NICU Services and Features

  • Cobedding, when twins and triplets are placed in the same crib, is practiced at the UMass Memorial NICU. In fact, it was at UMass Memorial that the benefits of cobedding were first realized when NICU nurse Gayle Kasparian, RN, placed a critically ill 28-week-old twin into an isolette with her sibling. The response was immediate; within minutes the breathing and heart rate of the critical infant returned to normal and her condition stabilized. The discovery brought UMass Memorial distinction as the first NICU to routinely bed twins and triplets together. Today, cobedding is standard practice in many NICUs across the country.
  • Screening Programs: The NICU provides the following:
    o Hearing evaluation
    o Eye evaluation for retinopathy of prematurity,
    a possible side effect of premature birth
    o Metabolic disorders
    o Car seat testing
  • Our Child Development Program assesses the infant's behavioral and developmental need in the NICU. It helps parents to become well informed and comfortable in caring for their babies, and links parents to community services that may be helpful when the infant is discharged. High-risk infants are followed in the NICU Follow-up Clinic on the University Campus.
  • Case Managers and Social Workers:
    The family of each baby admitted to the NICU has a case manager who works with families, the NICU team and insurance companies to enhance the care the infant receives. The case manager can answer questions about insurance, ease the transition from hospital to home, help plan services for the infant's care at home, and coordinate a discharge plan with the insurance company, if needed. A social worker meets with every family soon after admission. While the social worker's role varies based on the needs of each individual family, she is a true advocate for parents and helps them cope with the stress of having a critically ill child.
  • Our Cuddler Program provides trained volunteers who give infants extra attention between parent visits. Cuddlers, who are always supervised by a nurse, gently talk to, rock, and/or hold the baby. This service is free of charge.
  • Infant Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) classes are offered at no charge for parents, who are urged to take a class before bringing their baby home.
  • Pastoral Care staff includes representatives of various faiths who can provide spiritual comfort to families while a baby is in our NICU. Personal pastors or other religious support professionals are always welcome in the NICU.
  • Our Family Resource Center, staffed with a librarian, can help family members find information on neonatal intensive care, premature birth and specific conditions. The center also offers videos for siblings to watch.
  • A Family Lounge is a comfortable spot for family members and friends to visit, read, watch television, make private telephone calls, play or eat. It includes a small kitchen area and complimentary coffee. Family lockers are available to store personal items.
  • Family Suites are available for overnight stays. Suites are particularly comfortable for parents learning to care for the baby prior to discharge, when an infant is in critical or unstable condition, or for bereavement.
  • Our four Breast Feeding Rooms are comfortable for new mothers for privacy during feeding or pumping milk before the infant can be breast fed. Nurses and lactation consultants encourage mothers to collect and store breast milk until the baby can be fed by breast. Breast milk freezers are available for storage.