I just found out a friend is on hospital bed rest until she delivers. She hoping to deliver in two weeks at 34 weeks.
I'd love ideas to help her out now and while her LO is in the NICU. I'm about an hour away so I can't visit super frequently.
She is missing her shower so she won't have a lot of gear. If your LO was in the NICU was there anything you wished you knew ahead of time or gear you wish you had?
pomelo / 5628 posts
For a care package, I'd include magazines, snacks, dry shampoo... A friend also sent us a restaurant gift card which was cool. We had a "date" in the hospital.
For gear: pumping supplies (hands-free bra, lanolin, cover), boppy, sleepers with snaps - those are the basics.
There's a lot of downtime, so cross-stitch or crocheting might be fun to get her.
pomegranate / 3595 posts
my cousin's wife was on hospital bed rest from 24-36 weeks. We sent gift cards to a local restaurant/take out place so they could have a break from the food and worrying about dinner, and magazines and snacks and books about newborn care. It is so sweet of you to want to help!
pomelo / 5093 posts
Care packages are nice. I visited my friend as often as I could. What I mostly did, though, was to send her a text every single day. Some funny link, or video, or whatever. Just a little thing that she could read when she wanted to and have a little laugh over. I knew she was miserable cooped up there, and I wanted to do whatever I could, and I know that she really loved it.
kiwi / 549 posts
DONT bother with preemie clothes. If baby is in the NICU they have clothes and preemie clothes are actually really small and short and so they outgrow them fast.
Gas giftcard for hubby to visit and for them to visit baby. Agree with the restraint giftcards. Hospital food sucks. Some good snacks.
Magazines or books if she likes to read.
honeydew / 7909 posts
One thing I wish people would have done for us is bring meals. So bringing by a pizza or sandwiches would be helpful in my opinion.
coconut / 8079 posts
Someone gifted us this Fisher Price seahorse that plays music. LO had a long NICU stay and we kept it there with him. The nurses would play it for him too when we couldn't be there. (It also comes in pink for girls) http://m.target.com/p/fisher-price-ocean-wonders-soothe-and-glow-seahorse-blue/-/A-13318273?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=google_pla_df&LNM=13318273&CPNG=Toys&kpid=13318273&LID=34pgs&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=13318273&kpid=13318273&gclid=CIrw9seHrsMCFcECaQod2FcAog
And for mom maybe a nice water bottle. Some NICUs let you have a drink at the bedside and some won't.
Gift cards for gas or restaurants near the hospital too.
Does your friend live near the hospital where she will deliver?
Also taking a blanket of our own and books to read to LO was helpful. And although they can't always wear clothes it helped us to be able to dress him in outfits we had picked or that friends had gifted us.
nectarine / 2180 posts
I agree with meals and gas gift cards. My friend was on the other side of the country when she had her preemie. I sent her an amazon (e-) gift card for when she was in the hospital on bed rest and then I sent her like a pizza gift card once her baby was in the NICU. I wished I could have done more. When my LO was in the NICU I was lucky to have my mom with me to drive me back and forth and to help with meals, but if she won't have any help, I'm sure any meal would be appreciated.
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
What about a kindle gift card? I would probably read a lot and that would get expensive.
pomelo / 5258 posts
Thanks for all the ideas, ladies! I found out my friend has to eat low carb so I'll try to be extra careful with the food I bring.
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