Preemie moms have gone through the trauma of an early birth and are dealing with the unexpected stresses of not having their baby in the comfort of their own home. So gifts should not only be thoughtful, but helpful! Having had two premature babies (28 and 29 weeks) these are the gifts that I think would mean so much to a new preemie mom.
1. A Tote Bag Filled with Essentials and Goodies
NICU moms will be traveling a lot back and forth between the NICU so having a cute tote bag to carry pump supplies and other necessities is very helpful. Include things like healthy snacks, a big water bottle, parking passes for hospital garage, restaurant gift cards (ideally to places near the hospital), maybe an encouraging note with Bible verses the mom can pray for her baby. (See this post for more ideas.)
If you don’t have time to gather things for your friend, the non-profit High Risk Hope offers a canvas tote bag with all the necessities NICU parents need. Easy to send if you aren’t in the same town.
2. Lactation Cookies
NICU moms are exhausted and depleted, yet their most important job is producing nutrient-rich “gold” (aka breastmilk) for their tiny babies who are fighting for their lives. There’s a lot of pressure on moms to pump so anything to help milk production is huge. Some of my sweet friends made batches of healthy lactation cookies for me that I froze and took out as needed. I would eat them throughout the day – it was so helpful not to have to think about these things because my friends did it for me! (Favorite recipe here.)
Don’t have time to bake? Miracle Milkookies delivers delicious lactation cookies nationwide or local Dallas pickup. Such a nice gift for a NICU mama! This is a great gift for any new mama!
3. Preemie Clothes
Receiving baby clothes gave me such hope that our two pound baby was going to be okay. Some preemies might not be able to wear clothes right away but having them on hand when the NICU nurse gives the ok is so nice. Some of my favorite preemie brands are Kissy Kissy and Magnolia Baby. On that note, socks and hats are always welcome because they get lost easily.
4. Cute Flannel blankets
NICU moms can use those inexpensive flannel blanket packs from Target as sheets in the incubator (instead of the standard hospital ones). The nurses will also roll them up to cushion and give the baby more support. They make great swaddling blankets, too. Any little thing to make her baby’s temporary home less stark and more babyish might make a preemie mom smile!
5. NICU Milestone cards
Help her mark baby’s milestones in the NICU with these adorable cards from High Risk Hope.
6. Board Books
One of the best things parents can do for their preemie baby is talk and read to them. I kept a little library of board books near our daughter’s incubator for my husband and me to read. Note: board books are necessary in the NICU because they can be easily wiped clean and sanitized. This is my list of favorite board books.
7. Cozy Wrap or Nursing Cover
Despite their best efforts, privacy is minimal in the NICU. And it’s cold! A versatile wrap that can be used for nursing sessions (or for warmth!) is so helpful and something she can use later on.
All the gifts listed above are helpful for when her baby is still in the NICU. A few gifts that she will love when baby gets home include a car seat cover and the baby swing brand that is preferred by NICUs. Both of those are listed in DoSayGive’s Essential Baby Registry Guide.
See more gifts ideas for new moms here! Were you a preemie mom? Share what gifts you loved receiving in the comments section below.
Also, you can read our preemie story starting with this post.
More Gift Ideas:
What do you think?