CLEVELAND — Like many couples, Emily and Michael Wood wanted to grow their family by adding a baby. 

What You Need To Know

  • First-time parents give birth to baby at 27 weeks 

  • The baby was in NICU for 116 days

  • The baby is now home in time for the family to celebrate the holidays

“It was definitely something we wanted," Emily said. "We tried for a little over a year before we were able to get pregnant.” 

Emily experienced some complications in her pregnancy and their baby, Finnegan, was born at just 27 weeks. He was born in July and their due date was in October. 

Baby Finnegan had to spend his first 116 days of life in the newborn intensive care unit at Cleveland Clinic Children’s. 

The family didn't even get to see their baby's face right away. 

"One of the first times we actually got to see his face was when they were taking off his bubble c-pap," Emily explained. "We hadn’t seen his face, honestly, until that day.” 

During Finnegan's stay in the NICU, the first-time parents had a lot of emotional ups and downs. 

“To get a phone call that they had to do chest compressions — that’s not a phone call you want to hear," she said. "But the way they walked us through, it was fine.” 

While in the NICU, the family grew close to the staff. When it was time to say goodbye, the hospital employees lined the halls and celebrated as Finnegan went home for the first time. 

Now, the Woods are getting to experience their first holiday season as a family. 

"It makes us feel happier and that’s it’s more real that he gets to be home,” the first-time mother said with a smile.

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