Isolette covers

[elizabells]

I keep seeing references in threads to Isolette covers, like they're a specific thing. We use... blankets. Often it's the same hospital-issue blankets we use to swaddle, make beds/rolls, etc. You know, the white ones with teal and pink stripes. Once in a while the volunteer group will send up a big load of crocheted blankets and we throw one of those on, or a parent will bring something in. Do y'all have some special thing you use? I could sort of picture a shaped, maybe quilted kind of thing.

I'd be shocked, SHOCKED to discover that this is some EBP developmental care thing that the entire rest of the universe has caught onto and that my unit stubbornly refuses to acknowledge. [/sarcasm]

[iyqyqr]

Correction, (I should proof my writing before sending) . . . It is a Disney or baby print on one side, ( they have so many great choices, like Curious George, Disney Princesses, Care Bears, My Little Pony) and a matching solid color fleece on the other. I zigzag stitch the two together and put holes and slits where needed to anchor them to the top of the Giraffe.

[Mimi2RN, ASN, RN]

We use hand made quilts that have been donated by a local company. They only cover the top of the isolette, but work better than cotton baby blankets. They are a nice gift that goes home with the baby.

[BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN]

Our child life has volunteers that make us ours...they have the split front cover for easy access and they make them specific for our isolettes so that we can access the holes for our lines.

[kayga69]

As a NICU RN for over 20 years, I have worked in several different units and used a variety of covers on isolettes. Most of them were donated by different volunteer groups. Some worked better than others. In an effort to provide my current unit with some consistently well-made covers that are developmentally appropriate (blocking noise and light) and durable enough to stand up to the rigorous laundry process we put our linens through, I came up with a design that uses recycled scrubs backed with fleece.

A pdf of the instructions is available here: Isolette Covers

All proceeds from the sale are used to purchase supplies to keep making the covers for our 65-bed NICU.

Thanks for your support and happy stitching.

[MiniBabyRN]

We just use large blankets (which usually end up falling on the floor and having to be replaced). There is a group that makes blankets and hats for our unit and we also have some that were donated to us. If all else fails, we use those white hospital blankets with the stripes. We have giraffe isolettes and the brand makes special covers for those beds, but I don't see my unit buying those any time soon lol. We have washers on our unit for the "pretty linen." :)

[dardymomma]

My son was in the NICU for 16 weeks and we got to take home the handmade quilt that covered his isolet. It's a great memento from a difficult time. We're 10 years out and it still feels like yesterday. You NICU nurses are the best!!!

[Galore]

We just use the standard swaddling blankets as well, but most of the time parents will bring in nice ones or volunteers make the heavier quilted blankets to put over the giraffes.