Clothes on your preemie

[Dildals]

My baby was born 11 days ago and is now 30 weeks plus. She is doing really well, and the nurse yesterday put a baby grow on. She's still in the incubator, but she has no wires anymore apart from her nasal gastric tube and the sticky on ones. It just felt so weird for her to put clothes on her, as she is still so small. (I would have preferred to have given me a heads up so I could have gotten her some clothes, rather than having her put in hospital garb, but hey-ho.).

Somehow I feel a bit weird about the clothes, surely she is OK in just her nappy? I like touching her bare skin and also her skin is still so delicate. She seems comfortable in her hospital issue baby grow though.

What's your thoughts (I know it's totally a trivial question, but I am new to all this.)

Congratulations! Is it so she can start to regularise her own temperature? I know what you mean but i also think it's good to start 'normalising' them as babies asap. When DS was in nicu a nurse said that it can quickly become institutional for parents so they try to make them look normal.

I totally agree about the hospital clothes - i took DS clothes in (asda do good tiny stuff) as soon as i could so that he felt more like ours. Same with blankets - he was under 9 at one point and every one we took off and took home was a milestone!

Good luck - i bet she's beautiful!

She's only 1.1 kgs at the moment, so I think that's still to light to regulate her own temperature, but not sure.

She's definitely the most beautiful baby on the ward ;-). Big shock of blond hair!

We were told that ds could start wearing clothes and the hospital said they would provide them so we didn't have to spend the extra money.

We did however, go straight to mothercare and buy our own.the vests were still too big!

They look so tiny now though, I can't believe they fit him, and it was only 5 months ago!

OP I remember feeling just like you. It was so strange there was another mum who changed her ds's outfit multiple times a day and there was my dd in the incubator next to him most often in just a nappy and cpap/vent hat. Fwiw in a heated incubator they dont need clothes and its easier to do respiratory obs without them. On an emotional level I think seeing my daughter almost naked felt more natural as she looked more like she was still being carried in the womb where she should have been. Whereas clothes made her look like a frail and v poorly doll. My 27 weeker is almost two now and although I'm rubbish at being a girl she's obsessed with hats and shoes and is constantly in search of other peoples clothes to put on abit like a house elf. She's frequently seen with pants or a vest on her head or getting stuck in my wellies. Mbe she still feels deprived from her nicu days.

Just wanted to mention Pom 'n' Grow. They are a charity which will provide a set of clothing free of charge to any baby or child on NICU/SCBU or PICU. They do prem sizes also and the clothes are designed to work with monitors and lines etc.

You just contact them with your babies details and they post a pack out to the hospital. Always beautifully wrapped in tissue and ribbon.

www.popngrow.co.uk
or you can search pop n grow on facebook.

pop 'n' grow are amazing!!! HIghly recommend!!