This qualitative study aimed at understanding how the family interacts with the premature newborn at home during the first weeks after discharge from hospital. The Theoretical and Methodological Frameworks used were the Symbolic Interactionism and the Grounded Theory, respectively. Data were collected by means of participant observation and interviews with 5 families. Data comparative analysis enabled us to understand that having a child, even if he/ she is premature, means a dream come true, whose realization causes the family to experience sadness, anguish and pain due to prematurity and hospitalization. With the baby's clinical improvement, the family gets ready to take over his/ her care at home, receives him/ her with love and care, experiences changes about their way to behave, think and live and feels rewarded. Understanding this experience provides subsides to rethink the nursing assistance given to the family during the follow-up of premature newborns.
Meningomyelocele; Child Care; Disabled Children; Family