Nurse with newborn in NICU at The Christ Hospital

Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Delivery is a big transition for any newborn – greeting that great big world with first breaths, first sounds, and those precious first moments with family.

When a baby arrives prematurely or is born with special health needs, the transition from womb to world often requires extra support and a dedicated care team.

The Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at our Mt. Auburn Birthing Center provides exceptional care for our tiniest patients all while keeping families nearby in a nurturing environment.

Our NICU was designed by our physicians and nurses to care for newborns with greater needs in an efficient, supportive environment. Extra attention has also been given for parents to have greater comfort and privacy.

If you are experiencing a high-risk pregnancy, our Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists provide expert care for both mother and baby. Call The Christ Hospital Perinatal Office at 513-585-1980 to request a consultation.

Care for our smallest patients

Our NICU is designed to care for babies born prematurely, moms who had a previous premature birth, and moms expecting twins, triplets and multiples. These newborns often need extra support to continue their physical and neurological development outside the womb.

Together, our neonatologists and specially trained nurses provide all the comprehensive neonatal care that is available in a Level III NICU, including placing chest tubes and peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) lines used to provide nutrition and medication. And for infants needing help breathing, we offer mechanical ventilation for as long as they need.

Alongside this care, infants in our NICU can also receive other non-surgical services, including:

Advanced imaging, including MRI, CT scans and echocardiography
Dedicated respiratory therapists, nutritionists, neonatal pharmacists, occupational therapy, and subspecialist support from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

A womb-like environment

The womb is the best environment for development. Our state-of-the-art NICU is designed to mimic that environment as closely as possible for premature babies so they can continue to grow and flourish outside the womb.

To reach that goal, our NICU offers:

Special lighting that automatically brightens and dims to encourage healthy sleep/wake cycles
Noise-reducing flooring lowers the volume level to support neurological development
Individual cribs with temperature and humidity controls that promote proper skin development and allow you to touch your baby.

Our NICU environment promotes better outcomes for premature infants. By providing developmentally appropriate care, we help premature infants maximize their potential.

Coordinated care to encourage development

Babies need as much undisturbed, restful time as possible for healthy development. Our NICU provides those services through clustered care.

Our neonatal specialists are available to offer care around the clock, but they schedule team visits with your baby. The team visits your baby's bedside all at the same time, offering coordinated care and delivering services more efficiently.

Support for families

We know how important it is for you to stay close to your child while they're with us. So, our NICU bays are designed to help you be part of your child's care from the beginning. We even have rooms designed specifically for families of twins and triplets. This way, you can be with all your children at the same time.

When it's time to take your baby home, you can spend 24 hours in a private transition room. During that time, one of our highly trained nurses will walk you through everything you need to know to give your baby the care they need at home. It's your time to practice and ask questions so you feel comfortable and confident when you leave the hospital.

A partner for future care

We also partner with Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center to help you access the additional services your child may need as they grow. Early in your child's stay with us, we will help you determine any special care they may need in the future like cardiology, neurology, gastrointestinal care, or pediatric ophthalmology (eye care) just to name a few. In those cases, we'll connect you with specialists so you can begin building a relationship with them.

Through this partnership, we have also joined Cincinnati Children's Perinatal Institute. As part of this initiative, we contribute to and learn from ongoing research efforts designed to improve care for premature babies.

Here to help you explore your options

If you are expecting a pre-term birth or are looking for an obstetrician to partner in your delivery and care, call our women's health nurse navigator at 513-261-8007 for a free, confidential conversation.

You can also click or tap here to schedule a tour of our Birthing Center and explore our childbirth education classes and resources.