, if she's sittinga round a lot in hospital as Sis was (who was also ill so couldn't go home) she might appreciate a scrapbooking album and kit, so she could make her own memories of the time? The Range do them, amongst lots of others.

[starlover]

following from charlee's thoughts about waiting to make sure the baby is ok...

you could get a little keepsake box (jojo maman bebe do them)... if (heaven forbid) baby didn't survive they could still use it for keeping his things in

sorry if that sounds really morbid!

[RTKangaMummy]

agree with cuddly toy but make it very tiny otherwise it will be too big

Also flowers are not allowed on NNU

DS did not wear clothes for months too many wires and drips etc.

photo frame is good idea also the keepsake box

[Ladymuck]

Yes, we're still waiting to her more news. Baby was resusitated twice yesterday and I guess we won't hear more until Monday.

[PrincessPeaHead]

oh god how awful ladymuck. doesn't sound great. I can't imagine how your colleague is feeling, my heart goes out to her.

[hub2dee]

Hoping only for good news...

[Marina]

Hoping for the best of outcomes ladymuck. Agree with others that very small cuddly toy or keepsake box are nice ideas.
(Last week ds was on a summer scheme and we had a wonderful reunion with a mum and little boy who were at our postnatal group six years ago. He was born at 24 weeks. He is gorgeous, doing fine at school and in life. His start in life was so dicey. But they can and do make it, LM.) XXX

[spidermama]

I would get them a food hamper. You can make it up yourself from a good deli or supermarket and include something homemade. They'll be going to and from hospital with no time for cooking good food. They'll need to feel strong.

Good luck to them all. x

[Marina]

Green and Black's chocolate is good stuff for that hamper.
Fentiman's ginger beer, too.

[Janh]

Jellycat pointies from City of Marvels are gorgeous, baby-safe, very soft and not too big. There are some really tiny ones there too, like 4" dog at top of page . (Not designed for babies like the pointies but would tuck into corner of incubator.)

(There is supposed to be a link on MN but can't see it atm.)