I was discharged from the hospital on Monday June 7. Up to that point, I mostly laid in bed, pumping milk every three hours, reading books, and trying to walk to the bathroom by myself. I visited Fiona a few times a day and sat next to her “bed” (really, a warming table) because I could not stand for very long.
Fiona was four day old and I hadn’t held her yet. The first time was like magic. Kangaroo Care (holding baby skin to skin) is highly encouraged in the NICU, so the first time I held her, I could feel her warm little body on mine and I could feel her breathe. The monitors made all sorts of scary sounds, and we occasionally had to rub her to remind her to breathe. She was given caffeine to stimulate breathing. I think the need for caffeine proves that John is her dad.
Eventually, she was placed in an isolette (incubator) and she started eating. Because I started pumping immediately, all she’s eaten is breast milk (fortified with extra calories to make her gain weight a little faster).
Fiona continued to grow and they let us take her temperature and change her diapers. 
Most parents would probably love to have someone else change their baby’s diapers, but for us, it was such a joy because it was the only real interaction we had with her. When she stabilized enough that she no longer needed an IV, she was moved across the hall to “grower-feeder” side of the NICU. When she was able to regulate her own body temperature, she was placed in an open crib, making it easier to change her and pick her up. We also started giving her baths!
On Friday July 2, her nasal cannula (that thing in her nose) came out. 
She now weighs 5 pounds 8 ounces and is almost 19 inches long. 
She is eating some of her meals from a bottle, doing a little breastfeeding, is awake more often, and looks around.
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