Helping a friend with a baby in the NICU?

nola 1017 · January 2012

Hi ladies! First, I hope all of your LOs are doing fantastic! One of my friends was diagnosed with HELLP and she had to have an emergency c-section on Jan. 2. She was due on February 8, so her baby is about 5 weeks early. She's going to be released tomorrow but her son will most likely be in the NICU for a month. I'd love to help her in some way but I'm not sure what to do. So, what would you have wanted /needed while your little one was in the hospital? Food, preemie-sized baby clothes/diapers? Thanks in advance!

lwmooney87 · January 2012

She won't need preemie diapers, the NICU will supply that... Our NICU also had the preemie clothes. I think what would help the most is to take them food. I know with traveling to the hospital you don't have time and you're too tired to cook a decent meal. No one brought me any food at all...I wish they had, it would have helped a lot.

bhilyer · January 2012

Check this out -- it was put together by several ladies that regularly post here.

https://preemiemomblog.blogspot.com/p/what-can-i-do-for-my-friend.html

HEmery · January 2012

I would also suggest leaving things at their doorstep. It is so hard to plan out a certain time to meet people who want to do things for us. Sometimes I don't want to see people or talk on the phone. Just offer and text "I'll leave it at your house". It's the easiest for me. In the NICU you can't really plan things because it's a minute to minute type situation.

hunt2005 · January 2012

Ditto the above. You could also ask her if she wouldn't mind leaving you her key, you could go in, clean kitchen/bath/floors, and have dinner waiting when they get home that night for her. Something like that. So she can walk in, plop down, eat, and go to bed, without worrying about it.

cutcopypaste · January 2012

Food was by far the biggest help for me. We got gift cards (Subway, Panera) so we could stop somewhere to/from the hospital and meals we could eat off of for a couple days (lasagna, casseroles).

Clotho! · January 2012

ditto to the other ladies. Also if you do decide to do clothes check w/ them. Some NICUs do not allow clothes from home at all others have restrictions on what types you can have. For example our hospital allowed clothes but not anything w/ zippers b/c they interfered w/ the monitors too much.

nola 1017 · January 2012

Thank you for all of the great advice. I never would have thought about gift cards to places around the hospital. And I was worried about bringing food bc I figured it would be hard to gauge when she will be home but I like the idea of dropping some things off on their front porch (maybe in a cooler so nothing will spoil). Thanks again!

nola 1017 · January 2012

bhilyer:
Check this out -- it was put together by several ladies that regularly post here.
https://preemiemomblog.blogspot.com/p/what-can-i-do-for-my-friend.html

Thanks for the link. Excellent advice!!

GatorNurse · January 2012

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