We got to bring Emerson home from the NICU exactly one week after he was born- we were elated to finally bring home our little boy! However, for me at least, this elation came with large amounts of doubt and worry... what if he's not okay without the oxygen? ...what if I can't tell something is wrong without the monitors? ...the "what ifs" went on and on. It was so wonderful to hold him without all the wires, tubes, and monitors, but I had become dependent on them to reassure me that he was okay. All my fears and worries were eased when we were able to participate in a rooming in program for NICU patient parents. The night before we brought Emerson home, the hospital put us up in a mock bedroom (basically like a hotel room). This room was right down the hall from the NICU, nurses, and doctors. For the most part, we were left alone, but a nurse would check in with us every 4 hours or so. It was great to be able to spend our first night with him "alone", but still have the nurses and doctors close by for reassurance. They did a great job answering our questions and making us feel at ease about taking Emerson home. The next day we took an in depth infant CPR class and car seat safety class before bringing Emerson home. It was a great day!
Rooming in the night before bringing Emerson home. 
Home sweet home
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