Prepare to Say 'Awww' When You See These Itty Bitty Diapers For the Tiniest NICU Babies

For parents who have the unfortunate experience of caring for a newborn in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), life can sometimes seem unbearable. It is difficult to describe just how helpless these mothers and fathers can feel as they watch their little ones fight for every breath in their incubators.

NICU nurses and staff are notoriously giving and loving, and understand the hardships that these special families face. But one aspect of life in the NICU for the tiniest of babies who begin their lives there has always been lacking: their diapers.

Newborn diapers are far too big for most NICU babies. While Pampers developed a Preemies line that fits premature babies who are under six pounds, even those can be huge for some newborns.

Despite the fact that less than 1.4% of newborn babies are so premature as to weigh less than two pounds, Huggies has come to the rescue. These special tiny babies aren’t just small. Their skin is continuing to develop as they being their lives in the outside world. Huggies kept this in mind while developing its Little Snugglers Nano Preemie Diapers.

Eleonora Daireaux, vice president of Huggies North America said in the company’s press release,

After hearing of the need for a diaper that meets the special requirements of these babies, our expert teams in skin science, research, product safety and manufacturing were inspired. Knowing every second counts for these babies, the team acted quickly to bring Huggies Little Snugglers Nano Preemie Diapers from concept to launch in hospitals in just six months.

The diaper brand worked closely with NICU nurses and specialists to make sure that the diapers would fit well. Unlike regular diapers, the Nano Preemies feature “gentle, specially-sized fasteners and a narrow, absorbent pad to provide a flexible fit so that baby can be comfortably positioned in a fetal tuck, with arms and legs close to the body. The soft, smooth liner and gentle leg gathers offer leakage protection without irritating fragile, underdeveloped skin.”

The effort to release these special diapers was part of a bigger vision for the Huggies brand. The Little Snugglers Nano Preemie Diapers are part of No Baby Unhugged, which is a venture that helps ensure that NICU babies get the hugs that they need to thrive. This includes:

• NICU products designed for the unique needs of premature babies
• Hospital hugger programs that help volunteers provide hugs and support for NICU babies when mom and dad can’t be there
• Longstanding leadership fighting diaper need, including more than 200 million diapers and wipes donations to help all babies stay clean, dry and healthy
• On-going clinical research and resources like Every Change Matters™: A Guide to Developmental Diapering Care, the first review to consider diapering within the context of developmental care—including skin care, physical development, sensory elements, and bonding

While the only thing that can really alleviate the worries of preemie parents is a healthy baby who is sent home from the NICU, these tiny diapers can help give them some peace of mind.

Image courtesy of Huggies