Gift Ideas for NICU Parents

Suggested Gifts for the NICU Parent

Choosing a gift for the NICU Parents can be difficult for some people. For NICU Parents their dreams of bringing home a beautiful baby soon after delivery have been shattered.

For family, friends and colleagues who want to get the NICU parents something, choosing a helpful and meaningful gift for the NICU Parent can be a bit challenging. Many of the gifts one would get for new parents or a new baby, do not work well when the baby is spending time in the NICU. Other gifts, like the gift of time and presence can be lifesaving gifts for the NICU parent.

This lens offers many suggestions for gifts that are both useful and helpful for helping NICU Parents make it through their NICU experience.

For those interested in buying something for the NICU baby, there is an accompanying lens on Gifts for NICU Babies that has specific gifts just for NICU babies.

Image: Pink Gift Box and Sanja Gjenero's Blue Bag both Royalty Free Use, with NICU Parent Support Site Hand and Microsoft pacifier.

Gift Ideas for NICU Parents

These gift ideas for NICU parents have been compiled from several different sources on the Internet (listed under the links in the next section).

Some of these gifts cost money, others are just the gift of your time.

The gift ideas for NICU parents have been divided into gifts of presence, gifts that are practical and gifts that are presents.

Image: Clarita. Plastic Flowers. Morgue File License.

Presence
- Keeping the NICU Parents in one's thoughts and prayers.
- Being a sympathetic ear and listening to the NICU Parents story or a strong shoulder to cry upon.
- Helping to run errands and maintaining the house while they are in the NICU.
Practical
- Giving meals or gift cards for meals.
- Sending snacks that can be taken into the NICU. (Often energy dense foods like trail mix).
- Giving money or tickets to cover parking fees.
- Helping set up a CarePages or Caring Bridge website for updates.
Presents
- Giving them a journal to write down their experiences.
- Sending hand cream to help hands that are washed many times to keep from chapping.
- Giving or loaning a camera so they can take pictures (and money if needed to help with developing the pictures.
- Finding a helpful book for the parents about the NICU, or one that they can read to their NICU baby.
- Giving something that will help them to unwind, like a massage or ingredients for a soothing bath.
- Giving silk flowers instead of fresh flowers, since they will last longer.

Suggestions of Gifts for NICU Parents

NICU gift ideas? at StorkNet's NICU Support Cubby: In honor of my son's upcoming first birthday, I would like to make a donation to the NICU at the hospital where he was born. I was thinking, instead of regular birthday presents, of asking on the invitations to his party for some small item we can donate to the preemie babies in the NICU.
Share Home - Baskets for NICU Parents: I am putting together baskets for NICU parents (not the kids...the parents) and SHARE PoPs popped into my mind when I thought about what should be put into these welcome baskets.
NICU Baby and gifts for parents - Bargain Hunters - BabyCenter: My husbands cousian just delivered a little boy at 23 weeks last night. he is in Nicu at childrens hosp. She never had a baby shower or anything. We come from a big family and I would like to get things together for her once mom gets out of hospt. Any suggestions?
Gifts for NICU Babies: Best Gifts for Premature Babies in the NICU: Choosing a gift for a NICU baby can be delicate. Since the baby's birth was premature and he or she is remaining in the NICU, it isn't the straightforward joyous time most births are. You might be concerned about giving a gift that is insensitive, or will upset the parents. Here are gift ideas for babies in the NICU.
NICU gift bags | Brisbane Premmies: Coinciding with the second anniversary of the day of her birth Miss E has decided to celebrate being two. Part of the planned celebrations is a trip to the NICU where she spent the first five months of her life. You see she's decided to celebrate by delivering goodie bags for the recently born babies who currently live in her old stomping ground.
Top Gifts for NICU Mom's, Dad's and Babies: Gift suggestions for the best gifts to give new NICU mom's, dad's and babies from Inspire.com Preemie Support group.

Be sure to still Buy a Gift for the NICU Parent

Don't let the fact that a baby is premature or in the NICU stop you from buying a gift, either for the baby of a gift for the mom of a NICU baby.

Kelby Carr
Former NICU Mother

Suggestions for Gifts for Preemie Parents

Baby Cheapskate: Guest Post: Ten Great Frugal Gifts for Preemie Parents: Here are ten simple ideas for frugal gifts that are a perfect fit for those parenting these tiny miracles.
Gift ideas for parents of micro-preemie? - MotheringDotCommunity Forums: Gift ideas for parents of micro-preemie? NICU & Preemie Parenting
Giving back | Brisbane Premmies: Rather then let my other ideas go to waste I thought I'd compile a list here for those of you who'd also like to give back but aren't sure where to start.
NICU bags delivered! | Brisbane Premmies: At the beginning of the year I started to put together little goodies bags to take up to the the NICU at the Royal Brisbane and Woman's Hospital to celebrate Erin's second birthday.
Care Package for Friend with Preemie in NICU: I have a friend in Chicago who just had her first baby at 30 weeks. He'll be in the NICU for a couple of months and I wanted to do something helpful for her but I can't go out to visit. Does anyone have recommendations for a care package or other gift that would be particularly helpful for new parents with a baby who'll be in the NICU for a long period of time?
Preemies! Preemies! Preemies!: What Are Some Nice NICU Gifts?: Talking to parents of preemies over the last few years has allowed us to compile of list of useful items that moms and dads have received (as gifts) for their premature baby while in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Living with a Baby in the NICU

Image: Benjamin Earwicker. All Hooked Up 2. Royalty Free Use.

