For parents, a stay in the NICU, or neonatal intensive care unit, is a rollercoaster of emotions. It is the place where infants who experienced complications during birth or were born premature are cared for by medical professionals until they are ready to go home.
Of course, the stress of welcoming a new baby who is struggling is extremely difficult and emotional for the parents. These photos show the real and raw stories of some who had their babies stay in the NICU.
Even though life as a NICU parent is hard, there are reasons to celebrate. Every time your baby hits a milestone or a first, parents are over the moon.
This photo captures the first time one mom finally got to hold one of her twins.
Parents of multiples are often found in the NICU since these babies are typically born smaller and earlier than solo babies. This photo captures the day these triplets were reunited after one had battled an infection.
One of the most difficult things about being a NICU parent is being separated from your child. For saftey reasons, parents are often not allowed to even hold their own babies.
This mom shared a photo of the first time she got to kiss her baby, 29 days after she was born. Okay, here come the tears.
There is no doubt that life in the NICU is one of the most difficult things a parent can go through, but moments like this remind us that there can still be a silver lining.
With social media, it's now possible for NICU parents to share their stories and help inspire each other. It's also a way for some to reflect on their challenges and feel grateful for what matters most in life — family.
It's hard to believe that the baby in this photo only weighed about a pound when she was born. Thanks to dedicated parents and NICU staff, she's well on her way to being a healthy, growing girl.
We now know how important skin-to-skin contact is for a new baby, especially preemies. For new dads, this is a great way to bond with your new baby and help them absorb all the benefits of skin-to-skin.
After these twins were born, their mom was put on bedrest for 48 hours so dad took over and cared for them during that time. Go, Super Dad!
As this mom explains, this photo really captures what life in the NICU can be like.
"I’m grateful to the NICU and our amazing doctors and nurses, we had wonderful care and learned a lot," she wrote on Instagram.
You can clearly see the range of emotions playing out across this mom's face. She's so happy to be holding her baby, but you can tell the moment is bittersweet, too.
Stopping into the NICU after a long day of work is a reality for many new parents. However, I know none of them would give up this time no matter how tired they are.
This mamma was told to read to her baby in order to better bond with her, particularly on the days where she couldn't physically connect with her delicate daughter.
If the baby cannot be handled, parents still want to be as close to them as possible and still be able to connect with them, even if they can't physically.
Reading to their newborns offers a fantastic opportunity for one-on-one time!
This mother was photographed finally being able to look at her premature twins after recovering from an emergency c-section. Definitely an emotional moment!
Although this baby wasn't due for another 8 weeks, he clearly couldn't wait to meet his parents.
This picture shows the first time this smiling preemie had a bath. And judging from that super content face, I think it's safe to say he enjoyed every second of it.
Babies could very well end up in the NICU and stay there through some major firsts, including their first Christmas.
Thankfully, Santa likes to pay visits to all the good little boys and girls, no matter where they are.
Just look at the way this dad is gazing at his baby. This proud papa is pictured here looking at his adopted baby who was born 8 weeks prematurely. So after waiting nine months to meet their beautiful daughter, he and his wife had to wait 10 more days to hold her.
In the meantime, he got as much face-time with his bundle of joy as possible.
This picture captures a huge milestone for this little sweetheart, who was finally unhooked from all of her necessary wires for the very first time since her premature birth!
After waiting over 12 years for a baby sister her parents never believed she would actually get, this little girl got to finally hold her new sister in her arms for the very first time.
Every NICU parent can't wait for the day when their little one finally gets to come home. For many families, this day is months in the making and can be an emotional conclusion to their journey.
...is finally be able to leave the NICU and come home with your family!
No matter how many times I see photos like this, I'll never get over how small those fingers are. Moments like this happen in NICUs all time... and I'm crying.
This photo from Instagram user @addie.belle shows her worst day in the NICU when her daughter got a life-threatening infection. Thankfully, her daughter survived but you can feel the fear and sadness of the day in this picture.
