Preparing for NICU - hospital bag

[MilsCookie]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently 24+5 weeks pregnant with MoDi/MCDA identical twin girls. We've had a rather rocky journey so far having to have weekly scans to monitor the babies as our twin 1 has sIUGR. Luckily, the last few scans have been more positive and we're preparing for a 32-34 week delivery. Having said that, the consultant has said that if it changes at any point and it's safer to get them out than leave them in, then they will do a c section when needed. So that pretty much gives me 9 weeks left as a maximum 😬. As they will be premature, they will be spending a bit of time in NICU/SCBU.

Please can anyone advise what I need to pack for their hospital bag in terms of clothes/nappies etc? I'm assuming they will be in there anything from 3-10 weeks! I've got some prem/tiny baby sized clothes but how much do I need to take? Do they do the washing or do I ask a relative/partner to take their clothes home to wash? I'm just trying to get prepared in case they do come a lot earlier!

Thanks in advance 😊

Hi @MilsCookie , what a journey is sounds like you are on at the moment but I pray everything will go well for you and your girls. In terms of them being prem I can't offer lots of advice around that as my son was delivered at 35+2 via section so he was small but a good weight, but as for being in the NICU it's very unlikely you'll require clothes for them in the early days, babies in the NICU tend to have a nappy on, sometimes a hat and that's about it. The hospital have lots in terms of nappies to help out until you can purchase some as you probably won't know sizing until they are here. As they grow and get bigger you'll be able to ask the nurses about clothing and what you can bring in for them & they will be able to best advise you on all of that as they get stronger. One thing I can't recommend enough are Miniboo's, we were given a box by my sons NICU nurse and it was the only thing allowed in next to him from us, you have one for yourself too and you swap them around daily so they have your scent and vice versa, it may be an unnecessary item for you but I can't recommend them enough. Life in the NICU is hard going so in the times you can't be there it's lovely to feel you have a part of them with you. I'll link them below wishing you and your girls all the very best! X

www.cuskishop.co.uk/cuski-premature-baby-comforter-miniboo-2-pack-656-p.asp

Hi @lionsmum thank you for your reply!!

I really love the look and idea of those miniboos! They're just quite expensive - I wish they'd like you put any blanket/comforter in the incubator with them! I might get them if they're born super early and end up being in NICU for a good while. Thanks so much for the recommendation 😊 and for your kind words!! Great to hear your son was born at 35+2 and was a good weight!

*let you! (Not like you 🤦🏼‍♀️🙈)

Ds was in nicu for a few weeks. If you want to take their own clothes you can but the nurses sometimes pop them in the communal wash and they get lost.

We were allowed to put 1 small soft toy in with them. Maybe ask if they allow nicu octopus toys and ask someone to crochet you two?

I'd not buy many clothes because if they have any drips etc they need to be accessible

Just a note - our NICU doesn't have parent beds so I had to go home each night until the night before he came home when I 'roomed in' with him

The earlier they come the less clothes you will need. My hospital didn’t allow clothes in the incubator so only from about 4lb upwards. Even then they had a massive supply in the hospital, and any that we supplied ourselves were liable to get put in the hospital wash by accident and not make it back.

Every hospital has different rules with what you can put in the incubator/hot cot with your child. Some allow soft toys, some only muslins, some nothing. We moved from one which gave us an octopus to one which didn’t allow anything from home. It might be different with Covid too. In normal times you could have a tour but maybe they would arrange for a phone call from a nicu nurse to answer your questions?

You won’t NEED anything, because they are set up for people like me (emergency 25weeks) coming in with no bag. But there might be stuff they’d like you to supply.

If you’re hoping to express then ask them if they supply a pump for home, and if not the look into hiring a hospital grade one when you have a date set. It works out at about £2 a day which is a massive bargain for the extra speed.

Otherwise pack chocolate, energy bars, phone charger, antibacterial wipes and hand cream. Clothes that allow you to do skin to skin, like stretchy vest tops, and a shawl to cover your shoulders if you want. Praying all goes well.

It can be quite boring in a way because you’re sat there and your baby is not always ok for you to pick up so I actually was glad of a very easy read book. It’s also boiling so I used to put a layer over a vest top then strip down in there as that also makes skin to skin and pumping easier. They will have pumps in there and I would personally recommend doing it as much as possible whilst actually with your babies as it helps stimulate your milk. It’s bloody brutal but also setting a 3 hourly alarm to pump for 48 hours helped get my milk going.