A List of Gift Suggestions for NICU Parents

Click on the link to jump to the gift item you are interested in and find out more about the gift.

A Gift of Time and Presence
A Circle of Healing
A CarePage or Caring Bridge Page
A Water Blessing Label
A Reminder for NICU Parents to TAKE CARE
A Gift to Help the NICU Parent Relax
A NICU Journal, Diary or NICU Scrapbook
A Helpful Zaky Hand
A Book about the NICU
A Book on Kangaroo Care
A Book to Explain the NICU to a NICU Sibling
A NICU Jewelry Keepsake
A Custom Mom's Necklace or Bracelet
More Gift Ideas for NICU Babies

Supportive People Life's Greatest Gift

I can't even tell you how many people said absolutely nothing to me those first few weeks because...they expected by daughter to die at any time.

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.

Supportive, positive people are some of life's greatest gifts.

JessieLeigh
Parenting the Tiniest of Miracles

A Gift of Time and Presence

Articles on Helping a NICU Parent

NICU Parent Support Blog: The Importance of Telling the NICU Story: When faced with a major life changing event, such as the hospitalization of a child in the NICU, parents are often stunned by the news and left trying to make sense. Their initial dreams of a normal birth with a healthy child have been changed. In it's place is the reality of a NICU hospitalization.
NICU Parent Support Blog: What You Can Say or Do for a NICU Parent: When a baby has been admitted to the NICU, family and friends can fear saying or doing the wrong thing so much that they don't do or say anything at all; this is not helpful for a NICU parents who could use support during a difficult time.
What to Say or Do for a NICU Parent: When a baby has been admitted to the NICU, family and friends can fear saying or doing the wrong thing so much that they don't do anything at all; this is not helpful for a NICU parents who could use support.Discover some helpful suggestions of what to say and what to do for the parents when a baby

Gift of Time and Presence

Perhaps the two most important things you can do to support the NICU Parents as a family member or friend are to give them the gift of time by listening to their story and giving them the gift of your presence to just be.

Listening
Gifting a grieving NICU parent the gift of your time and your presence can be an invaluable gift. The ability to sit and listen their NICU story can be a great source of comfort. Sometimes all a parent may needs is someone who will truly and emphatically listen to their NICU story.

Really listening involves being present for the person, not interrupting and staying connected and focused on what he or she is saying. Listening communicates respect, caring and empathy in a way that few other gifts can.

Being at a time of crisis
Simply sitting and being a witness to the NICU Parent's story, stress and anxiety can help provide invaluable support for a overwhelmed parent. Spending a few quiet moments in silence, holding a hand can be a very effective way to convey your support and caring.

A gift of presence during a difficult time, will be a gift that most NICU parents will remember and cherish.

Image: Matt Hains. Listening in at the Coffee Shop. Royalty Free Use.

A Circle of Healing

Creating a Circle of Healing in the NICU

Within days after the birth of my youngest daughter and her unexpected NICU admission, thanks to the connection power of the Internet, we were able to quickly contact friends and family to notify them of what had happened.

Via phone calls and e-mail messages we tapped into the healing powers to create a circle of positive thoughts and energies from friends and family around the United States and around the world. We asked everyone to hold our daughter in their thoughts, to keep positive thoughts and prayers to mentally aid in her healing process and strengthen the Circle of Healing around her.

I truly believe that having so many people hold our daughter in their hearts, minds and souls, mentally aided in her healing process. We were blessed with the outcome. The Circle of Healing we created for her helped keep her safe and protected until she was strong enough to be discharged from the hospital.

Articles about Creating a Circle of Healing

Creating a Circle of Healing for Support in the NICU: Creating a circle of healing is something that friends and family can do when someone is sick or facing a life crisis to feel a little less helpless. It is a way for NICU Parents to keep positive thoughts and positive intentions while their baby is in the Intensive Care Unit.
NICU Parent Support Blog: Creating a Circle of Healing and Support: I have long held the belief, both personally and professionally, that there is a healing power in holding a person in one's thoughts whether you are saying prayers or giving blessings or lighting candles.
NICU Parent Support Blog: Becoming an Empowered NICU Parent: It didn't take long, perhaps only a few hours and I decided to change my feeling of helplessness and frustration and begin taking a more active role in her care. I looked for things we could do and ways we could to contribute to her care.

More about a Circle of Healing

Circle of Healing

One of the greatest difficulties for me as a NICU parent, who was also used to being a physician, was the overwhelming feeling that there wasn't anything I could do for my daughter. I had to step back and turn over all of the care to those who unders...

A CarePage or Caring Bridge Page

Using CarePages and Caring Bridge in the NICU

Two very helpful online free resources that can be useful for helping NICU parents stay in touch and keep family and friends updates are Caring Bridge and CarePages. Setting up one of these services can be a very valuable gift for NICU Parents. Instead of having to answer everyone's questions for the day, parents (or a designated person) can post the updates on a personal website, so everyone can keep up to date with the NICU baby's progress.

