05/31/2024
Here are 10 things to gift a NICU parent…
💜 1. A cafe gift card – because when you have a baby in the NICU, you basically live at the hospital, and that means you also have to eat there. Scope out the cafes located inside the hospital, as well as bakeries and bistros within walking distance, and pick-up a gift card to one of them. Grabbing a sandwich and a great cup of coffee or tea outside of the cafeteria is a nice treat as a NICU parent.
💜 2. A preemie sized sleeper or outfit – because finally getting to dress your baby feels oh so good when the time comes. It’s one of those things… You wouldn’t think twice about it usually, but when you have a bub who is connected to a million lines and wires and tubes for the first part of his life, being able to put a cozy little outfit on him is something to celebrate. Just sure to pick out something that buttons or snaps up and isn’t footed so that there’s easy pathways for remaining lines and sensors.
💜 3. Something with the baby’s name on it –because being a NICU parent is terrifying and being gifted something with his or her name on it somehow solidifies the fact that he or she is real to others too, no matter what the future may hold. Think wooden blocks that spell baby’s name, a monogrammed blanket, or a piece of personalized art for baby’s nursery.
A dainty necklace or bracelet that spells baby’s name would also be a lovely gift for a NICU mama as she’d always have a little piece of her babe with her, even when away from the hospital.
💜 4. Groceries – because grocery shopping when you have a baby in the hospital is the absolute last thing on your mind but you do still have to eat. Grab a bunch of basics – things like fresh bread, fruits and veggies, eggs, pasta, and whatever else you know your friends enjoy – and drop them off at the house when you know someone will be home or leave them on the porch in a cooler filled with ice blocks. Coming home to fresh groceries is the best surprise after a long day in the NICU.
💜 5. Meals – because the only thing better than someone dropping off groceries is someone dropping off a ready-to-serve meal! This is especially helpful when the NICU parents have other kiddos at home and splitting their time between two places is already a huge challenge. Meals that are prepped and ready to go mean more time to spend with the munchkin(s) at home and less time spent cooking. Things that keep well and can potentially be popped into the freezer are especially great.
💜 6. Grab and go snacks – because NICU parents are almost always rushing off one way or another and being able to grab something yummy and reasonably nutritious as you run out the door is a dream! Think things like muffins, energy bites, trail mix… even little bags of washed and chopped fruits and veggies are awesome!
💜 7. A parking pass – because you need them and they’re not cheap! Now it depends on the parking situation at the particular hospital, but many offer weekly and monthly passes that you can purchase to display in your window and having this taken care of by someone else is a lovely treat for a NICU parent. Along the same lines, gas station gift cards are also really helpful if the parents are travelling a ways between the hospital and home.
💜 8. Muslin swaddle blankets – because having a NICU babe means loads of skin-to-skin time, pumping, and working on breastfeeding with very little privacy. They’re super lightweight and soft, which makes them perfect for covering or cozying up and they’re fantastic for comforting mama and babe when apart. Mom leaves one that smells like her with the baby while she’s away and she takes one that smells like her bubba home at night. Smelling her baby while at home is also said to be great for milk production, so win-win! When picking one out, the bigger the better in my opinion.
💜 9. Immune boosters – {especially during cold and flu season} because no NICU parent can afford to get sick! Being sick means that you’re not allowed in the NICU and not being allowed in the NICU means you’re not able to see your baby, so if there’s something a NICU parent can take to boost his or her immune system, my guess is they’ll take it! Think vitamins, essential oils, smoothie boosters, fresh pressed juices, and any other magical product that will prevent them from getting sick.
💜 10. Basics for when baby comes home –because in many cases, NICU parents haven’t yet finished preparing for baby’s arrival when he or she comes and there’s not a whole lot of time to do so. Stock them up on consumables like herbal baby balm, the gentlest baby wash, natural, completely unscented wipes, teeny tiny diapers that will actually fit their babe {we used Huggies Little Snugglers both in the NICU and once we got home because they make both preemie and newborn sized diapers that are not only tiny, but super soft and have the little umbilical cord cut-out too}, and anything else you think they might need. Hoping to gift them something a little more ‘significant’? If so, an air purifier is a great investment for a NICU baby’s nursery, as is a sound machine of some sort {as NICU babes are used to noise}.
