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Bringing your baby home from the hospital is a milestone you’ve dreamed about for months, or even years. But what happens when you finally get there?

In the final part of our Homecoming series, Alison and Danielle talk about the realities of the first 90 days home with a medically complex baby who depends on a tracheostomy and ventilator. From the excitement of finally being home to the overwhelming transition of becoming your child’s primary caregiver, we’re sharing what those early months really looked like for us and our families.

We discuss our first outings and follow-up appointments, the trial and error of managing medical equipment outside the hospital, and practical tips for keeping supplies organized and making it easier to get out of the house. We also talk about navigating in-home nursing, welcoming nurses into your home, learning to ask loved ones for help, and adjusting to being the ones responsible for your child’s care around the clock.

But coming home isn’t just a logistical adjustment. After spending so much time in the hospital, the adrenaline doesn’t always wear off when you walk through your front door. We talk honestly about the emotions that might come with the transition, the lingering effects of medical trauma, and the pressure to feel settled and healed when you’re still figuring out your new normal.

Our biggest takeaway? You don’t have to have it all figured out in the first 90 days. Sometimes, you just do what you need to do to get through it. Over time, your routines evolve, your confidence grows, and you begin to recognize just how far you’ve come.

Because as hard as the transition can be, it still beats being in the hospital. ❤️

If you’re preparing to bring your medically complex baby home, navigating life after the NICU, or finding your footing in those early months, we hope this conversation reminds you that you’re not alone — and that it’s okay to figure things out as you go.

🎧 You’re listening to Trauma Mamas: Beyond the Bedside — stories from beyond the ICU.

In this episode, we discuss:

The emotional realities of the first 90 days at home
Adjusting to life with a trach- and ventilator-dependent baby
First outings, follow-up appointments, and traveling with medical equipment
Staying organized and managing medical supplies
In-home nursing, accepting help, and asking loved ones to learn your child’s care
The lingering effects of medical trauma and learning to feel comfortable at home
Giving yourself grace and recognizing your progress over time

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For this special episode, we’re going back to the bedside to sit down with Dr. Melinda Elliott, a board-certified neonatologist with more than three decades of experience caring for premature and medically fragile neonates. After witnessing firsthand the impact of an exclusive human milk diet in the NICU, Dr. Elliott now serves as the Chief Medical Officer at Prolacta Bioscience, continuing her work to improve outcomes for the smallest and most vulnerable babies.

Together, we discuss why nutrition is one of the most important aspects of NICU care and how understanding your baby’s nutritional needs can help parents feel more informed and empowered throughout their NICU journey. Dr. Elliott explains the benefits of human milk nutrition, shares how advancements in neonatal nutrition have improved outcomes and reduced serious intestinal complications, and reminds parents that feeding decisions should never be driven by guilt or pressure during an already overwhelming time.

We also talk about the transition home after the NICU, the ongoing importance of nutrition, and how parents can confidently advocate for their baby’s care. Dr. Elliott offers powerful advice on communicating with your medical team and reminds parents:

“You have a right to be informed about absolutely everything that is going on with your baby and sharing in decision making as much as possible… the parent is the most important person in the room.”

Whether you’re currently in the NICU or reflecting on your family’s journey, this episode is filled with practical education, reassurance, and hope. We hope you’ll come away feeling more confident asking questions, participating in your baby’s care, and knowing that your voice truly matters.

For more information on NICU nutrition you can visit: https://parents.prolacta.com/?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=cc-trauma-mamas-podcast&utm_source=podcast

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We finally made it to the day we had been dreaming about for years… homecoming day. 🏡🤍

In this episode, we’re sharing what our homecoming days actually looked like.. the emotions, the people who showed up for us, the help we received, and the moments we will never forget.

We talk about the car ride home after years of living inside hospital walls and how completely unreal it felt to realize… we were really going home.

But coming home brought a whole new set of emotions. We discuss the relief of finally leaving the hospital behind, mixed with the worry of suddenly becoming the ones responsible for everything. After years of having nurses, doctors, and a medical team just steps away, there was a moment where it hit us that we were now the ones taking care of them.

We talk about what nursing looked like at home, creating a new routine, learning to trust ourselves, and navigating those first scary emergency scenarios outside of the hospital. The fear, the adrenaline, the happy "firsts" at home, and the things that helped us feel more prepared.

Because coming home is the goal… but learning how to live beyond the bedside is a whole new and exciting journey.

Listen now for part two of our homecoming story.