What to Expect in the NICU

When your baby is admitted to the NICU, our team will give you a Family Resource Manual full of information on where to park, places to eat and more. Our three NICU locations offer various meal and coffee options for you and your loved ones. Breastfeeding NICU moms are invited to order complimentary breastfeeding snack trays and meals to help you boost your breastmilk supply.

Upon entry into the NICU, please clean your cell phone and any other electronic devices to help keep your baby safe from germs. We also request that you re-disinfect your phone after you take pictures or videos of your baby. Always wash your hands after using your phone or electronic device, and please refrain from using your device while holding your baby.

Our NICUs promote a quiet atmosphere of healing, so if you need to make a phone call, please step into the family waiting area before using your phone. We appreciate your cooperation and so do your fellow NICU families.

The Wasie NICU is a nationally-recognized Level IV facility for critically ill newborns that require the highest level of complex medical and surgical care. Our 84-bed NICU is the largest in Broward County and one of eleven Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Centers (RPICC) in Florida. Our dedicated team is committed to providing specialized care to high-risk pregnancies and 24/7 neonatal intensive care services to critically ill and low birth weight newborns.

Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital at Memorial Hospital Miramar and Memorial Hospital West provide comprehensive Level III NICU services if your baby arrives prematurely or needs extra medical attention following delivery. Our NICU transport team can seamlessly transfer your baby to the main campus Level IV Wasie NICU if they require a higher level of care or subspeciality evaluation.

Our NICU care team provides 24/7 intensive care services to critically ill and premature newborns. Whether your baby is in the NICU after a high-risk pregnancy or from a complication during delivery, a congenital issue, or low birth weight – we are here to help.

Everything your baby needs is right here, from subspecialty experts to advanced treatment options and diagnostic capabilities for even the tiniest babies. Our multidisciplinary approach to care ensures that your baby will see specialists throughout their NICU stay — and will continue that specialized care through discharge and beyond.

Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit’s Newborn & Infant Chronic Lung Disease Program has extensive experience in the management of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Our multidisciplinary team uses a patient- and family-centered approach to provide an individualized plan for each infant.

Using evidence-based best practices in neonatology, ventilator/respiratory management, specialized nutrition plans and child development, we maximize each infant’s wellbeing to improve and optimize outcomes. Our NICU participates in the Vermont Oxford Network (VON) and is an active participant in the Nationwide BPD Collaborative, benchmarking itself nationally as well as sharing advances in care of neonates and infants with BPD to improve care of this population.

Parents are a core member of our NICU team. We encourage parents and caregivers to spend as much time as possible at your baby’s bedside. The more time you spend learning how to care for your baby during their NICU stay, the more comfortable you’ll feel when it’s time to take your baby home.

Throughout your baby’s stay, NICU parents are invited to:

• Attend daily rounds for an update on your baby’s health
• Be an active participant in your baby’s care, including diaper changes and taking your baby’s temperature
• Enjoy skin-to-skin (kangaroo care) with the assistance of your baby’s nurse
• Participate in NICU parent support groups and lactation support groups  
• Provide valuable feedback on your baby’s care plan
• Utilize hands-on support for breastfeeding in the NICU 

Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital is built on the foundation of patient and family-centered care. We recognize that “family” has many meanings – and we honor all of them. Our NICU care team is here to support your family in any way possible during this uncertain time.

Parents or caregivers are a vital part of your baby’s NICU journey and are welcome to visit the NICU 24 hours a day. We encourage you to be at your baby’s bedside as much as possible, but we know that is not always possible.

To help support you we have a NICVIEW® camera set up for you to log on and see your baby from any device. In addition, you are welcome to call the NICU directly at 954-265-4270 at any time and our unit secretary will connect you with your baby’s nurse for an update.

When your baby is admitted to the NICU, our team will give you a Family Resource Manual full of information on where to park, places to eat and more. Our three NICU locations offer various meal and coffee options for you and your loved ones. Breastfeeding NICU moms are invited to order complimentary breastfeeding snack trays and meals to help you boost your breastmilk supply.

Upon entry into the NICU, please clean your cell phone and any other electronic devices to help keep your baby safe from germs. We also request that you re-disinfect your phone after you take pictures or videos of your baby. Always wash your hands after using your phone or electronic device, and please refrain from using your device while holding your baby.

Our NICUs promote a quiet atmosphere of healing, so if you need to make a phone call, please step into the family waiting area before using your phone. We appreciate your cooperation and so do your fellow NICU families.

The Wasie NICU is a nationally-recognized Level IV facility for critically ill newborns that require the highest level of complex medical and surgical care. Our 84-bed NICU is the largest in Broward County and one of eleven Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Centers (RPICC) in Florida. Our dedicated team is committed to providing specialized care to high-risk pregnancies and 24/7 neonatal intensive care services to critically ill and low birth weight newborns.

Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital at Memorial Hospital Miramar and Memorial Hospital West provide comprehensive Level III NICU services if your baby arrives prematurely or needs extra medical attention following delivery. Our NICU transport team can seamlessly transfer your baby to the main campus Level IV Wasie NICU if they require a higher level of care or subspeciality evaluation.

Our NICU care team provides 24/7 intensive care services to critically ill and premature newborns. Whether your baby is in the NICU after a high-risk pregnancy or from a complication during delivery, a congenital issue, or low birth weight – we are here to help.

Everything your baby needs is right here, from subspecialty experts to advanced treatment options and diagnostic capabilities for even the tiniest babies. Our multidisciplinary approach to care ensures that your baby will see specialists throughout their NICU stay — and will continue that specialized care through discharge and beyond.

Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit’s Newborn & Infant Chronic Lung Disease Program has extensive experience in the management of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Our multidisciplinary team uses a patient- and family-centered approach to provide an individualized plan for each infant.

Using evidence-based best practices in neonatology, ventilator/respiratory management, specialized nutrition plans and child development, we maximize each infant’s wellbeing to improve and optimize outcomes. Our NICU participates in the Vermont Oxford Network (VON) and is an active participant in the Nationwide BPD Collaborative, benchmarking itself nationally as well as sharing advances in care of neonates and infants with BPD to improve care of this population.

Parents are a core member of our NICU team. We encourage parents and caregivers to spend as much time as possible at your baby’s bedside. The more time you spend learning how to care for your baby during their NICU stay, the more comfortable you’ll feel when it’s time to take your baby home.

Throughout your baby’s stay, NICU parents are invited to:

• Attend daily rounds for an update on your baby’s health
• Be an active participant in your baby’s care, including diaper changes and taking your baby’s temperature
• Enjoy skin-to-skin (kangaroo care) with the assistance of your baby’s nurse
• Participate in NICU parent support groups and lactation support groups  
• Provide valuable feedback on your baby’s care plan
• Utilize hands-on support for breastfeeding in the NICU 

Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital is built on the foundation of patient and family-centered care. We recognize that “family” has many meanings – and we honor all of them. Our NICU care team is here to support your family in any way possible during this uncertain time.

Parents or caregivers are a vital part of your baby’s NICU journey and are welcome to visit the NICU 24 hours a day. We encourage you to be at your baby’s bedside as much as possible, but we know that is not always possible.

To help support you we have a NICVIEW® camera set up for you to log on and see your baby from any device. In addition, you are welcome to call the NICU directly at 954-265-4270 at any time and our unit secretary will connect you with your baby’s nurse for an update.