What would you need/appreciate if you gave birth to your baby at 28 weeks in a hosp, 3 hours from friends and family?????? Quick replies pls

[littleducks]

My friend has been in labour for two days she is approx. 28 weeks gone, she has been given steroids and is currently on drugs to stop the contractions however these dont appear to be working and will be stopped this morning so there is a good chance she may have baby very soon.

She has older children who i regularly 'nanny' for and i will be continuing to pick them up from school and do practical things for them as they miss their mum.

She was transfered from local hosp to one three hours (in good traffic) away, i think so she was somewhere with a spare scbu bed. So is missing her kids, friends family and is a bit scared.

I wanted to get together some things to send to her if she has the baby today/ tomorrow. I know she has asked her sis to get baby clothes, so far i only have lasinoh cream on the list, could mums of premmie babies pass on their advice.

PS, am pregnant too so try and keep this upbeat as am finding this upsetting.

I think if I was so far from home I'd want a little photo album of recent photos of my LOs and family. I had photos of my LOs in my labour bags and somehow found them reassuring and soothing.

I don't know how hospital phones work now, but the equivalent of a phone card so that she can call home whenever she wants to.

ok, will take across digital camera and photo printer and try and get her girls to do some smiling piccys...

anything else?

bump shout sparklygothkat her new tiny ds was premie and she has older dc's

Make sure she has a camera, top up her mobile get the kids to text (or you text for them) or ring her, just let her know that your thinking of her and the kids are all ok. I personally wouldnt buy her anything for the baby yet because in neonatal units they supply you with tiny clothes, prem nappies etc and sometime if the baby needs help/ has monitors / drip / stuff like that they like to keep them in incubator just in nappy and sometimes a little hat.

Not just smiling poses - candid shots where they aren't really paying attention to the camera are often so good at capturing personality.

A nice thick blanket? Her baby will have to be well wrapped up any time it's coming out of the incubator for a cuddle, and it's nice to have your own blanket. Later on, if she's coming home before the baby, those snuggly things you can put down your top so they smell of you, and then leave with the baby so it knows your smell are good.

Off the top of my head....I am thinking for her rather than the baby, as well as the photos and phone card...

Her own pillow from her bed at home?

Something comfortable to wear while waiting around/in labour, including cosy socks.

A well stocked ipod (and speakers if poss)?

Her mobile charger, in case she does get chances to go out and phone home.

Plenty of chocolate, some magazines.

am taking notes please keep them coming as i have to leave at 1.30 to go get her girls

some nice toiletries? Shampoo, moisturiser? Her make up bag? Some books, mags comfy clothes?

trying to think...I had a premie.

choccie, fruit, drinks, definitely camera, phone charger, change or phone card, magazines, maybe get her DC's to do a picture or a card?

Here's hoping everything goes well and the baby can be transferred nearer asap

My DD was born at32weeks, and I can honestly say the one thing I really would have loved was a hug and a box of tissues.

Is she prepared for the birth with a hospital bag? Does she need practical things like breast/maternity pads (if you are a very close friend)? My friend had a prem baby a month ago and I sent breast pads, huge box of biscuits, nice box of chocolates, some crappy magazines and nice moisturiser in with her dh. I also had a prem baby and my hands cracked badly from the alcohol rub in SCBU, hence moisturiser. A blanket is something the baby will probably be able to use whatever stage they are at and it's nice to have something for them that isn't the hospital's. A small soft toy depending on hospital policy - we could have one in the cot providing it could be washed at 60 degrees, or on top of an incubator. A friend's daughter drew a picture which I stuck to ds's cot, maybe you could get her dcs to do something. All those little personal non-hospital things are lovely to have.

i think that apart from anything else all the help you are giving her re the dcs is the best thing you can do for her - at least she knows not to worry about them - they are in your safe hands

Sneak an old towel in for under the sheet on the bed. I did it after about a week of being in hospital and slept so much better than on the plastic, sweaty cold mattresses.

Also books on MP3 or CD ( and player )so you don't have to concentrate on reading can just lie back, shut your eyes and try to chill out

Also agree with hand cream and pictures. My older DSs did some and it was lovely. Though DS2 had drawn a playground with a pool of lava in!!! lol

littleducks how was your friend hope the list was usefull and her and her family are ok

All of above. Premmies don't usu wear clothes at first and hosp usu provide. I wanted photos of my kids, a phone card, pen and paper, tissues, deo wipes, nice shower stuff, snacks, digital camera, cards congratulating us on DD's birth, practical help at home eg meals, washing done, help with other children, people to ring round and keep others informed etc.

You sound like a lovely friend. Take care of yourself too. Your friend sounds like she is in good hands. xx

Might be too late now but when I had my DD2 prem I needed:

Towels (hospitals rarely have any)
Pillows (ditto)
Day clothes (didn't want to spend all day in my nightie)
Make up and toiletries
Books to read (lots of sitting next to an incubator)
Mobile phone and charger
Cash for the trolley that used to come round laden with chocolate, drinks, newspapers etc

She really won't need anything for the baby, s/he will be naked in an incubator for a while yet, and they usually supply nappies etc. My DD1 made her sister a lovely card which was stuck to her incubator by the lovely nurses and she chose a soft toy for her which went in the incubator when it was safe to do so.

I hope all goes well for your friend

They gave an extra days worth of drugsso still no baby, which is good as every day inside is better apparently but is hard on her as she is very alone and uncertain.

Her older dd made her a card at school instead of a christmas card, so we wrote a letter on the computer in funky coloured fonts,the best bit being:

Take your medecine and you will get much better soon.

Drink lots of water and you will feel better.

Which i thought was great and shows they listen when they are sick. She isnt allowed her mobile or anything to plug in (sucks but saves hospital electric i suppose).

Good to know about clothes/nappies as i think everyone else haspaniced about that when you lovely ladies have pointed out it isnt that big a concern atm.

Great that the baby is still in!

We had to provide nappies when DD1 was in SCBU - I think I had to walk round to Tesco on Day 2 and buy them

A comfy blanket or pillow,something to remind her of home.Im 32 wks pg with twins and have been in prem labour twice and each time been transfered far from home for the scbu cots,i had a cosy fleece blanket which i have on my bed at home,got dp and then my mum to bring it in for each time,made me feel comfy and reminded me of home.Also in my experience looking after the kids was a huge thing for me,2 of my other 3 have special needs and to think they were upset or missing me was devastating ,making me feel so much worse so knowing she has someone to look after her kids well will help her too.Hope they stop the labour though 28 wks isnt always bad in these days.

i delivered 11 week ago at 33 weeks, nappies are needed, boots do them (tesco have stopped doing the tiny ones) Mothercare do tiny clothes (3lb ones) congratulations cards were welcome, as were chocolate!!

Guess what, her labour has stopped!!!

She came home this evening, but is on standby to go back when (apperntly its when not if) labour restarts to go through it all over again.

Will keep this thread saved for all the ideas. Her poor children are a bit confused though, they were told she was pregnant last weekend, read the book etc. about getting baby from the hospital etc. and cant understand why the baby hasnt turned up!!!!

oh dear lol
my sis was premmie and we didnt understand where our mom was lol
good news she home hoping she takes it easy and she manages to make her pg go bit further!