Other things- phone charger plus battery pack in case you’re not allowed to plug it in, lovely unscented hand cream because the hand wash tends to be quite harsh (I got dermatitis!). The NICU DS was in would let you bring a drink to the bedside but it had to be in a lidded cup so although they did have them to borrow it’s nicer to have your own. Water bottle and biscuits to keep you going while pumping. A notebook because you never know when a doctor might appear and you might want to ask a question. A really good rota if you’re allowed 2 in at once - it helped me so much to have my mum and MIL in with me for short periods just for a chat. Obviously DH and I switched off but nice to break it up. Good luck, wishing your babies every strength

Ah OP your getting good advice. I just want to wish the all the best and a safe delivery 💗

Agree with everything that PP have said. My son was born at 32 weeks and didn’t wear clothes for the first three weeks. They provided the nappies at first then asked us to provide some. I found the Tesco size 0 (2-5lbs) were really good and very cheap. I used their expressing machines so taking a book or iPad was essential as it does get boring. Also a drink and food to snack on. When we took clothes out NICU had a wash bag hanging on the incubator where they would put the dirty ones so I could take them home and wash, though they do sometimes end up in the hospital wash so don’t take anything precious as you may not get it back.
Good luck to you, I really hope you make it to at least 32 weeks. We had a few hairy days with DS but ultimately he has done amazingly.

My DC was born unexpectedly at 30 weeks, we spent 10 weeks there. Baby wasn't in clothes until 2-3 weeks, and was in special premmie nappies for a good few weeks supplied by hospital. You can get pampers tiny nappies (can't remember if they are called tiny, they're smaller than newborn) and we had to start buying nappies once he was in newborn.

We were allowed 1 toy that had to be washed weekly (pre covid, rules may have changed). Something that smells of you like a small cloth square is good as a comforter, easy to wash and swap.

Clothes - wait and see, our hospital had loads and we used lots of theirs. We came home in newborn size. There's a much bigger range for tiny baby available now, if you have lovely relatives they can look in shops as & when you need them.

For you - lots of instant coffee sachets, tins of sweets, snacks, biscuits. If you breastfeed / pump you'll be starving, they're also nice to share with other mums. Phone charger with a long cord, if you're able to stay at the hospital a small handbag you can put phone / key / snacks in. I was lucky to have a room for the whole time and the room key ring was huge(!!)

It's a life changing time, however prepared you feel, it won't be as you imagine. While it was horrendous, I've made 3 amazing mummy friends I would never have met and they saw me through some really tough times. I also have an amazing little 4 year old. It really makes you appreciate all you have. Sending much love

My daughter had her daughter at 34 weeks. She was less than 10th centile and had surgery less than 12 hrs after birth. She spent 5 wks in NICU.

The thing that she found very useful was scratch mittens which I made for her daughter from premature knitting patterns. My granddaughter kept pulling out lines and tubes and these prevented this. As other people have said - they didn't half disappear. I made over 40 pairs - all gone.

Her partner was not allowed to visit due to Covid and she had to wear a mask all the time in the hospital. It was uncomfortably hot wearing the mask all day in NICU. She drank gallons of water. She also took her own breast pump - and ice packs for transporting milk expressed at home overnight.

Her daughter is now 25 weeks old, 25th centile and meeting all appropriate milestones. She's on gaviscon for reflux which is common in premature babies.

Thank you so much everyone for all the tips. Interesting about the clothes getting lost in the hospital wash! Really appreciate all the advice... fingers crossed our babies arrive here safely

@MilsCookie sorry to jump on your thread as i have no advice, i just wanted to make contact as i think i might be at an earlier stage of a similar journey. I am nearly 13 weeks pregnant with MCDA twins, was scanned by the fetal medicine consultant yesterday. They are already worried about the growth of the smaller twin, and I just feel so worried as it's such a long time before delivery is an option! I'm so glad to hear your scans are looking more positive now, 32 or 34 weeks would be a really great point to reach, that is what I'm praying for.

I agree with the hospital wash thing. Don’t buy anything too special. We lost a few things on our 3 month stay.

Everything baby generally needs in the NICU will be provided and they will let you know if and when it’s time to start bringing clothes in.

When my DS was in the NICU, it was no clothes at first then I left a couple of babygros there and when they were dirty they got put in a wash bag for me to take home and I would bring new ones in. I also provided nappies.

I would say for you if you are planning on expressing/breastfeeding I used to take a nursing cover. I didn't like sitting there with the privacy screens around me and there was always doctors/other parents etc coming and going and I just felt abit more comfortable.

Forgot to add, a mini cool bag for transporting milk and some ice packs.

Worst case scenario there will be everything you need at the hospital.

I’d advise some hand cream (all the sanitising for leaving/returning dries out your hands), a remote mobile phone charger and some bonding squares.

This is all really good helpful information. Thank you so much everyone!! I'm making notes from everything you've all said 😊

@RosettaR how are you getting on? I always love chatting to other twin mums, especially those having mcda or mcma... feel free to PM me if you have any questions. What have they said to you about the growth of the smaller one so far? Also which part of the country are you based?