Many hospitals are partnering with these two companies to provide the services to their patients and their families.

Caring Bridge is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit web service that helps NICU parents stay connected with family and friends during a critical illness, treatment or recovery by creating a free, personalized web page. CaringBridge pages are offered in both English and Spanish.

CarePages provides free private websites that allows NICU Parents to stay connected with family, friends and colleagues before, during and after a healthcare challenge. The CarePages website allows NICU Parents, family or friends to create a personal, private web page to help family and friends communicate easily and receive updates when a newborn is in the NICU.

More about CarePages

CarePages - Connect Friends and Family During Times of Challenge

CarePages unique service allows you to create a personal, private web page to help family and friends communicate when a loved one is facing illness whether at the beginning of life as a newborn, at the end of life, or somewhere in between. Creating...

More about CarePages and Caring Bridge

NICU Parent Support Blog: CaringBridge Connect NICU Parents with Their Families: Another helpful resource for connecting NICU Parents with their Families is CaringBridge. CaringBridge® is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit web service that connects family and friends during a critical illness, treatment or recovery.
CaringBridge Support and Connect NICU Parents and Their Families: CaringBridge is a useful resource for NICU parents who want to easily keep friends and family informed about their NICU baby's progress. CaringBridge is another online resource that allows NICU Parents to create a circle of healing around their NICU newborn.
NICU Parent Support Blog: NICU Parent Support CarePages: CarePages recognized that staying in touch with loved ones and friends while also managing a healthcare challenge can be difficult. But staying connected is a crucial component to getting, and staying well-for both patients and caregivers.
NICU Parent Support Blog: CarePages - Connect, Share, Care: NICU Parent Support has paired up with CarePages to give our viewers their own place online to create a page to connect, share and care during challenging times.
CarePages Help Connect NICU Families: CarePages is a useful resource for NICU Parents. They provide a free service to help connect family and friends facing health challenges with webpages.

A Water Blessing Label

Using Water Blessing Labels in the NICU

The Spirit of Water Water Blessing Labels

When I found the Water Blessing Labels, it didn't take me long to realize the potential for using these clear cling labels in the NICU setting to help parents, family and friends focus on positive words and affirmations.

If the water blessing labels had been available at the time, I would have asked the NICU staff put them on her I.V. fluids. (e.g. love, healing, trust, courage, guidance).

I also would have used them on any bottled water we were drinking (e.g. love, healing energy, manifesting miracles) as another way to feel that we were doing something by holding her in our foremost thoughts and using the power of words and positive thoughts even if we weren't with her.

My favorite combinations come from the Healing Medicine Collection: courage, healing, nurturance, body wisdom, healing + energy and from the Prosperity Collection: trust, success, miracles, manifest + miracles.

Water Blessing Labels in the NICU

Water Blessing Labels

Water Blessing Labels can be used as positive affirmations and inspirational messages to help you focus your intentions and inspire your inner journey. These re-usable transparent static cling decals can be placed on most smooth surfaces. The labels...

Articles on Using Water Blessing Labels in the NICU

Using Water Blessing Labels in the NICU: Water Blessing Labels were created by The Spirit of Water company to turn water into liquid prayers. These crystal clear static-cling labels come in a variety of different themes and can be placed on containers or bottles of water or other fluids. Water Blessing Labels can be used in the NICU to hel
NICU Parent Support Blog: Water Blessing LabelsTurn Water (or Medicine) into Liquid Prayers: When I stumbled upon this website, I immediately loved the concept of using words as a simple way to enhance healing especially in the hospital setting and turn water or medicine into a liquid blessing for the patient and also for the family members.
NICU Parent Support Blog: Spirit of Water - Love is in the NICU: A blog post from a couple of years ago was featured in the February Newsletter from The Spirit of Water. You can read what was included in their newsletter below. The details are a bit muddled, but the sentiment is still real.

Water Blessing Labels on Amazon

The Spirit of Water - Healing Medicine Collection 16 pc - Water Blessing Labels

Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 11/23/2009)

The Spirit of Water - Love and Gratitude Collection - Water Blessing Labels

Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 11/23/2009)

The Spirit of Water - Personal Transformation Collection - Water Blessing Labels

Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 11/23/2009)

A Reminder for NICU Parents to TAKE CARE

Ways of Coping in the NICU

One of the most important things that a NICU parent needs to do is to be there to support their NICU baby through his or her first major life challenge. Figuring out how to be supportive and stay strong in the face of an overwhelming experience can be a major challenge for NICU parents.

There are many different ways that NICU parents find to cope with their NICU experience from journaling and scrapbooking to learning all that they can about the NICU and becoming an empowered NICU Parent to finding ways to interact with a NICU baby and perhaps most of all remembering to breathe, especially when situations get stressful.

Image: Kirsti A. Dyer. Remember to Breathe. Creative Commons License. Some Rights Reserved.

NICU Parents Need to TAKE CARE

TAKE CARE is the acronym I have developed to help people remember to focus on the basics following a major loss or life changing event.

