Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

If your doctor sends your baby to the NICU, your first question might be, “What is this place?” The NICU is an intensive care unit created for newborns needing specialized treatment. It features equipment designed for the tiniest patients and a hospital staff with special training in caring for newborns. Toppel Family Place is a Level II neonatal intensive care unit that treats critically ill or premature babies. Doctors often admit babies to the NICU when they’re born early, have difficulties during delivery or show signs of a complication such as an infection, breathing difficulties or feeding problems in the first few days of life.

• Care of critically ill babies at or around 28 weeks or greater
• Nurses and respiratory therapists trained to Level III NICU
• Double board-certified in-house neonatologist available 24 hours a day
• Pharmacy, social work, nutritional, physical and occupational therapy services
• Support groups and classes for parents
• Breastfeeding support and equipment for sale or rental
• Local sub-specialty support as needed
• Participation in national research projects

In both units, we provide the same care to our patients. Our staff are trained to the same standard using the same equipment. Our Level III nursery provides specialized technology and cares for babies born at fewer than 28 weeks gestation.

Although many people will help your newborn during their NICU stay, nurses and neonatologists will lead your baby’s day-to-day care. You will come to know these nurses and doctors very well and can rely on them to give you information and updates about your baby.

It’s a good idea to get as much information as possible about what to expect in the NICU to calm your fears and help your newborn best.

Some things you might want to ask the neonatologist and the nurses include:

• How long will my baby be in the NICU?
• What, specifically, is the problem?
• What will be involved in my baby’s treatment and daily care?
• What medicines will my baby have to take?
• What types of tests will you do on my baby?
• What can my baby eat and when?
• Will I be able to nurse or bottle-feed my baby, and if so, when and how?
• What can I do to help my baby?
• Will I be able to hold or touch my baby?
• How often and for how long can I stay in the NICU?
• What type of care will my baby need when we get home?

Once your baby settles in the unit, they will receive care tailored to their specific needs. Most babies in the NICU are on special feeding schedules, depending on their condition. Medications are another crucial part of NICU care, and to ensure that your baby’s care stays on track, the doctors may also order various tests. We’ll make your infant’s stay in the NICU as comfortable and stress-free as possible for the whole family.

We are a family-centered NICU, so we encourage active parent and family participation in caring for your baby. We recognize that we provide temporary care, but you and your family will nurture your baby for a lifetime. Substantial research demonstrates the importance of parental hands-on care to support growth and development and minimize the complications of early birth.

Our lactation consultants and nurses will support parents and their babies in the NICU if they decide to breastfeed. Babies in the NICU need to have rest time and avoid overstimulation. To create the optimal environment for healing, we have specific visit guidelines, which your nurse will explain. We want you to bring your baby home as soon as possible, so we’ll work with you to provide the right support. It is our pleasure to care for you and your baby.