Gift for premature baby

[Sillibilliboi]

My neighbours son and his partner have just had a very premature baby, born at 26 weeks. Baby is now 4 weeks old and seems to be thriving, but of course will be in hospital for many weeks yet.

I'd like to drop a card and present into them, but have no idea what to buy. My usual gift is clothes, toy, book but under the circumstances I'm not sure. Can anyone suggest an appropriate gift?

I'd also like to give the mother some little thing, any suggestions there? I hardly know her but neighbours son I've known most of his life and he is my granddaughter's godfather, so am very fond of him.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received! Tia.

Really nice hand cream is a good gift for new prem parents with all the hand washing required to go in. I would have also been pleased with a bag of portable healthy snacks as was all day in the NICU.

Yes to hand cream and nice snacks and drinks to take in while visiting their baby.

For the baby - get what you’d usually get, maybe not clothes unless you get prem sizes. A little toy would be lovely as you can put them in the cot once in SCBU. Or a lovely soft baby blanket (not too thick) would be nice as these get used all the time in hospital.

Portions of home cooked foods, Bolognese, etc. something for them to whack on the freezer and heat up quickly. Or just eat vouchers. Once baby home, the normal stuff.

A book to read to the baby & healthy snacks (no nuts) for NICU would be well received.

I would avoid clothes, our Prem DC was essentially in a nappy and incubator until big enough for tiny baby clothes.

If you know the hospital has a costa etc then a costa or alternative voucher would be good

I’d go with a lovely thin blanket for the baby and lip balm and hand cream for the mum.

A book would also be nice - my DD were both in NICU and I loved reading to them, it was very special.

Prem clothes as they probably wont have bought any and won’t be able to shop. My dd was born 36 weeks so much bigger but that’s what i appreciated.

Agree with hand cream due to all the frequent hand washing. Good quality muslin cloths are useful, we loved the extra large ones and have had lots of use from them in the NICU and at home. Some lovely ones here - https://www.little-mouse.co.uk/collections/trendy-muslin-swaddle-blankets

I agree with avoiding baby clothes until they are home or baby is in the SCBU. When DD was in the NICU, she couldn’t wear clothes for some weeks.

I get something for when baby is a bit older, like a teething toy. People rave about the matchstick monkey teethers: www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/325574050?sc_cmp=ppcGHS+-+Grocery+-+NewMPX_PMAX_All_OT_Marketplace+Clubcard+Offers_Marketplace+Budget_1012757**325574050*&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22426659033&gbraid=0AAAAADiyNatUQXrsxGjvqXsP_TQLbJ_DV&gclid=CjwKCAjwtfvEBhAmEiwA-DsKjn4gYAWdI4PYUtzg_e9gesFu_dRvh_umj5_fGyagzai7kbaKk97mcxoCdC4QAvD_BwE

I think a meal for the parents would be very helpful, I struggled to think about cooking when our prem baby was in NICU. If you can find a lovely prem outfit that would be nice, it's a huge milestone when they get to wear clothes and having something special to put them in is lovely. I'm sure they will appreciate anything because you are thinking of them 😊

The best things

I got were hand made wool baby blankets and cardigans (you can buy these as a lot of people make them as a hobby)

And COOK freezer meals

Thank you everyone for such lovely recommendations 💕

I vote gift card. Check what the hospital has eg costa, m+s, wh smiths.

Hospital shops are pricey but it might be good for them to be able to take 5 mins away to grab a treat.

M&S vouchers, i spent loads on ready meals to heat up in the hospital, m&s also have a premature baby clothes range