TAKE CARE is a reminder to focus on the basics:

T ime is needed to handle the grief.
A void alcohol and other medications.
K eep to some routine or schedule.
E at a balanced diet. Focus on healthy foods and water.
C onverse with others, especially those that have "been there" and "survived that."
A rt can help keep the hands busy, whether journaling, building, crafting, knitting and others.
R est and Sleep are important to help the body heal.
E xercise to reduce stress and improve one's mood.

Articles about Ways of Coping in the NICU

NICU Parent Support Blog: TAKE CARE During Difficult Times: Figuring out what to do when faced with life's challenges can be very difficult. I have shared some tips for coping with loss from the Journey of Hearts site with a reminder to focus on the basics after a sudden loss.
An Effective Strategy for Daily Coping: The lyrics to Anna Nalick's song Breathe have been my new mantra when things start getting difficult. I stop for a moment and remember to Breathe, Just Breathe. This simple mantra serves as a helpful reminder that when I feel stressed, I need to breathe to relieve the tension.
NICU Parent Support Blog: Strategies for Dealing with NICU Stresses - Try a Relaxing or Cleansing Sigh: During times of stress, such as when your baby is admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), parents often are so focused on the health and well-being of their baby, that they forget to take care of themselves.
NICU Parent Support Blog: Becoming an Empowered NICU Parent: It didn't take long, perhaps only a few hours and I decided to change my feeling of helplessness and frustration and begin taking a more active role in her care. I looked for things we could do and ways we could to contribute to her care.
NICU Parent Support Blog: Ways of Interacting with Your NICU Newborn: NICU Parents often feel more like visitors than the parents of their NICU newborn. They may even resent the NICU Team caring for their baby. One way to help NICU Parents feel more like Parents is to find ways that they can interact with their new baby.
Many Ways to Bond with Your NICU Baby: While NICU parents may feel an extreme sense of frustration while their newborn is in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, there are still some things that can be done to bond with your baby and let your baby know that you care about him or her while he or she is in the NICU.

A Gift to Help the NICU Parent Relax

Helping the NICU Parent Stay Calm and Relax

Giving a gift to help the NICU Parent relax, if even for just a few moments can be invaluable for helping that parent keep his or her sanity with their NICU experience.

Different parents may prefer different gifts to help them relax. Listening to soothing, relaxing music is a very helpful way to calm down. A gift of a soothing CD and CD player, or ipod with MP3 downloads of soothing music would be welcome by many parents.

Other useful products to help parent relax are items from the "Happy Company" like travel, dream or eye pillows, body wraps and breast buddies. Other parents might find gifts of journals or scrapbooks to help them document their NICU experience as a way to stay calm and relaxed.

Since many NICU parents do not like to be too far from their baby, giving the parent a gift that he or she can use in the NICU might be the way to go. A gift of a massage or time to take a relaxing bath might be gifts to give the NICU parent after the baby is home from the NICU.

Image: Steven Halpern, Inner Peace. Available on Amazon.

Music Resources to Calm NICU Parents on Amazon

Steven Halpern, Ph.D. is one of my personal favorites for calming and soothing music. He has been at the leading edge of the growing understanding of the relationship between music, body, mind and spirit. Halpern's recordings are used in hospitals, healing clinics, and leading spas worldwide.

Sound Medicine: Music for Healing

Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 11/24/2009)

Serenity Suite: Music & Nature

Amazon Price: $13.99 (as of 11/24/2009)

Comfort Zone

Amazon Price: $16.98 (as of 11/24/2009)

Ocean Suite

Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 11/24/2009)

Inner Peace

Amazon Price: $13.99 (as of 11/24/2009)

Relexation Products Available on Amazon

Pillows and wraps to help soothe your nerves when you do get a break.

The Happy Company Down To Earth Travel Pillow

Amazon Price: $22.00 (as of 11/23/2009)

The Happy Company All Over Body Wrap, Lavender

Amazon Price: $17.00 (as of 11/23/2009)

The Happy Company Breast Buddies

Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 11/23/2009)

The Happy Company Dream Pillow, Lavender

Amazon Price: $8.95 (as of 11/23/2009)

The Happy Company Down To Earth Eye Pillow

Amazon Price: $12.00 (as of 11/23/2009)

A Gift to a NICU Parent is a Sliver of Joy

No matter how perilous the situation is, the parents and baby will appreciate a gift.
It could be the sliver of joyfulness they really badly need.

Kelby Carr
Former NICU Mother

A NICU Journal, Diary or NICU Scrapbook

Journaling or Keeping a Diary in the NICU

There are many, many benefits for NICU parents to keeping an account of their time in the NICU as a journal or a daily diary. As noted by by musician John Mayall,

Journals are markers to whatever is going on in your life, at a particular moment. They are the memories and recollections...and the stories that were going on at the time.

Keeping a NICU Journal may be a very helpful and useful way for NICU parents to cope with the their NICU experiences and another way of becoming empowered NICU parents.

Because of the many benefits to journaling the NICU Staff, nurses and social workers often encourage parents to keep a daily account of their NICU adventures as a way of coping with the NICU.

Keeping a NICU Journal allows parents to monitor the changes that are occurring with their NICU newborn which may be easier to see when reviewed over time.

