need a gift idea

TheFannins729

a girl i know just had a baby at 33 weeks, and was wondering if there was anything you particularly found useful either if your baby was in the NICU or even once you got home.

thanks!

purplepuggles

food, people to walk the dogs, help with grocery shopping and/or cleaning both during and after the baby's hospitalization. NICU friendly clothes (no zippers) for baby.

mek10976

preemie-sized onesie shirts/hats.  the shirts the NICU had were WAY too big even though most babies in there were less than 5lbs.  We also got a small stuffed sheep as a gift and put it in DS' crib to keep him company.  Dr. Sears' "Premature Baby" book was a great resource.  It explained EVERYTHING to expect with a preemie and dealing with the NICU. 

kamcfarlane

we actually never fit in the preemie clothes...he was at 4lbs, 4oz at his smallest, but was too long for all the preemie clothes. poor little guy ended up in newborn clothes with the backs taped!

i agree that the dr. sears book is helpful. and it's nice to have something to read while you're sitting in the NICU.

another thing that we really loved when we got home were the halo swaddle sleepsacks.  DS wore one in the NICU and we picked up a couple at babies r us before he came home. he still sleeps swaddled (although he's way too big for the sleepsack and is in swaddlemes now) and has always been a awesome sleeper. i credit the swaddling.

buckeyethor

someone brought us dinner one night and it was great. my mom cleaned out apartment which was the hugest help.

Mrs.DMC

Aside from preemie clothes the biggest thing that was helpful was having someone really deep clean our house. I was on bedrest for a few weeks prior to a doctors appt which sent me to the hospital. Next thing you know, I had a baby...the house was not ready for a baby at all. We were spending all our time at the hospital and I had a c-section so was in no condition to get the house ready for his arrival. DH was at work all day, hospital all night so he couldn't do it either. That is something I would have never asked somebody to do for me, but would have really loved and appreciated it if someone offered.