[Valkyrie]

Just wondering, the little tiny dresses, etc for premature babies are cute, but can they ever be worn? After all, when they are that small they are hooked up to so many tubes and wires, and the nurses must be able to see that chest rise and fall, when could they ever wear them? :shock:

 

[KroSha]

My understanding is that the blankets are used when the parents are able to hold the baby in the NICU nursery, and the clothes are given if the baby gets to go home or unfortunately sometimes for burial.

 

[Jessica-Jean]

The cute looking ones are probably 'used' as burial gowns for those preemies who don't make it and for the larger stillborns. Surviving preemies are diapered (maybe), stuck full of tubes and sensors, probably wearing a cap, possibly wearing booties, and inside a strictly controlled environment - the incubator. They don't wear clothing until they're more developed. I suppose they're still relatively undersized when they do go home, but have no real knowledge of that.

Most preemie patterns are for tiny caps - about the size to fit an orange.

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/preemies.html

http://carewear.org/index.php?page=patterns

http://www.thepreemieproject.com/volunteer/patterns/

http://www.lucybug.org/patterns.html

 

[Bobbi56]

my niece had twins at 25 weeks pregnancy...March 10. they were 1-10 & 1-12. the smaller one passed away at 3 days but the other is up to 4-1 & only has the oxygen sensor on her foot & a feeding tube now. they have been dressing her in the preemie clothes for about a couple weeks now.

 

[Jessica-Jean]

my niece had twins at 25 weeks pregnancy...March 10. they were 1-10 & 1-12. the smaller one passed away at 3 days but the other is up to 4-1 & only has the oxygen sensor on her foot & a feeding tube now. they have been dressing her in the preemie clothes for about a couple weeks now.

Ah! Good to know! It's so depressing to think about those that do not survive; it's great to hear about those who thrive!

All good wishes to your niece, and condolences on the loss of the littler one.

 

[MartyCare]

They are worn for photos. That's important.

 

[JoyceinNC]

The skin is too fragile to wear any sort of clothing right after birth. After a few days, they can wear flannel hospital gowns that open at both shoulders and one side. With only one side closed, the staff could leave open whatever they needed to. I made these for local hospitals, as many as I could stand to, until the person taking them to the hospitals "retired". I didn't take over the project, so haven't made any for a long time.

When the babies reach about 4 lbs., they can be dressed in the cute clothes while in the hospital. Big morale booster for parents and staff. But the smaller items are usually used for bereavement. At least, that's how it works in my area.

Nothing is wasted, and not a waste of time to make, either. So keep making whatever the hospital asks for!

 

[Augustgran]

I thought I read somewhere that even dressing a preemie in some type of clothes makes the experience of having a preemie less daunting on the parents as they can "see" a baby not just a tiny wee maybe sickly little baby

 

[Valkyrie]

Thank you KPer's for your quick resposes. Now I know the importance of clothing the little ones, if even for a short time.

 

[Suesknits]

My understanding is that the blankets are used when the parents are able to hold the baby in the NICU nursery, and the clothes are given if the baby gets to go home or unfortunately sometimes for burial.

This is pretty much it.

 

[mdok]

I have heard many parents of premature babies say that when their children go home from the hospital, they are too small to wear the smallest size baby clothes. A friend of mine said that after her son went home weighing 5 pounds, she dressed him in Cabbage Patch or other dolls clothing, the only things that would fit him.

 

[Bobbi56]

an update on my great niece...Michele is over 5# & has graduated to the regular nursery. She still has the feeding tube but is successfully drinking from a bottle.

I am looking for patterns for preemies...for Michelle & to make donations for the NICU. this is something I would like to do in return for all the care/kindness they have given to my niece's family. <3

 

[Jessica-Jean]

... I am looking for patterns for preemies...for Michelle & to make donations for the NICU. this is something I would like to do in return for all the care/kindness they have given to my niece's family. <3

Links for preemie duds:
http://www.knittinghelp.com/free-patterns/categories/preemie-clothes
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/preemies.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/your_community/ray_of_hope/babywear_a_z_index.shtml
http://www.thepreemieproject.com/volunteer/patterns
http://thedaintydaisyblog.blogspot.ca/p/preemie-patterns.html

 

[Bobbi56]

Thank you!!!

 

[MGT]

Even the hats may not be used. My grand weighed two lb. but keeping himself warm in the incubator was the one thing he didn't need. (Luckily those hats didn't take long.) My preemie son, on the other hand, had that as his worst problem. They draped him in a sheet of bubble wrap, still in the incubator, so they could still see his body. Morals for me: What they wear in the early days of the NICU is the least of the worries, but when they do get to wear clothes, however momentous a day, the readymade, light weight cotton onesies and footie sleepers are the easiest to manipulate. Knit for a little later.