Articles on NICU Journaling or Writing a NICU Diary

NICU Parent Support Blog: Benefits of Keeping a NICU Journal or NICU Diary: There are many benefits for NICU Parents to keeping an account of their time in the NICU as a Journal or a daily diary.
NICU Parent Support Blog: The Importance of Telling the NICU Story: When faced with a major life changing event, such as the hospitalization of a child in the NICU, parents are often stunned by the news and left trying to make sense. Their initial dreams of a normal birth with a healthy child have been changed. In it's place is the reality of a NICU hospitalization.
Keep a NICU Diary or Journal to Monitor Your Baby's Changes: There are many benefits for NICU parents to keeping a NICU journal or NICU diary about their NICU experiences.
NICU Parent Support Blog: Creatively Coping with NICU Journals, Diaries and Scrapbook: Three different resources have been created to help NICU Parents in keeping track of their baby's NICU experience are My NICU Journal, the NICU Diary® and Tiny Steps - My Journey Through the NICU Scrapbook.
NICU Diary Page Available for NICU Parents: Cedars-Sinai's Good Beginnings program has made a NICU Parent Diary page that is freely available online for NICU parents to download, print and use to track their NICU baby's progress.
NICU Parent Support Blog: Free NICU Journaling - NICU Diary Resources Available for NICU Parents: Cedars-Sinai's Good Beginnings has developed reference materials specifically designed for the NICU parent and may be helpful during your child's hospitalization.

Journals and Diaries on Amazon

A collection of journals and diaries that NICU parents can use to record their thoughts while their baby is in the NICU.

Butterflies Journal (Notebook, Diary)

by: Peter Pauper Press

Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 11/24/2009)

Purple Embossed Butterflies Leather Journal Diary, Lined, 6x8"

Amazon Price: $19.49 (as of 11/24/2009)

Green Embossed Tree of Life Leather Journal - Lined

Amazon Price: $13.89 (as of 11/24/2009)

The Mommy Journal: Letters To Your Child

by: Tracy Broy

Amazon Price: $11.55 (as of 11/24/2009)

Queen Anne's Lace Journal (Notebook, Diary) (Small Journal Series)

by: Peter Pauper

Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 11/24/2009)

Scrapbooking in the NICU

Like writing in a journal or daily diary, creating a scrapbook of your NICU baby's adventures is another way that many crafty NICU parents find helpful

Some NICU's like Holden NICU at the University of Michigan and the NICU at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital offer special programs in scrapbooking for parents in the NICU as a way to encourage parents to create a scrapbook.

Some parents might find the task of creating a scrapbook overwhelming, so the task of making a scrapbook could be passed on to a crafty grandparent, aunt or friend.

Image: Sweet Pea Record Book. Available on Amazon.

Preemie Book of Memories in the Amazon Spotlight

Preemie Book of Memories SOFTCOVER

by: Erin E. Taylor

Amazon Price: $14.99 (as of 11/23/2009)

Created by the parent of preemie twins (one who survived, one who did not), the Preemie Book of Memories is a full color 74 page spiral bound book.

Sections include: A Preemie is Born, My Home for Awhile, Finally Home, Weight Conversion Chart, Day by Day Calendar, Week by Week and blank journaling pages and picture placement pages. The book also includes a bereavement section to use if needed, or removed when your NICU babies survives.

Articles about Scrapbooking in the NICU

Saving Memories of your Preemie Baby in the NICU: There are many ways you can record your NICU journey, including journals, photos, videos, memory boxes, scrapbooking and keeping a special NICU baby book. It doesn't matter how you do it, but having a variety of choices is probably best.
Preemie Scrapbooking Freebies: Free downloads from Miracle Bebe with pages of NICU records, growth charts, lactation records, journaling pages, birth announcements, conversion charts, etc. These pages can be printed on your home printer, and embellish with photos or hand written content.
Scrapbooking Preemie Pages: Scrapbooking Preemie Pages is a Yahoo group designed for Preemie Parents that desire to scrapbook their preemie child's album.
NICU scrapbook ideas - Discussion - Preemie support group - Inspire: Discussion posts about creating a scrapbook in and for the NICU.
Scrapbooking: SCRAPBOOKING FOR A PREEMIE, baby scrapbook, premature delivery: Suggestions and ideas for scrapbooking a baby's premature delivery and NICU stay.
Dominic's Donation Project: Pages for Preemies: Dominic's Donation Project is to provide each and every parent of a NICU baby with a completed scrapbook page.

Scrapbooks for Babies on Amazon

Pearhead Babyprints Babybook Dots, Blue

Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 11/23/2009)

Sweet Pea Record Book

Amazon Price: $26.95 (as of 11/23/2009)

Pearhead Babyprints Babybook, Ivory

Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 11/23/2009)

Sweet Pea Scrapbook

Amazon Price: $19.13 (as of 11/23/2009)

Pearhead Album Medium Yellow

Amazon Price: (as of 11/23/2009)

A Helpful Zaky Hand

Using The Zaky Hand for NICU Babies

The Zaky® is an ergodynamic hand pillow is a way to simulate mother's or father's hand. This infant pillow is able to help provide comfort to your NICU baby when you are not able to do so.

