Ideas for a gift for a premature baby?

[Clevs]

My friend is currently a couple of hundred miles from home after delivering early at 26 weeks. The baby also has Downs and had to have an operation when he was just one day old. He's currently on a ventilator and being tested for Cystic Fibrosis as well.

Any ideas what I can buy for the baby and my friend & partner? She already has a three year old and I was thinking of getting a 'big sister' t-shirt or similar for her.

I would buy a really nice blanket for when he's well enough to do skin to skin contact. I wouldn't buy clothes as he won't be wearing his own things in NICU yet and not knowing how much he'll have grown before he comes home will make the sizing/seasonality tricky. He'll also be limited to what can be in the incubator with him soft toy wise.

The t-shirt is a good idea. For the parents, maybe a 'care package' of easy, healthy meals, rescue remedy for stress etc. DS was in SCBU for a month and eating well was hard because of the amount of time we were at the hospital.

Prem baby milestone cards (google it)

Hand cream for parents, the hospital sanitiser is harsh. Nice smellies for the hospital.

Snack packs, chocolate, nuts etc to bring to the ward

Cute small cool bag for milk if she is expressing, but make sure you find out first.

Offer to print photos for her, and frame, if she sends them to you. It can help to connect when you’re away from baby.

And most importantly a congratulations card, flowers/balloons, whatever you’d normally give. Be excited for her. When my dc(25wks) was in hospital, I just wanted my friends to be excited like a new baby rather than always thinking of the prematurity etc.

If she is needing support then I recommend the “parents of preemies U.K.” Facebook group.

Get them vouchers for food outlets, takeaways, boots, Amazon. Gifts are lovely for when the baby is home, but me and DH were in a fog and couldn't process 'gifts' for several weeks. (We've had DC at 28 weeks and 27 weeks respectively)

Premature baby clothes are good in Next - start at 5lb for a bit further down the line

Little blankets for in NICU.

Can you knit at all? I needed hats so tiny the shops dont sell them for DD and the people who knitted hats & bootees for her tiny cold feet have a special place in my heart! Anything that falls on the floor or gets anything spilled on it must be washed straightaway so we needed lots.