Preemie Clothes

From LoveToKnow Baby

For many parents, searching for preemie clothes is just one more burden during an already stressful time. When you're worried about your premature baby's health, you don't want to stress over finding preemie clothes that will fit. The writers at LoveToKnowBaby understand, and we're here to help!

Your Baby Is Here!

Although some parents are aware of the possibility that their baby will be born premature, others are taken completely by surprise. One minute you are still in the preparation stages of planning for the birth of your baby, and the next minute you are in the hospital preparing to greet your tiny newborn. It's a scary time for everyone, and you'll be totally focused on the health and welfare of your child.

While your preemie is in the hospital, clothes shopping can be put on the backburner. The hospital will have clothing for your baby to wear, and that will mostly consist of a shirt and diaper. Since you'll be spending most of your days at the hospital anyway, you don't have to worry about finding clothes. Friends and family will want to do something to help, however, so you can enlist their aid in the search for clothing that will fit your tiny baby when it's time to bring him or her home.

Clothing That Fits

Parents today have it a little easier than the parents of preemies in the past, at least as far as preemie clothing goes. Parents used to resort to doll clothing for their tiny babies, and most of this clothing was still ill-fitting and inappropriate. Today, clothing manufacturers are striving to meet the needs of those babies who were not carried to full-term and thus need special sizes for their little bodies.

Where To Find Preemie Clothes

There are several places that consumers can check when searching for preemie clothing, including the following:

Hospitals. In many cases, the staff at the hospital which takes care of your preemie may be able to help you find clothing. There are several volunteer organizations which seek donations of preemie clothes. They bring these clothes to the hospital to give free of charge to parents and babies in need.
Online Auctions. Online auction companies, such as eBay allow people to sell their preemie clothing for often a fraction of the original price.
Classifieds. Don't overlook the classified section of your newspaper. You can advertise in the wanted ads and look through the miscellaneous section for preemie clothes for sale.
Online Shops. If you can't find any preemie clothes at shops in your area, then it's time to shop online. Check out Websites such as Preemies R Us, Nurture Place, Itty Bitty Bundles, and Preemie.com.

What To Buy

Although you may find a wide variety of preemie clothes in lots of styles, you'll want to be sure you purchase plenty of practical clothes. After your premature baby is released from the hospital, he or she still may need to be hooked to monitors. Your best bet is to purchase gowns and sleepers to keep your baby warm and to allow plenty of room for any wires or tubes.

Before you know it, your baby will soon be able to wear regular sized clothing. Until then, it is nice to know that you can outfit him or her in some preemie clothes.

Later on, you might want to think about making it easier for someone else to find preemie clothes by placing your baby's clothes for sale either in your area, online, or donating them to a local hospital.