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NICU

NICU

Compassionate Care for Babies with Special Needs

There are many physical and emotional stresses associated with an early or difficult birth, for both babies and their families. The MarinHealth Medical Center level II neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is the only place in Marin County that is fully equipped to care for infants needing extra medical attention.

The NICU is staffed around-the-clock by specially-trained nurses and a pediatric hospitalist physician with particular expertise in newborn medicine and neonatal critical care. We routinely care for premature infants 32 weeks and older and regularly manage neonatal conditions such as respiratory distress, infection, hypoglycemia, jaundice and feeding difficulties. Neonatologists and other subspecialty physicians from UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals are available 24/7 for consultation.

We follow UCSF Health’s proven academic protocols in caring for these fragile babies. If a newborn’s parents have selected a pediatrician, we make sure that doctor is kept updated regarding the baby’s condition. To ensure the best possible care for infants in our NICU, our interdisciplinary team meets daily to discuss every mother and baby.

A Fully Equipped NICU

Unlike the one-room NICUs of old, our state-of-the-art, 7-bed level II NICU, has a bay for each tiny patient. We have an array of technologies and services on hand to meet the special needs of preemies and sick newborns.

  • Our specialized equipment includes isolettes, ventilators, intravenous pumps, radiant warmers, and pulse oximeters.
  • Services include advanced respiratory therapy, developmental care, phototherapy, daily nutrition consultation, access to pharmacists, lactation assistance, and family support.
  • We offer expanded testing and screenings for newborns, and we have on-site audiology equipment for hearing screenings.

Helping Families Cope and Care for Fragile Babies

The staff and physicians at the NICU look after babies as well as their families, respecting and nurturing the bond between them during the child's path to recovery. Caring for a delicate, underweight baby can feel simply overwhelming. Even activities such as nursing or bathing a healthy baby can be intimidating. Our expert NICU nurses give parents hands-on instruction in caring for their sick, fragile, or premature newborn.

We offer special support for parents of our NICU babies, including:

  • Rooms parents can stay in overnight while their baby is in the NICU (depends on availability)
  • One complimentary meal a day for the partner as long as the mother is still hospitalized