LAUSR

Abstract The birth of an infant requiring admittance to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit may produce heightened stress for parents. Despite a plethora of research examining the mothers' experiences during this time, limited research is available regarding the fathers' experiences. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experience of fathers whose child was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. This study was built on the philosophical principles of Descriptive Phenomenology, which aims to accurately describe fathers' lived experiences. Six fathers were purposefully recruited for their emic understanding of having a child in the neonatal intensive care unit. Fathers completed audio-recorded semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis, using Colaizzi's method, revealed five themes: horrible storm, piece by piece, “I'm the father”, the gift of support, and little fighters. The results of this study will help health care professionals in the development of interventions that promote family-centered and developmentally supportive care.