Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) – North Memorial Health Hospital

Care Philosophies

Our team of highly experienced Neonatal Intensive Care Unit specialists is dedicated to the care of our tiniest patients. Our interdisciplinary approach means that your little one gets a comprehensive team and all its experience: Neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners, neonatal nurses, lactation consultants, dietitians, social workers, chaplains, and respiratory, speech, physical, and occupational therapists all available to consult, assist, and empower you to make the best choices for your family.

We use the most forward-thinking technology, including respiratory support, to take care of very sick babies. From breathing support and learning to eat to full-term babies in need of infection monitoring, we support every baby’s individual medical needs while including the entire family in the care plan and as much of the daily caretaking as possible.

Breastfeeding Support

Even if your baby may not be able to latch and breastfeed right away, we encourage pumping to help deliver needed antibodies and immunities to your child through breastmilk if breastfeeding is part of your feeding plan. We also offer breast pumps and a private space if needed to mothers so they may pump regularly to encourage milk production. Our team can feed breastmilk to your baby even if he or she is not ready to breastfeed yet.

Lactation consultants are available for breastfeeding support, as is screened, pasteurized donor breastmilk for mothers who have delayed milk production and prefer it over formula.

Lodging and Accommodations

We make every effort for you to spend as much time with your baby as you can with overnight rooms available for parents to stay while your child is admitted. Our hospital has a café and room service available for dining, plus a spot where you can store food. Parking vouchers are also available for parents to waive the parking ramp fee.

Safety and Security

You can rest assured your baby is always safe and secure in our NICU. Nurses monitor your baby’s health, and our NICU is a secure, locked unit. Our visiting policy may be stricter than the rest of the hospital. We do this to minimize spreading germs and to keep NICU babies safe.

Visitors must:

1. Utilize the door buzzer to gain access to the NICU.
2. Check in at front desk or nurse’s station prior to proceeding to the patient bedside/ private room.

If the visitor is not an ID band holder, staff must verify that a Primary ID band holder is present before allowing the visitor access to the patient.

View visitor guidelines

Interpreter Services

We offer support options for deaf, hard of hearing, language assistance and translation services. These services are all free of charge and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for customers at North Memorial Health.

Learn more

NICU Family Support

We offer a child-life specialist to work with families experiencing loss or dealing with critically ill NICU babies. Child-life specialists help facilitate discussions for siblings and connect your family to needed resources. Our social workers can also help guide you through financial and community resources if needed.