David's Nightlights - Alora's NICU gift project: Ongoing

[Alora Sionn]

New year edit: you can follow all the progress on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/davidsnightlights/

Currently working on December 2022 gift bags, wishlist here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/357WI62MGRX0U?ref_=wl_share




I'm working on some more NICU giftbags to be delivered on my son's birthday, I'm planning it as if it were a first birthday party with catering for the NICU parents and a cake etc, but the gift bags will be for them instead of gifts to my son as in a normal birthday party. As posted in the Hand Crafts forum, I'm collecting knitted items, but I'm also gathering other things to add to the gift baskets/bags.

The theme is Thomas the Tank Engine so that's what the bags/boxes will look like, and I may put some Thomas stickers on the notebooks and such. I'm looking for some advice on what to include/what not to include because it would be nice to add in everything but might not be possible without going into debt! :eek I'm going to make 100 total.

Gift Bag items:

• Purell single packet hand sanitizer - ordered yesterday
• assorted tea bags
• assorted coffee k cups
• journals
• colored pencil packs
• pens
• hats (see knitted items thread)
• octo toys (see knitted items thread)
• blankets
• tissue packs
• puzzle books
• totebag
• water bottle
• custom cards from us&David
• lip balm
• snack crackers
• face wipes
• travel toothbrushes
• Lotion - gallon https://www.bulkapothecary.com/unscented-bases/unscented-basic-hand-and-body-lotion-base/ then fill bulk plastic bottles with it
• Eye masks
• Socks

For these I will need to buy in bulk so if you have any links to places with good bulk prices of these please also let me know!

I'm also going to be making a full gift basket for a boy that will be born on that day, whether preemie or not. This will be a happy birthday for the boy born on my son's same birthday. That basket I'm thinking of having the following:

• Outfit
• blanket
• something with the birth month or birth stone like an ornament
• custom card
• stuffed wolf or teddy bear
• book to read to baby
• album for baby milestones
• socks
• hat

Looking for other ideas for that one as well or any links to some good ideas.

The registry for Dec 2021 gift bags is https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2PTN6LDGHC7G5?ref_=wl_share

 

[Alenya Al'Roran]

I buy in bulk all the time. I think there are some options you'd like to look at. Do you want to talk in person next month?

 

[Alora Sionn]

YES that will be awesome!

 

[Alora Sionn]

@Alenya Al'Roran I saw that you often buy shirts in bulk, I'd be interested in learning about that too and if you have any experience with similar custom bulk things like pens, stickers etc

 

[Alenya Al'Roran]

I'll shoot you a PM to give your an idea.

 

[Jocasta Braithe]

Etsy is my go to for things like birth month keepsakes. Some of them can be sort of pricey though. Let me know if there's something I can contribute to help out. It's a fabulous idea and it's going to make some new mom (probably a bunch of new moms) happy cry.

 

[Alora Sionn]

Etsy is my go to for things like birth month keepsakes. Some of them can be sort of pricey though. Let me know if there's something I can contribute to help out. It's a fabulous idea and it's going to make some new mom (probably a bunch of new moms) happy cry.

Thank you I have an idea to make wood slice ornaments (woodburning) just need inspiration for design. I will check etsy for the gift basket (and I'll ask that it's given to who needs it the most since I'm sure there won't just be one baby boy born on that day!)
Which of the things for the giftbags would be most wanted for NICU parents? I know definitely this time I want to put pens and notebooks because writing/drawing really helped me when I was in the hospital, you don't want to forget anything about your child so you want to write every memory while it's fresh. But some of the things I'm not sure since the stay wasn't as long as some.
There are some ideas I'll be posting in the next couple of weeks if you do want to help put it together, my sister is going to organize a fundraiser with a local restaurant with some of the proceeds going towards funding this so I'll post those ideas here once it's all figured out.
I'll probably cry right along with them lol

 

[Jocasta Braithe]

You've covered everything I really needed. Coffees, tissues, water bottles, lip balm. Possibly hand lotion. Unscented only, but my hands dried and cracked from washing and washing and sanitizing and sanitizing. Another thing that might be nice is an eye mask. You spend a lot of time catching little naps in uncomfortable places. Something to shade your eyes would be good.

