Special babies need special care
It can feel overwhelming when something doesn’t go as planned during your pregnancy or labor and delivery. If your baby has a health complication or arrives early, you can trust that Baylor Scott & White’s comprehensive neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have the specialists, services and technologies your baby needs.
Expert care with a compassionate touch
At Baylor Scott & White’s NICUs, you and your baby have access to well-equipped and experienced care teams to provide the most appropriate treatment for your baby.
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Advanced ventilator and respiratory technology
Babies born with respiratory distress syndrome, lung infections or other breathing difficulties can receive the help they need to breathe.
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Giraffe OmniBeds
These specially designed beds provide a protective, quiet environment for newborns. They deliver a consistent temperature to keep an infant’s body temperature from changing too much while minimizing noise to reduce stress on your baby. They’re designed to let you interact with and comfort your baby.
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Light therapy
Infants in the NICU, including those with conditions like jaundice, receive personalized care at Baylor Scott & White NICUs. You'll have access to technologies tailored to your baby's needs, ensuring proper healing and recovery.
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Nutritional support
It's essential to ensure your baby receives the calories, protein and nutrients necessary to grow and develop, especially if your baby was born at a low birth weight. Your team will work with you to feed your baby breastmilk or offer food through other means to ensure adequate nutrition.
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Specialized monitoring
In the NICU, it's important to monitor babies' heart rates, breathing and other vital signs closely. You and your baby will have access to advanced, specialized equipment that not only minimizes noise and stress but also provides your team with the necessary information to care for your infant.
Family-focused NICU services
Whether your baby needs a brief NICU stay after a difficult birth or a month-long stay to gain the strength to go home, your team will ensure you are fully involved in your baby’s care.
Specialized education
You will receive specialized educational materials that help you understand your baby's health condition and unique health needs. Our dedicated staff will explain complex medical terms and treatments so you are fully aware of what is happening with your baby.
Kangaroo care
Your team will help you arrange a special time to interact and bond with your baby. Our NICUs encourage kangaroo care or skin-to-skin contact.
Family-friendly design
At your NICU, you may have access to:
- 24/7 online access to view your baby through our web camera system
- Family lounge
- Visiting hours for parents and friends
- Sleeper sofas and showers
When it’s time for your child to go home, you will receive comprehensive discharge planning and coordination. Our neonatal care specialists also offer ongoing care to address your baby’s health as they grow.
Understanding NICU levels
The level of care your infant needs will depend on their diagnosis or particular need. Throughout the Baylor Scott & White system, parents have access to all levels of NICU care.
Level I
Level I newborn nurseries provide care for mildly sick and slightly preterm babies who can breathe on their own and maintain their body temperature.
Level II
Level II special care nurseries offer services to infants born after 32 weeks who may need ventilation or babies who need extra time to heal before going home.
Level III
Level III NICUs provide advanced and comprehensive care for critically ill or premature babies born before 32 weeks, including sustained life support and access to a range of pediatric subspecialists.
Level IV
Level IV NICUs at Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center in Temple and Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas offer the highest level of care. In addition to advanced life-support services and technologies, these NICUs also have sophisticated surgical and imaging capabilities.
A team approach to care
Caring for NICU babies requires a team of specialists who work around the clock to support your newborn. NICU staff at Baylor Scott & White will vary by location and NICU level, but you can count on our multidisciplinary professionals to have the latest training to care for your sick or premature baby.
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Comprehensive support network
Our neonatologists and neonatal nurse practitioners work closely with family care coordinators, social workers and chaplains to meet your family’s emotional and logistical needs. If you or your baby requires it, you will also have support from lactation consultants and occupational or respiratory therapists.
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Coordination with your prenatal care team
Some of our NICU locations also have maternal-fetal medicine specialists on the medical staff. Neonatologists often work with maternal-fetal specialists before babies are born to coordinate care during and after high-risk pregnancies or when babies have a birth defect requiring care immediately after birth.
Find a location near you
You can find NICU care at Baylor Scott & White hospital locations throughout North and Central Texas. If needed, your team can help stabilize your baby for transfer to a facility with a higher level of care.
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