Designed by former NICU parent, Dr. Yamile Jackson after her own NICU experience with her son Zachary in 2001, the Zaky® mimicking the shape, weight and touch of a human hand, the Zaky is able to provide comfort, support and a sense of security to NICU babies.

The special hand allows you to "leave a hand with a loved one" and "give your baby a hand" when you are not there.

The Zaky hand is one answer to the question "What can I do to support my NICU baby?" I know we would have gotten one for our daughter had they been around at the time, because I would have felt that we were leaving something with her to comfort her when we were not around.

Image: Lime Green Zaky Hand. Available on Amazon.

More about The Zaky Hand

The Zaky Hand - A Therapeutic Pillow for NICU Babies

The Zaky is an ergodynamic positioning pillow. This unique pillow was designed by a former NICU parent, Dr. Yamile Jackson, after her own NICU experiences with her son Zachary. One of the most difficult things for NICU parents to do is to realize th...

Zaky Hands on Amazon

Zakeez ZBL Zaky Theraputic Positionaing Pillow- Sky Blue Left

Amazon Price: $48.79 (as of 11/24/2009)

Zakeez ZGL Zaky Theraputic Positionaing Pillow- Gray Left

Amazon Price: $49.99 (as of 11/24/2009)

Zakeez ZLR Zaky Theraputic Positionaing Pillow- Lime-Right

Amazon Price: $57.54 (as of 11/24/2009)

Zakeez ZRL Zaky Theraputic Positionaing Pillow- Rose Left

Amazon Price: $48.95 (as of 11/24/2009)

Zakeez ZBR Zaky Theraputic Positionaing Pillow- Sky Blue Right

Amazon Price: $48.79 (as of 11/24/2009)

Articles about Using the Zaky Pillow in the NICU

The Zaky Therapeutic Pillow for NICU Babies: The Zaky is a special ergodynamic therapeutic pillow that can be used to comfort or position a NICU baby. The Zaky was designed by a former NICU parent after her own NICU experiences with her NICU son Zachary.
Give a Zaky to Your NICU to Celebrate Moms Special Day: This Mother's Day do something special for the NICU or ICN that took care of your NICU child. Donate a Zaky, an ergodynamic positioning hand to the hospital to use with other NICU babies.

A Book about the NICU

Using Books in the NICU

For those who like to read and gain knowledge books may be very helpful for parents understanding the NICU, why their NICU baby has been hospitalized, particular NICU ailments and what to expect in the future. Books are particularly beneficial over Internet information because they are more portable and can be carried to read in one of the quiet places - the bathroom.

Many NICU Parents find that reading about other NICU parents' experiences in the NICU may make it easier to cope. Knowing that others have been there and survived helps many to cope with the present ordeal.

Books can also be useful for helping to explain to confused older siblings about what is going on with their NICU baby brother or sister.

Image: Parenting Your Premature Baby and Child. Available on Amazon.

Books for NICU Parents on Amazon

The Preemie Parents' Companion: The Essential Guide to Caring for Your Premature Baby in the Hospital, at Home, and Through the First Years

by: Susan L. Madden M.S., William Sears MD, Jane E. Stewart MD

Amazon Price: $11.53 (as of 11/24/2009)

Preemie Parents: Recovering from Baby's Premature Birth

by: Lisa McDermott-Perez

Amazon Price: $44.95 (as of 11/24/2009)

The Premature Baby Book : Everything You Need to Know About Your Premature Baby from Birth to Age One (Sears, William, Sears Parenting Library.)

by: James Sears, Martha Sears, Robert Sears, William Sears

Amazon Price: $6.38 (as of 11/24/2009)

Parenting Your Premature Baby and Child: The Emotional Journey

by: Deborah L. Davis, Mara Tesler Stein

Amazon Price: $19.77 (as of 11/24/2009)

Preemies: The Essential Guide for Parents of Premature Babies

by: Dana Wechsler Linden, Emma Trenti Paroli, Mia Wechsler Doron M.D.

Amazon Price: $17.96 (as of 11/24/2009)

Books on Parents and the NICU on Amazon

A Mother's Diary: How to Survive the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

by: Menetra D. Hathorn

Amazon Price: $16.95 (as of 11/24/2009)

Mitchell's Gift - A parent's perspective on surviving life... with a premature baby in the NICU.

by: Kristy M Cameron

Amazon Price: $12.47 (as of 11/24/2009)

Miracle Birth Stories of Very Premature Babies: Little Thumbs Up!

by: Timothy Smith

Amazon Price: $21.55 (as of 11/24/2009)

Almost Home: Stories of Hope and the Human Spirit in the Neonatal ICU

by: Christine Gleason

Amazon Price: $17.79 (as of 11/24/2009)

The NICU Rollercoaster: How to Set Up and Use an Online Blog to Help Survive the Ups, Downs, Agonies, and Joys of Your Baby's Stay

by: Nicole E. Zimmerman & Edward J. Sprague

Amazon Price: $19.98 (as of 11/24/2009)

Books for NICU Parents on Lulu

A Mother's Diary: How to Survive the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

by Menetra Hathorn

Jackson Connor Jones

by Jeff Jones

Life Inspired

by Malinee Romero, Jeremy Romero

The Journey of Rebecca Rose - ebook edition full color

by Stephen Kovach

Twenty-Five Weeks

by Kristine Bratten

Books about Preemies on Lulu

Reemie The Preemie

by Michael Tilford

Baby steps - Preemie Milestones - Blue

by Laura Kinne

Baby steps - Preemie Milestones - Purple

by Laura Kinne

Baby steps - Preemie Milestones - Pink

by Laura Kinne

Preemie Chronicles: Our NICU Experience

by Jeff Ewing

A Book on Kangaroo Care

Kangaroo Care in the NICU

Kangaroo Care is a way of holding a NICU baby this is encouraged by many NICU's. Research has shown that this type of care is beneficial to both NICU parents and NICU babies.

