NICU - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit - GBMC HealthCare in Baltimore, MD

It's our compassion and capabilities that make us different

Sick newborns or very premature infants and babies that require close observation are admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). GBMC's NICU is a 30 bed Level III provider of tertiary newborn services. The NICU team provides complex and compassionate medical and general pediatric surgical care for newborns of all birth weights and gestational ages from birth to discharge.

The GBMC NICU team provide treatment for a full range of neonatal medical problems. Our caring staff includes:

Three full-time neonatologists
Experienced pediatricians
Neonatal nurse practitioners
Skilled physician assistants
State-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment technology

Our Team

Select a provider below to learn more

Susan Wright Aucott, MD
Director of Neonatology
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine

Sabah M. Helou, MD
Director of Newborn Nursery
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine

Abigail I. Aghion, MD
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
Pediatrics

Howard J. Birenbaum, MD
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine

Maria A. Pane, MD
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine

Our Services

We are designated as a Level III NICU by the State of Maryland based on our ability to provide increasingly complex care. The staff is also skilled in providing pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative care as needed for many general pediatric surgical conditions. As a Level III provider of newborn services, we have the capabilities to deliver:

Comprehensive care for all extremely low birth weight infants regardless of gestational age or birth weight
Advanced respiratory support such as high-frequency ventilation for as long as required
Quick access to a full range of pediatric medical subspecialists
Advanced imaging, with interpretation on an urgent basis, including computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and echocardiography
Pediatric surgical specialists and pediatric anesthesiologists to perform major surgery

The NICU at GBMC is a special place where highly-trained doctors and other healthcare professionals give your baby around-the-clock care. Our goal is the same as yours – to help your baby grow and become healthy enough to go home.

The Preemie Who Became Known as 'Rocky'

"On March 28, 2014, my wife, Heather, entered GBMC in full labor at 23 weeks and 1 day into her pregnancy. She was told the baby would have less than a 35 percent chance of survival. He was born weighing 1 pound, 15 ounces and was sent to the NICU — where he was placed on a ventilator and into an incubator — immediately after birth."

Watch & Read Grayson's Story

The NICU is moving to a new home!

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New Life, New Beginnings: A New NICU at GBMC

With patient-centered care at the heart of our work, we are updating and renovating our NICU to meet the needs of all the new precious lives that begin here at GBMC. A new NICU -- refreshed with a friendly palette of colors and new single-family rooms (SFR) lined with windows that share glimpses of nature -- will welcome our tiniest new babies and their families.

NICU Guide Booklet

Expert Care for Your Baby - A Parents Guide to the NICU

Congratulations on the new addition to your family and thank you for allowing us to provide special care for your baby. Although nearly 10 percent of all infants delivered each year at GBMC are treated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), we understand that giving birth to a sick or premature baby can be quite unexpected for you. You may be worried, upset or confused during this time, but rest assured that by working together, the NICU staff can better understand and help you and your baby in this very special environment.

Download our NICU booklet to help aid your journey

For Parents and Family

Parents are encouraged to visit frequently. Visiting is permitted at all times except during the hours of nursing shift change (6:30 - 7:30 AM and PM). Here are some NICU visiting policies:

Family, including siblings at least 12 years of age, and friends may visit.
Following screening, siblings between the ages of 3-12 years may also visit.
Parents are also encouraged to provide breast and bottle feedings when appropriate.

For parents' convenience, family sleep rooms are located adjacent to the unit. These rooms are utilized by parents prior to the discharge of their child, allowing them to practice the skills they need to ease the passage from hospital to home. They are also available during the hospital stay for patents whose children are unstable and require more intensive services.

Our Discharge Coordinator, a NICU nurse, helps to facilitate a baby's transition from hospital to home. Her duties include:

Obtaining insurance approval for home medications, equipment and skilled care, allowing for a smooth transition.
Assisting families with setting up outpatient specialist visits including occupational and physical therapy, neurodevelopmental follow up and other visits as needed.
Answering any last minute questions before discharge.

FAQ

What is a Level III NICU?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a Level III NICU is able to:

Provide comprehensive care for infants less than 28 weeks gestation and less then 1,000 grams (approximately 2 pounds) birth weight
Provide advanced respiratory support, such as high-frequency ventilation or inhaled nitric oxide
Perform major surgical procedures on neonates (excluding ECMO and repaid of complex congenital heart defects requiring cardiopulmonary bypass)
Provide prompt, onsite access to a full-range of pediatric subspecialty consultants as well as pediatric surgical and anesthesia specialists
Provide advanced imaging support on an urgent basis including CT, MRI, and echocardiography

How long will my baby be in the NICU?
The requirements for discharge are based on weight gain, eating food by mouth, and maintaining temperature in an open crib.

When can I hold my baby?
Holding your baby is beneficial to both you and your baby. We have to make sure that you baby is stable enough to tolerate being moved out of the bed and held, but don't be afraid to ask one of the nurses if your baby is ready to be held.

When can I visit?
Visiting is permitted at all times, except during nursing shift change (6:30 - 7:30 in the morning and evening.)

Can my other children visit?
Yes! Siblings at least 12 years of age may visit, and should be accompanied by an adult. Children ages 3-12 are permitted to visit following a routine screening.