The expectation that involves the birth of a child is linked to the idea of taking home a healthy baby. However, what was dreamt throughout the entire pregnancy is not always possible. This is a study of qualitative-descriptive character, with the purpose of getting to know the parents who had their babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) from the moment of birth. It took part in the study 6 mothers who had their children admitted in a university hospital. The subjects were interviewed through a semi-structured instrument. Data was analyzed according to Bardin's referential, originating the main theme: the parents' experience in the process of having a child in a NICU, and three sub-themes: living with feelings of separation and abandonment; experiencing the fear of loss; identifying difficulties and finding sources of support. The study evidenced the importance of involving the family in the assistance process, as a precursory factor of the quality of the humanized attention.
Nursing; Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Newborn; Hospitalization; Family