NICU Parents who are interested in providing Kangaroo Care for their NICU baby can read up on this type of skin-to-skin care and check with the NICU staff about its policy on kangaroo care.

According to the March of Dimes, "Some NICUs postpone kangaroo care until the infant is medically stable, while others use it from birth onward. Kangaroo care is safe and beneficial, even if your baby is connected to machines."

Image: Matt & Janet Dustin. Kangaroo Care. Creative Commons.

Kangaroo Care in the Amazon Spotlight

Kangaroo Care: The Best You Can Do to Help Your Preterm Infant

by: Susan Ludington-Hoe

Amazon Price: $12.82 (as of 11/23/2009)

In Kangaroo Care: The Best You Can Do to Help Your Preterm Infant child health expert Dr. Ludington-Hoe explores the use of Kangaroo care, the physiological theories behind it, and how it benefits both infants and their parents.

Articles on Kangaroo Care

Grey's Anatomy Features Using Kangaroo Care in the NICU: A recent episode of Grey's Anatomy featured Kangaroo Care, which is a beneficial skin-to-skin treatment that NICU Parents can provide to NICU Babies and preemies to aid in their care. Learn more about the Benefits of Kangaroo Care.
NICU Parent Support Blog: Kangaroo Care in the NICU Featured on Grey's Anatomy: The most recent episode of Grey's Anatomy (November 5) featured a story line about using Kangaroo Care in the NICU. Resident tough-guy Alex Karev is on a pediatric rotation and assigned to care for a fragile premature baby.

A Book to Explain the NICU to a NICU Sibling

Explaining the NICU to a NICU Sibling

Another challenging task for NICU parents is explaining to older siblings why the new baby isn't coming home as scheduled. Older siblings have been hearing about and planning for the new baby, the same way as their parents and when those plans don't come through, it can be difficult.

One of the challenges that we faced with my NICU sibling, was that there were no books available at the time to help explain to my daughter that her sister was sick and in the NICU, but would hopefully be getting better and coming home.

Most of the books available for NICU siblings are for the siblings of NICU preemies, not the sick newborns who also end up in the NICU.

No Bigger than My Teddy Bear is a good book that describes life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Nursery, through the eyes of a young child. The Come Home Soon, Baby Brother! coloring book is another good way to teach NICU siblings about the NICU. I think it would have been to advanced (requiring coloring) for my 2-year-old daughter and a bit confusing for her since she had a sister, not a brother.

Image: No Bigger Than My Teddy Bear. Available on Amazon.

Come Home Soon, Baby Brother! in the Amazon Spotlight

Come Home Soon, Baby Brother!

by: RN, BSN, IBCLC, RLC Debi Iarussi

Amazon Price: (as of 11/24/2009)

Come Home Soon, Baby Brother! explains that the NICU is a special place that works to make baby healthy.

This coloring book is a playful and informative guide for the baby's older siblings, teaching them what they can do to be a great big brother or sister.

This 12 page B&W Coloring book is available from an outside source for $2.95.

Books to Explain the NICU to Children on Amazon

The Tiniest Warrior of All: A Fairytale for Families with a Premature Baby

by: Nicola JD Maher

Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 11/23/2009)

Babies Don't Eat Pizza: A Big Kids' Book About Baby Brothers and Baby Sisters

by: Dianne Danzig

Amazon Price: $11.55 (as of 11/23/2009)

A Very Special Preemie Book

by: Clorinda Walters

Amazon Price: $21.75 (as of 11/23/2009)

No Bigger than My Teddy Bear

by: Valerie Pankow

Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 11/23/2009)

The Littlest Sister

by: Leigh Schilling Edwards

Amazon Price: $12.00 (as of 11/23/2009)

A Keepsake Baby Box

Creating a Keepsake NICU Baby Box

Keeping NICU mementos in a Keepsake NICU Baby Box is an easy way of helping keep track of your NICU Baby's experiences, especially for the NICU parents who may be feeling too overwhelmed to be putting everything into a NICU scrapbook.

A NICU baby box is a good place to put items from the NICU like mom and baby's hospital bands and hats, isolette or crib cards and tiny footprints. You might want to include a first diaper, outfit and hat and even small stuffed animals. The Keepsake box is also a good place to put messages, notes, cards and letters received from well-wishing friends and family.

The baby box is also a place you might want to include photos from the NICU to hold until you want to look at them again or put them into photo albums or scrapbook.

