As a proud parent of two preemie children (29 and 34 weeks) the first week home was very stressful, but got better as the days went on. The months we spent in the NICU, we watched the nurses and how they handled the different situations and also learnt infant CPR incase it was needed. The key advise we got was that one parent needed to be rested as two tired minds would battle to make decisions in a case of an emergency. We stuck to the same routine that they had in the NICU (feeds, sleep and bath) as it minimized the stress of the change in environment. We use the Angel Care Monitors and they have been great. We opted to avoid the video option of these monitors as we would of spent our lives staring at the screen. You will eventually become immune to the beeping sound emitting from the monitor. Also remember to ensure that the mat is repositioned correctly when changing the linen as it can cause some heart in the throat moments when the alarm goes off. At the end of the day we trusted that all would be well, as the doctors and nurses would not let a child leave the hospital if they felt it was not ready. As I said to my wife during an emotional evening the night before our daughter came home, was that she had fought so hard to come home to us, why would she give up when she got there? On the day you finally leave the hospital, will be the best day ever.
