I was excited when my baby moved from the too fragile for clothes phase to the ready for “NICU fashion” stage. It was an uneventful night when the night nurse mentioned that I could begin bringing in some cute little outfits to dress our son in if I wanted to.
What’s Recommended?
No more hospital-issue white t-shirt and diaper combos. We were given a few tips by the nurses on what to buy for him to be comfortable in the isolette:
- No zippers: Leads and other monitoring devices could get snagged. Snaps are a better option and make diaper and clothing changes easier.
- Onesies: A definite yes. These were the number one recommendation by all the nurses.
- Caps: Although I loved (and kept) the cute striped stockinette caps that the hospital provided for my baby, I was excited about being able to add some individuality to my son’s wardrobe.
- Sleeper Gowns: These are sold as pull-overs or kimono-style. If you choose the kimono style be sure they have snaps and not the hook and eye closures.
- No Sentimental Items: Things happen, and you don’t want a much-loved item to go missing!
Once we knew what was recommended, the hunt was on! But much to my disappointment, preemie clothes are not a hot commodity in most major stores. For instance, we couldn’t find preemie socks anywhere in-store. The socks that the NICU provided looked like UGGs on our baby’s tiny feet. Luckily we found some here. Of course Amazon is always a top choice, but what other options are out there? Babies R’ Us was nearby and carried a variety of preemie clothes in-store, but they went out of business shortly after my little one was born.
Still determined, I conducted a thorough search for all things preemie, and came up with a few sources from which to dress my miracle baby.
Keep in mind that most of these stores only offer preemie clothing online. Besides specialty stores (think Buy Buy Baby and Carter’s) you’ll find only a few clothing options at brick and mortars:
Target
I was never able to find preemie clothes in-store at my local Target, but their website is chock full of tiny clothing options. The store offers over 30 brands including Cloud Island, Just One You and Cat & Jack.
Macy’s
You’ll find Carter’s and Little Me at the red star. From cute little kimonos to cozy little coveralls, Macy’s has a small smattering of clothing under preemie options. Carter’s and Little Me appear to be the dominate brands, both offer an adorable variety of clothing.
Buy Buy Baby
One of the few places that you can shop in-store for preemie clothes in addition to online. Be warned that you’ll buy many other things upon entering the store besides clothing!
Bed Bath and Beyond
You’ll find a limited selection of preemie-wear online here, including Little Me, Carter’s and Burt’s Bees Baby. BB & B also offers personalized and holiday theme-wear for miracle babies as well.
The Gap
While Gap has a very small collection of preemie clothing online, I was impressed with the colors and styles included in their selection. Note that their clothing is not labeled preemie, however, look for clothing labeled “up to 7lbs” on their website.
Kohl’s
Great selection of discounted preemie-wear from Carter’s and Burt’s Bees Baby. I found many cute outfits and onesies for very reasonable prices.
Nordstrom
Brands include Kissy Kissy, Little Me, Lovedbaby and their own Nordstrom creations. The clothing is a bit pricier and the preemie selection small.
Sears
Sears’ preemie line is essentially a collection of items from their “marketplace”, basically their approved third-party sellers. The upside is that they promise to investigate any issues you may encounter with a purchase, and you can find some pretty unique items in their collection.
Carter’s
You’ll find a great selection online and instore. This brand is known for its style and quality and you’ll find lots of items that are reasonably priced.
In addition to the major retailers, there are some boutique online stores that sell preemie items as well:
Perfectly Preemie
You’ll find clothes for the smallest micro preemie to snugly outfits to coordinate preemie multiples here. You can even shop for holiday gear if your tiny miracle is born during a holiday season.
https://www.perfectlypreemie.com/
Children Salon
Sells a variety of high-end preemie-wear, including bodysuits, hats and onesies. You’ll also find gear to help you once your baby is discharged, including diaper bags and hooded towels for bath time.
https://www.childrensalon.com/
The Preemie Store
You’ll find all sorts of preemie gear here, including specialty items, keepsakes and diaries to track your little one’s milestones.
Bambinilayette
If you’re looking to get the basics, such as onesies and bodysuits you’ll find them here. While not a huge selection of preemie-wear, the prices are reasonable.
https://www.bambinilayette.com/
Preemie Clothes Mart
Another good choice for the basics, yet with more variety and colors. You can even have your order shipped to a hospital, Ronald McDonald House or to your home.
https://www.preemieclothesmart.com/
Quick Tip:
When you launder and bring back your baby’s clothes, be sure to choose an unscented detergent. This will prevent your little one from being overwhelmed while they’re in the enclosed isolette. We chose Babyganics and All Free and Clear.
One more thing…
There’s one more item you’ll probably want to look into while your babies in the NICU – isolette covers. We were grateful that volunteers provided my son’s NICU with adorable blankets to cover his isolette. I went online and couldn’t find a major retailer that sold these, but there are plenty of instructions on sewing them yourself:
http://quilttallahassee.com/activities-and-projects/neonatal-quilts-and-isolette-covers/
https://blankets4nicubabies.wordpress.com/pattern/
Alternatively, you can simply buy the material and cut it to size to fit over the isolette. Just bring one home that the hospital provides, mark the fabric, and cut it to the same dimensions. You can find great patterns and materials here:
All our son’s isolette covers were made of fleece but ask your NICU nurse if other materials are acceptable.