Keeping everything in a box is a good way to ensure that your mementos and memories won't be misplaced. The Keepsake box will be something you may enjoy sharing with your NICU baby once he or she is old enough to understand their special beginnings in the NICU.

Image: Baby Blue, Nested Keepsake Boxes. Available on Amazon.

Keepsake Baby Box in the Amazon Spotlight

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Keepsake Baby Boxes on Amazon

Pearhead Keepsake Box Pink

Amazon Price: $31.50 (as of 11/24/2009)

Aimee J Baby Luxe Ecru Keepsake Box

Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 11/24/2009)

Suede Nested Keepsake Boxes - Baby Blue

Amazon Price: $39.95 (as of 11/24/2009)

Aimee J Baby Luxe Lavender Keepsake Box

Amazon Price: $29.95 (as of 11/24/2009)

Pearhead Keepsake Box Blue

Amazon Price: $25.23 (as of 11/24/2009)

Articles about Using a Keepsake Baby Box

Saving Memories of your Preemie Baby in the NICU: There are many ways you can record your NICU journey, including journals, photos, videos, memory boxes, scrapbooking and keeping a special NICU baby book. It doesn't matter how you do it, but having a variety of choices is probably best.
These are a few of my unusual things - Wellsphere: At first glance, it appears to be an ordinary baby keepsake box. Well, it is. It was a gift from an online acquaintance from AOL's parenting boards. We all were proud mommies of babies born in January 2002. This was part of a gift exchange.
How to Preserve Baby Items in a Keepsake Box | eHow.com: How to Preserve Baby Items in a Keepsake Box. If you are a keeper of all things sentimental, then when you have babies, you will need to preserve all those baby toys, clothes and baby bottles. If you can find a good memory box for these items and more, that is great.
Favorite gifts in the NICU?: A mother from the - MotheringDotCommunity Forums shares one of her favorite NICU gifts was a keepsake box.
Christmas care packages - Discussion - Preemie support group - Inspire: A mother on the Preemie support group on Inspire shares one of her favorite NICU gifts, a NICU keepsake box.

A NICU Jewelry Keepsake

Jewelry Keepsakes for NICU Parents

I have always been a big believer in wearing jewelry items as a good luck charm or talisman (an object held to act as a charm to avert evil and bring good fortune or something producing apparently magical or miraculous effects).

When I was in the NICU with my daughter, my desire to have a charm or a talisman was no different, in fact the desire may have been magnified. Since my daughter was in the NICU, there have been different jewelry items developed by NICU parents as keepsakes. We developed the Violet Heart Pin as a way to express support and sympathies during challenging times.

There are also other products, like the Zorbitz bracelets and Karmaology that are good luck charms with intentions like "unexpected miracles," "good luck," "love," "health" and "strength." Many mothers have created beautiful mom necklaces and bracelets that can be personalized with the name of your NICU baby.

Do they work? I don't know, but when I was in the NICU with my daughter, I believe that even the smallest things, like having a necklace with her name on it, or a pin that would have indicated she was in the NICU would have make a huge difference.

A Violet Heart Pin

The Violet Heart Pins

I created The Violet Heart Pin as a jewelry keepsake that I would have liked to have had to wear while my daughter was in the NICU.

The pin was designed as a way of expressing heartfelt sympathies during challenging times, acknowledging the courage of those facing a significant life challenge or recognizing a current or past challenge.

The Violet Heart Pin can be worn by parents whose baby is in NICU as a reminder that they are holding their baby in their thoughts and prayers. Parents can also encourage family and friends to wear a Violet Heart Pin to indicate they are keeping the baby in their thoughts and prayers.

There is a version of the Violet Heart Pin that can be given to providers to honor the service and the remarkable healing work of the special people who help those who are grieving.

More about The Violet Heart Collection

The Violet Heart Collection was created in response to our time in the NICU. The Violet Heart became a symbol of a heart that is grieving a loss...like the loss of having your baby in the NICU rather than at home with the family.

The Violet Heart Collection

The Violet Heart Collection features pins, items and gifts designed for people facing a life changing event and to recognize that someone is experiencing a challenge or transition. The Violet Flower and the Purple Heart were the inspiration behind the...

Article about the Violet Heart Pin

NICU Parent Support Blog: The Violet Heart Pin - A Remembrance Pin to Honor a NICU Baby: The Violet Heart Pin was designed as a way of expressing heartfelt sympathies during challenging times, acknowledging the courage of those facing a significant life challenge or recognizing a current or past challenge.

Zorbitz Bracelets and Necklaces

Zorbitz - Lucky Karma Beads - Feng Shui Luck Charms

These Lucky Karma Bracelets, Karmalogy, Nirvana Crystals and Feng Shui Charms are among my favorite fun gift ideas--for myself, or to give to others. I love the Zorbitz product line because they create products that can be worn or used as focusing to...

Article about Using Zorbitz Lucky Karma Beads in the NICU

NICU Parent Support Blog: Zorbitz Lucky Karma Beads and Charms Help Focus Intentions: I know that if the Zorbits Lucky Lucky Karma Bracelets Karma Bracelets and Feng Shui Luck Charms were available when my youngest was in the NICU, we would have used them as another way to focus our energy and our intentions on her healing.