Lets post some things ladies will need for their nicu stay.

[fire~n~ice]

Ok here is my thought. Moms of twins alot of the time have nicu stays. Unfortunately they can be quite lengthy. I would like to start a thread to let them know what types of things they could get to make they stay a little more bareable. Here goes:
- a disposable camera for the nurses to take pictures of the kids when you aren't there.
- a journal to write things in as you will forget things very fast, and wish you had written it down in the same spot.
-picture of you and other siblings to attach to the crib, isolette etc.
-a tape recorder with you (mom) talking or singing to the baby.
-a blanket to cover the isolette if your nicu doesn't provide it.
-preemie clothes. Some of the gowns are great if they need to have the biliblanket on. That way they can still be clothed.
-quicky food. granola bars, cereal bars, etc.
-a stuff toy or two to make their crib area "homey" looking.
-see if they have a ronald mcdonald house in the area. It is very cheap to stay there, compared to a hotel.
That is all I can think of right now. Please feel free to add to this post, so we can help out any future nicu moms.

[MelnBal]

I second the disposable cameras. You can get one for each baby and write their name on it. That way when you take it to be developed, you know who is who.

I'll have to think on this and get back to you for some more ideas.

[Duck]

see if they have a ronald mcdonald house in the area. It is very cheap to stay there, compared to a hotel.

They offered to let me stay there for free. I ended up staying with a friend, but I definitely make a point to drop some change in the collection boxes at McD's because of them offering.

The notebook is a great idea. I know there are things that I have forgotten (especially dates as I'm not really good with those).

I read a lot of books to the boys. They were a good asset to me when I'd run out of things to say to them, but wanted to keep talking to them. They also jolted other things that I could talk about after finishing them. Also, reading material for you (it helps keep you from waking them up or at least wanting to :para).

That's all I got for now.

[YoMomma]

We didn't do the cameras only b/c I didn't want pics of the nurses experiencing things if we weren't there....haha does that make sense?
However, when Jake came home and Peyton was still there, we put a photo of Jake on Peyton's isolette.

[Twintastic]

I did the disposable camera when Audrey was at Tulane in New Orleans. Then of course here come Hurricane Katrina and the camera got left behind.
I think that it is a good idea anyway. We were not allowed to bring food or drink into the NICU so the snack foods were useless to us. I always brought receiving blankets up there because they would use them to line their bed with.

If I think of more, I will add to this thread.

[Pop Tart]

Hand lotion. You'll wash your hands so many times a day in there, it can get painful.

[Roly]

I slept with a recieving blanket and took it up to the NICU for Jordan to have when I couldn't be there. My mom is a NICU nurse, and I'll ask her about some other must haves for NICU families.

[my2cutetwins]

I think the journal is priceless. I journeled everyday. Now on the twins birthday I add a journal entry for them.

[SnowBirdie]

if you are bf or planning to when they let you, or even if you don't plan to, you can take an item (if bf a breast pad) and keep it against your chest in your shirt to get it nice and mommy-smelling to take to them. that is really comforting to the babies since their sense of smell is well-developed.

i would ask the nurses to make sure it stays with them and doesn't get put in the bag to be washed or tossed out, but it can really comfort the baby and make mom feel good knowing her scent is staying with the little ones.

[chasing_two]

We stayed at an establishment similar to a Ronald McDonald house while my two where in the NICU.


Breast pump, my two wouldn't nurse and I never went up for a feed without it. And I took snacks in in the diaper bag because I needed to snack when I pumped.

I was there everyday so I took my own pictures, but I think the disposable camera is a great idea.

Blankets or stuffed animals. I took blankets that had their names embroidered on them and a couple different critters to keep in their isolettes.

Video camera. We have tons of footage of them in the NICU and its so neat to actually see how tiny they really were.


Now I'm drawing a blank, if I think of more I'll add later!