​​Family-centered Care

Our NICU is open for parent visitation 24/7. Parents are encouraged to visit their babies at any time and as often as they wish.

Our neonatal team holds rounds daily with parents to discuss the care and goals for each infant. Parents are invited to these meetings to help understand the care needed for their baby.

Siblings and family are welcome to visit. To support our healing environment, we request that:

• Sibling visits are limited to those who are three years or older.
• Family is limited to children 12 years or older.
• All visitors who might have a contagious illness, such as a cold, virus or the flu, wait until they are well before visiting.

Kangaroo Care 

Kangaroo care is skin-to-skin contact. We encourage parents to hold their babies against their bare skin as much as possible. When a parent and baby connect through bare skin, they both receive physical and emotional benefits.

NICU babies who receive kangaroo care show the following health benefits:

• Ability to maintain body temperature
• Improved regularity of heartbeat and breathing
• Higher blood oxygen levels
• Improved sleep
• Improved breastfeeding
• Improved weight gain

Kangaroo care also provides an emotional bond between the baby and parent. This bond helps parents feel close to their baby and more confident in providing care. In addition, mothers who provide kangaroo care show improved breast milk production.