Things to Give to the Parents of a Preemie
- Many mothers who have preemies still decide to breastfeed their tiny infant, and hospitals often encourage this. The mother usually stays in the hospital or spends a few hours pumping milk each day to ensure that her baby gets plenty to eat. Some hospitals allow nursing mothers to feed their preemies directly at the breast as soon as the child has a good sucking reflex. Regardless of the individual situation, mothers who breastfeed preemies still need special supplies such as an electric breast pump, breast pads, handheld breast pump, soothing nipple cream and a nursing bra. In addition, moms might need extra breast-milk storage bags if they must freeze their milk until the baby is released.
- Even the smallest newborn diapers may not fit a premature baby, and the last thing a parent needs is baby pee (or worse) to leak from the diaper because it's too big. The hospital may provide the parents with additional diapers to take home, but not always. Thankfully, many grocery stores and online stores carry special preemie diapers. Buy a pack of preemie diapers along with a few standard baby supplies, such as baby wipes and diaper cream, as a useful gift.
- Parents of preemie babies need to guard their infant against infection, so buy extra supplies such hand sanitizer, thermometers, antibacterial soap and clean burp cloths. These tools can help parents keep their hands clean and have the accessories on hand for others to use if they want to hold the baby.
- Regular newborn-size outfits may drown a preemie baby in excess fabric and bulges that may get in the way or cause breathing hazards. However, many regular stores don't carry outfits smaller than those meant to fit a newborn. Thankfully, you can special-order preemie garments, T-shirts, sleepers and other pieces of clothing online. Preemies need to wear clothing when they leave the hospital, and they must stay warm throughout the day.
