Gift for mum in and out of ICU

[pinkpepperclove]

I have a friend who is daily back and forth to hospital with her baby who was born early. Bubba is a fighter and doing really well. Obviously have got all the baby presents raring to go when we finally get to meet. Just wanted to send something to her (and if OH can enjoy great) to show I’m thinking of her and her well-being at this super stressful time.

Any idea? If if it’s practical and not super gifty all good. Anything that you loved to receive that was helpful?

Perhaps some nice handcream as I imagine there's a lot of washing/sanitizing going on to dry them out. Perhaps a cook voucher so they can get some meals in the freezer and not have to worry about shopping/cooking, or offer to batch cook some bits for them?

So you sound like a lovely friend 😊

What about a thermal mug for the journey to and from? Definitely agree handcream as sanitising destroys your hands. Maybe a take away voucher (Just eat or alike) so they don't have to worry about cooking when they get in.

I think practical help sounds better - could you offer to help with laundry, entertain an older sibling, has she had a caesarean and needs lifts to the hospital? Could you take over some home cooked dinners for her to enjoy at home?

If not, voucher for Costa or whatever the hospital has might be appreciated

Three things I would have appreciated at this stage:
Really good quality hand cream.
Easy, nutritious meals (you tend to rely on instant food and canteen meals)
A visit from a mobile hairdressers.

Definitely home cooked dinners. These were the absolute best things my family did when I was in a similar situation

As a parent going through this. A nice decent sized water bottle (not glass) would probably be appreciated as at my unit were only allowed to bring in a bottle of water. Or like others have said, practical help as we have very little time - I cried with joy when my sister came and cleaned my house as a surprise while I was at the hospital as I'm literally only at home to quickly eat have a power nap and shower before going back.

Ex neonatal parent here. Best thing someone brought us was a bag of posh ready meals (think Cook or m&s) as at first we were in hospital accommodation and then had a droventibhospital and no time/ inclination to cook properly. Also I remember being upset as loads of people gave me stuff but not babies...I almost felt like people were hiding their bets and not expecting them to make it! Maybe give one baby gift now with whatever you give her.

If there is a cafe on the grounds of the hospital get a gift card so she can get a proper coffee and a cake. Ours has a Costa.

Great idea thinking of practical ideas Op!
Defiantly a nice hand cream, maybe batch cook some of their favourite meals, offer to give their home a blitz/change bedding etc. One less thing to do when they get home from a long day with bubba xx

A cleaner
A tidier upper
A rota of friends to help out so she doesn't have to think about it
When my second was in special care visiting twice a day was my priority,home took a hard hit but friends made a rota to have my toddler which was a lifesaver.
Well done for helping.

I would get something small for the baby like NICU milestone cards and maybe a nice handcream or just eat vouchers for mum and dad.

Give the baby a gift. Don't hedge your bets. Or clean her house/deliver food.

Also, I know you mean well, but limit the 'baby is a fighter' talk. They're no more or less a fighter than anyone else's child, they're no stronger or weaker when they're recovering or not. I found being told she was a fighter incredibly triggering because she wasn't, she was a tiny baby who should still have been inside me. She was vulnerable and resilient and loved and cherished and held and thought about and making progress and moving forward and making us proud, they were all better descriptions than fighter.

We liked cook vouchers, hand cream, individually wrapped things like flapjacks and teeny tiny outfits for the baby- next do lovely sleepsuits up to 5lb, and if super preemie, Sainsbury's do some decent stuff.

I had no clothes that fit my DD when she was born (she wasn't a preemie but she was SGA so tiny and in NICU because she had sepsis). My mum was the only person that sent us some things in tiny baby size. I'd have really liked someone to have sent something for her to wear before she came home. Do you know if the baby able to wear clothes yet?

Our hospital had an M&S food and cafe onsite so vouchers would have been good. Agree with thermal mug / plastic water bottle ideas above and hand cream. We got given the Cook new parents gift box, which was a lifesaver but a pain to be at home for delivery when we wanted to spend as much time as possible at the hospital so vouchers again would have been good.

If baby is still under 5lbs, Asda do a great and very practical for babies in incubators and with tubes / wires starting from upto 3lbs.

*clothes for babies

Hand cream, a friend bought me a lovely soft comfy cardigan with pockets and it was great for throwing on to go to the hospital to baby but easy to throw off once in there, or wrap around baby while still in me when feeding or doing skin to skin.

Definitely freezer dinners, or the holy grail would be help with childcare and laundry/housework. At one point I was going to SCBU every 3 hours so the house was chaos.

We did 2 months in hospital with our early DS and a friend sent a box of 30 packs of fruit pastilles. The sugar saved me on many long days in the hospital! Seems silly but it’s the little things that help like a packet of sweets to eat when you are really tired and can’t face going to the cafe again!

Thanks all, I just did a costa voucher. I’m very conscious they are never at home and I didn’t want to add stress of needing to go and pick something up etc. All your suggestions are amazing x

The thing that absolutely saved me when DD was in NICU were the friends that made a whole week's worth of dinners that we could just take out the fridge and micro. So kind.