Preemie Tidbits

So many people ask the questions, “Where do I find preemie baby clothing? Where can I buy preemie clothes?” The following article is courtesy of John O’Brien over at PreemieSource – I thought it was well written and answered these questions well (not to mention that he put Perfectly Preemie at the top of the list!). Check out their site – it is a great resource for parents of preemie babies!

“As I discussed in my previous post, “What to Look For in Preemie Clothing,” finding clothing that is custom designed and manufactured for preemie babies is not something you will discover at many department or discount stores. Since there are a relatively small number of communities that are served by a specialized Preemie Clothing “Brick and Mortar” store, your best bet may be shopping online. One of the biggest benefits of shopping online besides the convenience factor is the great selection you will find at your fingertips. Even though there are many hospitals with NICU’s that may have gift shops that carry some preemie clothes, they will tend to have a very limited selection to choose from.

In light of this, I will first give you a listing of some of the top online providers of preemie clothing for you to choose from. Then I will list a couple national brick and mortar stores that may be able to help you as well.”

Online Preemie Clothing Retailers:

Perfectly Preemie (formerly PreemiesRus)
Preemie Store
Nurture Place
BabyLinq
Jacqui’s Preemie Pride
AvaBaby’s
Anna’s Preemie
Preemie Proud
My Miracle Baby
Little Sprout Collection

Brick & Mortar Preemie Clothing Retailers:

BabiesRus
Walmart

What kind of clothing do you need for the tiniest babies on earth? Finding clothing that is custom designed and manufactured for preemie babies is not something you will find at many department or discount stores. Even though over 400,000 premature babies will be born in the United States alone this year, that is still considered a “small” market for most baby clothing manufacturers. Not only that, but there are important and distinct details that are necessary to build into any preemie specific design.

First of all, it’s important to pay attention to the sizing requirements of your precious little one. There are really 2-3 distinct size ranges in Preemie clothing, in addition to the mainstream “Newborn” size of 5-8lbs that is more widely available. The typical size breakout works like this: Micro (1-3lbs) and Preemie (3-6lbs). At least one manufacturer, Perfectly Preemie (formerly PreemiesRus), adds a third size that fits in the middle of these they call Tiny (2-4lbs). Some manufacturers use different descriptions or slightly varying weight brackets, but please realize that just because the label says “Preemie” does not mean it will fit all premature babies.

Though all preemie clothing should be soft to the touch, this is most important for the Micro Preemie’s sensitive skin. Also, very important to have in this size are easy to use openings on the shoulders or sides in addition to the front. These openings will allow easy access for the various wires and tubes needed in premature baby care. Other features that are beneficial are fold over cuffs for the hands and feet that provide scratch protection and extra warmth.

Usually you will find tiny T-shirts, gowns and bodysuits in the smaller preemie clothing sizes. Some of the outfits may include tiny hats – a great idea to keep the baby toasty warm! As the preemie grows into the 3lb range, many more clothing options open up, from various styles of sleep sacs to footed one piece sleep n’ plays and beautiful dresses. Once your precious baby grows past the 5-6lb range, they move into the large category of Newborn which has so much to offer from designer styles to the simple basics and everything in between.

Some other essentials you should consider are mittens, booties and hats. Mittens are recommended if the baby is wearing something without foldover cuffs, to keep their face free from scratches. Some hospitals have times when they may not want the preemie dressed, so having some cute hats ready to help hold in their body heat is a great plan.

This article is courtesy of John O’Brien over at PreemieSource – I thought it was well written and covered the topic well (not to mention that he referenced Perfectly Preemie in it!). Check out their site – it is a great resource for parents of preemie babies!

After almost 7 years on the web and clothing over 10,000 preemie babies, we are changing our name from “PreemiesRus” to “Perfectly Preemie.” We have never been associated with ToysRus or BabiesRus and apparently, they want to make sure there is no confusion out there. Being the nice people we are, we are not only complying with their request, but we feel like we’re getting to truly upgrade our name at the same time! After all, it’s so important to stay positive when going through the challenging times premature birth brings. Perfectly Preemie is simply a great mindset to keep when we think about these tiny, early bird wonders!

Other than the name, nothing else has changed around here, except perhaps a greater drive and desire to serve the growing community of preemie babies with extraordinary clothing and necessities to assist them on their journey of growth.

November 17 is dedicated to raising awareness of the crisis of premature birth. The March of Dimes has invited bloggers everywhere to get involved. We need to fight ― because babies shouldn’t have to. I was drawn to one of the stories on Bloggers Unite written by a mother named Karen. The amazing thing is that her “life tumbled out of control” exactly 17 years ago today, when her precious son “started too early.” Reading about her experience with a baby that decided to come 8 weeks early and all the struggles touched me today. The best part of her story is how her son, Dude, is now a healthy young man of 17 and one of the “sweetest boys you’ll ever meet!”

You’ll enjoy reading the full account here on her Write From Karen blog. It will both inspire and encourage you – especially if you are dealing with a little one that has started too early…even as we speak…

Dude 8 weeks early in the NICU

Dude, now a teenager

Well, technically, November is “Premature Birth Awareness Month.” Last year, some 20 million babies were born before they were ready, all over the world. Around 543,000 of them in the United States alone! Premature birth is the #1 cause of death for newborns and can produce lifelong disabilities and health challenges. The number of preemies born each year has increased a whopping 31% since 1981! No one is immune, since premature births can occur for any number of reasons (including no known reason at all) and often without warning. It’s vital that we discover more answers to aid in the fight against premature birth!

Thankfully, rapid advances in medicine have given some of the tiniest babies in history a chance to survive. However, premature birth is often a life or death situation for many babies.

November 17 in particular, is dedicated to raising awareness of the crisis of premature birth. The March of Dimes is inviting bloggers everywhere to get involved. For more info, here are links to bloggersunite and the March of Dimes.