Do you know someone with a baby in the NICU? Maybe you’ve been there yourself. Here are 18 ways to offer help to a NICU
Family:
1. Giftcards. If you know where the family lives and what
hospital they are in, pick up giftcards for any restaurant or fast food in
between. They will often forget to eat
or need to pick up food on the go.
Coffee or smoothie places are great, too.
2. Gas card. Pay for a few days’ worth of trips to and
from the hospital. Someone is likely
taking time off of work. Medical
expenses are piling up. And the family
is filling up their gas tank much more often than normal.
3. Baby Blanket. Extra points if you have the baby’s name
embroidered on it. Isolates in the NICU
are often covered by a blanket, and a personalized blanket is a special way to “decorate”
the baby’s temporary home.
4. Preemie clothes. With snaps, not zippers. If the NICU baby was born prematurely, the family
may not have any baby clothes that fit.
When a preemie baby is allowed to wear clothing, footed pajamas with
snaps allow easy access to wires and monitors.
5. Scripture. Is there a particular Bible verse that you
are praying for the family? Or a verse
that you think will encourage them? Text
it or send it in a note! Be sure to write
out the passage and not just the reference.
6. Pray. Occasionally text and ask how to pray at that
moment. The NICU can be a roller coaster
of ever-changing needs and prayer requests.
7. Check their
registry and deliver items to their door.
Many NICU families never had a baby shower.
8. Journal or
planner. Attach a good pen. Every NICU family needs one to keep track of
the medical notes.
9. Offer rides to and
from the hospital, and be available for last minute calls. This is especially helpful if you live close
to the hospital or to the family’s home.
NICU moms that have had c-sections cannot drive themselves.
10. Family photos. Offer to take or pay for them! Many NICU families lost
the opportunity for maternity photos.
11. Make lactation
cookies and deliver with Mother’s Milk tea.
Many NICU moms pump breastmilk for their babies. Find a recipe on Pinterest, bake, and deliver
with a list of the ingredients.
12. Deliver a bag of
healthy snacks to their house (granola bars, fruit, washed and cut veggies,
etc.).
13. Mason jar for the car. Leave this by their door with a small
pad of paper, a pen, and an explanation. It’s a good way to store memories that would otherwise be forgotten. As they ride in the car, they can scribble notes of their “good moments” and shove them in this jar. The baby’s blood pressure cuff
and tags can also go in the jar when they leave the hospital.
14. Don’t ask what
they need. Just pick something and drop
it off. They won’t know “what they need”
for a long time because they need so very much.
15. Free babysitting. If they have
other children, encourage them that their arrangements for the other children
are great. Offer free babysitting, if
needed.
16. Sit outside the
hospital and pray. Let the family know
you’re there. Also let them know you
don’t need to see them.
17. Ask before you
hug. NICU sanitation rules are
important.
18. Assume that it
will be a long time before you meet the baby.
Express that you are patient and excited.
What other ways could you help a NICU family?
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