The 5 Best Preemie Clothes To Get For Your Baby In The NICU

First, if your precious baby OR babies are in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), all my thoughts and love are being sent your way! As my hubs and I always told each other, one day in the NICU is long enough. Our 3-month early mono mono twin girls were in the NICU for over 4 months and I wish that journey on nobody. But one thing happened as our girls got bigger; they transitioned from wearing cute little diapers in their incubator to adorable preemie outfits. Speaking of preemie outfits, what are the best preemie clothes to get? I asked myself this question when I walked into the NICU one morning and saw both of our girls in preemie clothes for the first time!

I’m going to share with you what our NICU nurses shared with us…the best preemie clothes to get for your resilient little warrior during their stay in the NICU.

Do You Really Need To Buy Preemie Clothes For Your Baby In The NICU?

The answer is no. Your hospital will provide donated preemie outfits for your sweet pea to wear. At least this was the case for us. I choose to buy preemie outfits to donate back to our NICU unit once Lua and Lily Mae grew out of them.

Our girls were in their incubator for quite some time wearing diapers only so preemie clothes never crossed my mind. Until one morning I walked in and both our girls were dressed in the cutest preemie outfit ever! This pic is of Lily Mae in her FIRST every preemie outfit. Yes, my heart completely melted when I saw her. 🙂

This was a big milestone as Lua and Lily Mae were actually wearing clothes, not just diapers! So I asked our nurse, “What are the best preemie clothes to get?” WHICH leads us to the meat and potatoes of this post.

Here are the preemie clothes you’ll need and use while in the NICU.

The 5 Best Preemie Clothes To Get

Preemie Hat

A preemie hat is a small hat specifically designed to fit the head of a premature baby.

Premature babies are born before 37 weeks of gestation, and their bodies are not fully developed. As a result, preemies often have trouble regulating their body temperature. So getting your babe a hat to keep them warm is a must-have!

There are so many adorable preemie hats out there you really can’t go wrong. Just make sure you get something that’s soft and gentle on the skin. These are the ones I got our girls because of the soft cotton they are made of and c’mon the cute bear ears too? I fell in love once I laid eyes on these.

Preemie Socks

Just like hats, preemie socks help to regulate body temperature and keep those little toes warm if they’re exposed!

I got these ones for our girls. They are soft and made of breathable material that is gentle on delicate skin. The higher ankle cuff helps to prevent them from slipping off too.

There were times when our NICU nurses had put our girls in hospital onesies. When that happened they would always have socks on their feet.

Preemie Cotton 2-Way Zipper Sleeper

I personally recommend getting these 2-way zipper cotton sleepers for a couple of reasons.

When your baby is hooked up to monitoring cords, the 2-way zipper is what you want.

I had bought a one-way zipper where it started at the neck area (not thinking)! Poor Lua had her monitoring cords up her belly which came out near her neck area. The nurse was kind enough to move the zipper down a bit so it wasn’t too close to her neck, but it still looked uncomfortable. Plus, her chest was a tad bit exposed.

With a 2-way zipper, there is one at the foot area, so you can easily string the monitoring cords out through there.

Cotton is a breathable soft material.

This helps to not overheat your babe when they are swaddled in the NICU.

Preemie Cotton Button-Down Sleeper

As I just mentioned, you want a sleeper where your babe’s monitoring cords can comfortably hang out. With a button-down, your child’s NICU nurses will be able to easily string their monitoring cords through it. Plus, the cotton material is soft and breathable making it comfy for your little one to wear while being swaddled.

Preemie Organic Cotton Kimono Gown

These gowns are flat-out adorable!

This specific brand has so many cute designs for both preemie boys and girls.

I got these particular ones because (again) the gowns are easy for monitoring cords to come out the bottom and they are made of 100% organic cotton, making these gowns super soft and comfy to wear. Plus, just flip the gown up to do a quick diaper change.

To Wrap It Up

I hope this “Best Preemie Clothes” NICU list is helpful for you as your little one transitions from the incubator into their own clothing.

As you can see there are SO many adorable clothes for your precious preemie! I’ve found the best preemie clothes to get are ones that will make you and your baby feel good. More importantly, clothes that make NICU life a little easier, like 2-way zippered sleepers or kimono gowns with easy access to monitors and IVs.

Remember, your baby is a resilient warrior who is fighting hard every day. The NICU journey you’re on is temporary and one day, you’ll be able to walk out with your strong and healthy warrior!

Until the next post, I’m sending lots of love your way!

With Gratitude,

Lindsey

What are the best preemie clothes you’ve found? Let me know in the comments below. During NICU life, we could all use a little help along the way!

Thank You

You made my day being here today; thank you!

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About The Author

Linds is the proud mom of two little miracles, Mono Mono twin girls, and one AMAZING older brother! She is the founder and content creator of Mono Mono Twins, Intensive Therapy for Kids, and Co-Founder of The LENN Foundation (a 510c3 that helps children with cerebral palsy receive grants for intensive therapies to thrive). ♥

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