 

[Jocasta Braithe]

This kind of thing makes so much difference too. Every time we had to go out and buy some little thing it was another thing we couldn't afford. NICU is death by a thousand cuts financially and emotionally. And we had nothing, we had to keep going out to buy stupid things like socks because we couldn't get home (our arrangement with the Ronald McDonald House required us to be at the hospital most of the day to get our costs to stay waived for financial hardship.) So I can't... just can't overstate the importance of things like this to keeping parents afloat. It's really a wonderful thing. <3

 

[Alora Sionn]

Those are great ideas and I second the eye mask, I can't sleep without one. And I will add a pair of socks too

 

[Jocasta Braithe]

I adore you, Alora Gaidin. Just in case you were wondering.

 

[Alenya Al'Roran]

I bought Annaliese one of these.

https://www.preemiestore.com/Preemie-Yums-Goblins-Wrap-Set_p_9579.html

She had so many tubes all over the place that this was easier for dressing her.

 

[Jocasta Braithe]

I've never seen that! I love it! All Rhys's preemie clothes have wire-exit-holes snipped in them.

 

[Alenya Al'Roran]

I talked to my friend that I mentioned to you. She said snacks are a must. If they're allowed to forms the night, travel sized shampoo, soap, toothpaste, that kind of stuff. She saw a lot of parents with crosswords and Sudoku books. The lockers at her hospital were the kind where you had to put in a quarter to get the key and she would have loved some quarters. And, a children's book to read to the baby.

 

[Alora Sionn]

Nice I've got some of those things in a registry on Amazon to gather everything together and might post it around at churches and such if anyone wants to help out. I'll definitely see about a few quarters in each as well for that
I added a kid's book in for the big gift basket but I'll see what I can do about adding one to each gift bag, might have to make a kid's book of my own if all else fails and illustrate it myself
Thanks for all the ideas, I'll definitely look to you for some bulk options like tote bags and pens, there's a logo Lok and I are designing we'd like to have added on the things.

 

[Jocasta Braithe]

There are definitely children's books meant for mass distribution that you can get in bulk for less. I know we got a couple in our NICU stay (one was a sleep safe promotion, I think) but I bet there are others you can find.

 

[Alora Sionn]

There are definitely children's books meant for mass distribution that you can get in bulk for less. I know we got a couple in our NICU stay (one was a sleep safe promotion, I think) but I bet there are others you can find.

You're right I'm slapping this link here for future reference lol
https://www.dollardays.com/wholesale-childrens-books.html

 

[Alora Sionn]

The one I'm getting for the big gift basket is this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0763680095?colid=15D0U3GT5SPWY&coliid=I1IEA7LHDQ4VKO&ref_=wr_ov_pt#

 

[Jocasta Braithe]

That is adorable! <3

 

[Alora Sionn]

I'm still doing this, I'm struggling with health stuff myself atm but I had a lot of really nice ladies make me some hats and I really want to do this for the little ones and their families especially since the world is upside down right now. They are feeling everything we are plus they're stressing about their baby's health so they deserve to have something to brighten up their day.

I am shortening it to 50 giftbags because I think that's all I can do atm. I found some cute things on orientaltrading.com so I made a wish list if anyone wants to help out: www.orientaltrading.com/web/wishlist/17783434468/929659156-NICU_Giftbag_items?cm_mmc=social-_-Wishlist_-_-sharelink-_-sharelink
It's short notice but sadly dealing with everything, time had gotten away from me. We'll be bringing everything to the hospital on July 12th. If you have any questions, ideas, etc please let me know and feel free to share the wishlist on social media