If you were in hospital with a critically ill baby...

[KisstoryMisstory]

Following on from my previous thread.

If you were in hospital with a critically ill baby...

...what would you be grateful to see in a bag of things your friend brought you? (Food, drinks, pants, etc etc...).

Nice pillow and fleece blanket for a snooze.
I spent 10 months in hospital with ds, hospital bedding is bloody awful.

Hand cream.

Dry shampoo.

Fruit.

Someone willing to take stuff (especially washing) home. It’s amaixng how quickly you end up with loads of stuff and nowhere to put anything.

Portable phone charger, not sure if that's the proper name, fully charged and ready to use.

Some nice new PJs or lounge wear.
A fluffy towel.
As suggested a nice snuggly blanket and a good pillow.
Sweets. My favourite crisps. Nice fruit.

A good thermos mug.

Blanket, PJ's, snacks, drinks, magazines. Do they need anything like toothpaste dry shampoo?

Pint of milk, teabags and a mug.

I had to stay in recently with my baby and the hospital feed the children but not the parents (fair enough) so...
Some cereal bars, easy snacks and nice ready meals for the evening, extra pillow, nice towel, slippers.
It's really boring and the days are long- so a magazine, sudoku or a book to read.

Lip balm, hand cream, cup a soup, thermal mug with lid, satchets of decent coffee / cappuccino (so she doesn't have to go all the way to the cafe, there's usually a kettle in the family room), puzzle book, tissues, flannel, deodorant.

Depending on what the friend already has/doesn't have, any of the following:

Basic toiletries - deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner (you can get travel sizes of all these)
Hand cream
Wipes
Phone charger and/or power pack (that you charge at home and plug your phone in to for additional charge)
Magazines or puzzle books
PJs
Clean underwear/cozy socks
Pillow
Notebook
Ear plugs/eye shade (hospitals being noisy places to sleep)
Snacks

Food, earphones and a Netflix subscription.

I mean proper food, not cereal bars or chocolate or the junk they sell in the hospital cafe.

Packages of the prepared fruit mixtures they sell in supermarkets. Grapes, small portions of cheese, cold meat, salads in boxes. Nuts. Pate. Oatcakes.

Make sure that everything is ready to eat and doesn’t need any preparation.

But that’s what I would like. If your friend is a junk food person then take her that. She might like ready meals if there is a microwave in the patients kitchen .

I was in this situation quiet a bit ,often at hospitals in a completely different area .

I would've appreciated small change for vending machines as I was often alone & couldn't get off the ward at the times hot food was available.

All wipes ,face body ,nether regions!
A flannel & towel
Small snacks
Book or magazine
Spare charger
Clean socks etc
Slippers with a sole
Pen & note pad

And a bottle of squash

Definitely food, drinks and stuff to read. They will feel they can't leave the child's bedside so getting cold drinks and something to eat is difficult as well as being expensive and limited in choice.

Been there. If your friend is breastfeeding (expressing) they might be getting their meals provided, that was my experience in two different hospitals. One friend brought a bag of food which was very kind but it included things in tins and I didn't have a tin opener, and things that needed to go in the fridge when the parents' fridge was always very full. Tea, coffee and squash was provided for parents in both hospitals although a travel mug is a great idea. I also had access to a socket in his room both times so wouldnt have needed an adapter. My sister brought little luxuries that were really appreciated - lovely cereal bars, lip balm, hand cream and nice flip flops (toilet/shower-friendly slippers). And crap magazines/puzzle magazines went down well. Best of luck to your friend x

My baby was in NICU after he was born. I didnt really have time or any intersst in entertaining myself but my husband brought me food every day and another relative collected washing for me and my baby and brought it back all done. This was incredibly helpful.
Somebody also brought along a little goddess/ protector of children symbol from a museum, I really appreciated the sentiment and put it underneath his incubator.

I appreciated little things for baby too. I desperately wanted to be his mum but could not hold, feed, bath or dress him. This was a few years ago, but my baby was allowed blankets, socks, scratch mitts and a small stuffed toy. Everything felt like it had been put on hold. Anything that let me feel like a parent helped me a lot.

I used to light up when I saw my DH had a cold bottle of coke zero and a pot noodle or box of cup-a-soup for me!

new books to read and Fruit gums were always welcomed too

visiting was limited, but the couple of friends that did come, the best thing they gave me was a hug. its lonely.

second hand paperbacks that they can read or pass on

Call them and ask because the one thing you don't bring will be the one thing they need. Could be anything.

Long t-shirt / nightie ( particularly helpful for after c sections as nothing resting on scar ). MP3 player. Big granny pants and a cardi! Ooh and comfy socks

Stretchy tops to breastfeed in (I kept sweating buckets and felt like I wanted to change my top three times a day) and hoodies or dressing gown to wrap around, if it's colder.

Tissues - especially if she is recently postnatal she will probably be crying a lot and it's embarrassing to have to keep shuffling to the toilet, much nicer to stay discreet.

Snacks which don't melt or drop crumbs everywhere. Or smell if she's on a ward.

If she is postnatal ask if she's OK for maternity/sanitary pads.

Oh the comment about not being allowed to dress or bathe the baby and not feeling like his mum took me back :( It is a horrible feeling.

Talk. And explicitly offer to stay with the baby if she wants to get a shower, eat, fill up her water etc.

One of those trendy instant cameras, so I could have some real photos of my little one, not just flicking through the phone. Pricey though☺️

A bumper pack of pants and socks. Wet wipes. Deodorant. Nice smelling hand sanitiser, that highly concentrated juice to squirt in water. A neck pillow. Pen and notebook. Evain face spray. Sweeties. It’s very hot - an ice lollie from th shop downstairs.

A pre paid coffee card to the nearest decent cafe

Posh fresh fruit - you can get biscuits and chocolates in hospital but a nice nectarine, mango, strawberry etc would be lovely. Also a voucher for pampering when she is home.