Preemie Proud's Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

Below are frequently asked questions from our visitors. Hopefully, these answers will help to make your visit at Preemie Proud a little easier.

**NUMBER 1 Question asked: Why do our preemie clothes sell for less than other preemie items you may find online in similar stores? Well our answer is easy. The premature baby items that we manufacture ourselves can be sold to our clients at a lesser rate because (1)we do not have to pay another manufacturer to make them for us,(2)therefore, there is not shipping cost involved that raises the sale price & (3) we try to buy our fabric from local fabric suppliers so we do not have to ship fabric in causing an increase in pricing as well. We strive to keep our cost down as much as possible. Are our items of a different quality because they are sold at a decreased rate? NO! Most of our premature baby clothing is made of 100% cotton interlock or 100% cotton knit. All of a nice weight and quality.

*What is a micro (petite) Preemie? An infant born weighing less than 3 lbs is considered a micro preemie by most of our manufactures. The medical profession defines a micro preemie as being under 1 3/4 lb and generally born before 26 weeks.

The mean of "preemie" varies from the medical profession to parents. In technical terms a preemie is defined as weighing under 5 1/2 lbs. Babies weighing 4-7 lbs are referred to as preemies by the general public. You will find some preemie items on our site that are 3-6lbs also. Just as preemie sizes vary from manufacturer to manufacturer so does the definition of the word "preemie."

*Are your items NICU friendly? Most of our micro products are NICU friendly and are categorized as so. Our manufactures have kept in mind that infants this small may still be in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and may have medical conditions to consider. Soft Cotton and velcro closures make changing diapers, monitor lead, etc easier for the NICU staff and yourself. However, we do carry some preemie items for infants with no medical needs and are of low birth weight. Please read product descriptions to see if items are NICU friendly.

*What are some gift items for parents with babies in the NICU? Other than clothing items, you may consider personalized gifts such as a blanket. Many NICU allow parents to bring in their own blankets to be used with the new babies. If the family is driving long distances, consider a gas card, gift certificates to variuos eating places and even phone cards to call family and friends. Disposible cameras and lotion are always a good idea. You can never have too many pictures of your preemie and the lotion will come in handy. There is a lot of hand washing involve when in the Neonatal Unit. Consider snacks, books, magizines, etc. for the parents to have through the day if staying at the NICU. Our favorite suggestion is a personalized tote bag for the baby that mom can use to carry back and forth to the unit each day. Fill it up with any of the above it and it will be a great personalized gift!

*Do our premature baby clothes shrink? Most of our clothing and accessority items are made of 100% cotton interlock or cotton knit, therefore; some shrinkage can be expected. Our manufacturers try hard to keep sizing accurate and keep in mind the shrinkage that may occur.

*What does **OOS** mean? OOS - OUT OF STOCK! Items that we are hoping to restock are marked "OOS" while other items are just deleted from our website once they are out of stock.