Teeny, Tiny Baby Things!

Since it looks like our Grandson will be arriving a few months earlier than planned I've been making little tiny baby clothes. I found THIS  webpage with several free preemie patterns and have been busily sewing. I started with little gowns that can be opened flat to put on him in the NICU without interfering with all the monitors and IV's, tubes, and wires.

While I know that a baby in an incubator doesn't really NEED clothes, other than a diaper, since the isoletes have warmers to keep the baby at the right temperature (or coolers in Owen's case) clothes have a huge psychological effect. It just makes parents feel better to see their baby dressed. It makes a horrible unnatural situation just a little more "normal" feeling. Clothes are also nice for when baby is being moved and held since he could get cold then.

These shirts don't open across the top, but open completely at the front and are open at the bottom for tubes and wires. I'm also working on more clothes that could be used during transition times when Carlitos is still in the hospital, but not needing quite as much medical support. Hopefully he won't need a lot of intervention, but I'd like to be prepared if he does. If he doesn't, unfortunately, I'm sure plenty of other babies could use the little gowns.

And, of course, I had to knit little hats and booties. These are really stretchy, so they will probably fit just fine even if we do manage to keep him in for a few more weeks. I've only finished the one set, but I've got another in progress and Owen, Brenna, and I just bought some more of this wonderful, stretchy yarn to make a few more with today. If anything falls on the floor in the hospital it has to be washed before baby can use it again, so several pairs are necessary since hats and booties are notorious for falling off.

At this point we are in a waiting game. The doctors are making decisions literally hour to hour based on Kristi's blood pressure and labs and Carlitos' size and heartbeat. Every day he stays in makes a huge difference, so even one or two days could shorten his NICU stay by double that. Kristi will not be leaving the hospital now until after baby arrives. She and Simon are understandably quite worried and would greatly appreciate any prayers/ thoughts/ good wishes you would choose to send their way.