Chemo fashions for a baby?

While on Doernbecher's cancer unit, I noticed that the babies and kids on the unit were either not wearing clothes, or wearing ill-fitting hospital gowns. During treatment, their skin is ultra-sensitive. The oft-washed flannel sheets and gowns didn't seem very comfortable. I certainly wouldn't want to wear pajamas made out of that stuff, even if they did actually fit.

Finding my friend's baby something to wear seemed like a small way to help him. I decided to try tshirt fabric because it is what I prefer on sensitive skin and most kids like it. I like to sew so I'm trying these items.

• T-shirts adapted with snaps (for pic line access)
• Tube top and line holder (for Hickman line access)
• Arm warmers, leg warmers, slippers for child hospital wear

I'll update the post as we try them out and find out what adjustments need to be made for them to work.

Another item to try: infant or toddler hospital gown

T-shirts adapted with snaps (for pic line access)

These instructions are for making a tshirt that a baby or child can wear during chemotherapy or if they have a pic line (peripherally inserted central catheter) for any other medical reason.

What you need:

• Tshirt (at least one size up from current size) 
• Sewing machine
• Snap tape, or snaps and snap setting tool

Instructions:

On the Tshirt, cut down the back and across the shoulder top of the shoulder where the pic line access is needed. Or, you can do both shoulders as I've done in this example.

Use your sewing machine's zipper foot to sew snap tape along the edges that you've just cut.

From the back: shoulder and center snaps open.

From the back: shoulders snaps open, center snaps closed.

From the back: all snaps closed.

From the front, it looks close to a normal tshirt.

On the cutest baby around, it looks like this:

Bodhi Gowns could help many kids in hospitals. If you would like to help, stay tuned for more information at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bodhi-Gear/742824705803496

Tube top and line holder (for Hickman line access)

These instructions are for making a shirt that a baby or child can wear if they have a hickman line (central venous catheter) for chemotherapy or any other medical reason. It has a pocket in front to hold tubing away from baby's hands during play.

To make one, you'll need:

• Stretch knit fabric
• Sewing machine or serger
• Instructions: follow this pattern

On a sweet, 7-month-old baby, it looks like this:

Arm warmers, leg warmers for child hospital wear

One item that seems like it would work for any child in the hospital to wear is leg warmers and arm warmers. They could go with the hickman hider, adapted tshirt, or a hospital gown.

There are great brands made of woven knit like these Baby Leggs.

But again, I think tshirt fabric is ultimately more comfortable and softer on the skin. So I'm going to try sewing some and see how they work out. Or maybe someone out there wants to try sewing them and let me know how it goes...