When a baby gets admitted to the NICU many times everyone focuses on the health of the baby and the mother (depending on the circumstances of the delivery). Often the last thing on people’s minds are giving a gift to the NICU Parents or to the new NICU baby.
Yet the fact that a baby has been born prematurely or has been hospitalized in the NICU should not deter family and friends from getting a gift for the NICU Parents to celebrate the occasion.
There are three separate types of gifts that one can give to NICU Parents: gifts of presence, practical gifts and gifts that are presents. Since it is the holiday season, this article will focus on gifts that are presents. Future articles will focus on gifts of presence and practical gifts.
Gift Ideas for NICU Parents
NICU Parents may need different gifts than parents who have a more traditional birth. Even though family and friends are worried about the health of the baby, I believe that most NICU parents would still appreciate receiving a gift to acknowledge their newborn or help them cope with the life changing events.
I’ve divided the types of gifts that can be helpful for NICU Parents into three categories: gifts of presence, practical gifts and gifts that are presents. This article will focus on tangible presents since it is being written so close to the holiday season.
A NICU Book
There are many different NICU books that could help NICU Parents in understanding the NICU. Two of the classics are Parenting Your Premature Baby and Child
NICU Parents who have older children that need to understand why their baby brother or sister is not coming home might find the books No Bigger than My Teddy Bear
A NICU Remembrance
I designed The Violet Heart Pin following my youngest daughter’s NICU adventures. I’d wanted something to wear while she was in the hospital, to signify that my thoughts were with her.
The Violet Heart image “grew” emerging like flowers in the spring after a long winter. This design combines the courage of the Purple Heart, the tears shed by a sorrowful spirit, the healing nature of the color violet with the hope of spring violets to represent courage, healing and hope. Having something to wear while she was in the hospital as a reminder of her would have made it easier for me.
A Custom Mom’s Necklace or Bracelet
Etsy is one of my favorite places to shop online for handmade products. I have found many beautiful necklaces and bracelets offered by different talented jewelry artists that can be personalized with your baby’s name and information. Some of my favorites include (listed alphabetically):
All of the talented jewelry artists offer a variety of different products, just look around until you find one that seems right as a NICU parent gift.
A personalized or custom Mother’s or family necklace or bracelet is another meaningful gift that can serve as reminder of the new NICU baby for the parent.
A NICU Journal or NICU Scrapbook
One gift that can help NICU parents cope with having a baby in the NICU is to give them a journal or a NICU Journal or NICU Scrapbook that they can use to record the baby’s progress through the NICU. Prior articles that I’ve shared on this site Keep a NICU Diary or Journal to Monitor Your Baby’s Changes and Scrapbooking in the NICU – Another Creative Way to Cope are helpful resources for helping parents get started keeping a NICU journal or NICU diary.
One of my favorite NICU specific journals is the Preemie Book of Memories. You might also consider getting them a beautiful Leather Journal
A Water Blessing Label
One of my favorite gifts to give to friends who are facing a challenge are the Water Blessing Labels. You can put these cling labels on different items on your water bottle, a bathroom mirror, a car window or even an IV bag that is nourishing a NICU baby.
Read more about how you can use the labels in the article Using Water Blessing Labels in the NICU.
A Zaky Hand
One of the gifts that I wished had been available when my daughter was in the NICU is Zaky (Theraputic Positioning Pillow). It was difficult having to leave her behind every day when we left the NICU. The Zaky hand is a gift can stays with the baby to providing comfort for a NICU baby when the parents are not able to be with him or her. The Zaky would make a very thoughtful gift for any NICU parent.
Read more about using the Zaky pillow in the article The Zaky Therapeutic Pillow for NICU Babies.
Gifts Celebrate the Joy of a New Baby
While it is hard having a baby in the NICU, I think it also may be hard for NICU parents to not feel the support of family and friends, because they aren’t being showered with gifts to celebrate the new baby. One of my friends told me she was waiting to see what was going to happen before buying a gift for my daughter. I don’t know if not getting a gift when a baby is born hurts more than getting a well-meant gift for a baby that has not survived the NICU.
Former NICU Parent, JessieLeigh of “Parenting the Tiniest of Miracles” offers the following advice about getting a gift for NICU Parents. She advises family and friends to
Celebrate the joy with the new mom and dad. Tell them how beautiful their child is. Comment on her precious fingers and toes. Behave like you would have had had he or she been born full term.
It is helpful to remember that the reason for giving a gift to the parents when a baby is born is to celebrate the joy of having a new baby. With a NICU baby, there may be all sorts of other concerns for the newborn, but most parents will still appreciate family and friends taking the time to acknowledge the newest member or members in their family.
More on Gift Ideas for NICU Parents
Dyer KA. 2009. Gift Ideas for NICU Parents and NICU Babies. NICU Parent Support Blog.
Dyer KA. 2009. Gift Ideas for NICU Parents. Squidoo.com.
Dyer KA. 2009. Gift Ideas for NICU Babies. Squidoo.com.
Image. G Schouten de Jel. Present. Royalty Free Use.
About the Author
Kirsti A. Dyer MD, MS, FT is a respected physician, an expert in life challenges, loss, grief and bereavement, professional health educator, professor, lecturer and author. She is also the Parent of a very healthy NICU Survivor.
Dr. Dyer created and has maintained Journey of Hearts, a website for anyone who has ever experienced a loss. She is the author of For Those Who Hold the Littlest Hands, an eBook written to provide information, encouragement and support for NICU parents. She is the founder of the NICU Parent Support Site, a website developed to provide information, encouragement and support for NICU parents.
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Kirsti Dyer
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