NICUs at Baptist Health of Alabama
When a baby is born early or needs a higher level of care after birth, parents can rely on the expertly trained team in the neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) at Baptist Health.
The NICUs at both Baptist Medical Center South and Baptist Medical Center East are Level III regional neonatal intensive care units, as designated by the American Academy of Pediatrics. These teams of specialists provide the highest level of care in the region, using the latest technology.
The NICU at Baptist Medical Center South also cares for infants born at other hospitals who need a higher level of care, so whether you deliver your baby with us or not, you’ll have access to the highest level of NICU resources in Alabama. Premature and critically sick babies from about 20 nearby area hospitals may be transferred to Baptist South via Angel One—a specially equipped ambulance designed for critically ill babies.
This rolling NICU provides patients with the most advanced technologies. Our Transport Team is available 24/7 to depart within 30 minutes of receiving a call, and they can treat the most critical conditions, with the high level of responsiveness that parents require when it comes to their newborns.
Highly Skilled, Compassionate Care Team
Our NICU team consists of:
- Neonatologists (pediatricians with specialized training in newborn care)
- Pediatric ophthalmologists
- Pediatric cardiologists
- Neonatal nurse practitioners
- Registered nurses
- Respiratory therapists
- Technicians
Partnership with Parents
Even the best technology cannot replace parents' gentle encouragement and tender care for their baby. At Baptist Health, we work in partnership with parents as we develop care plans for their babies, and uphold a compassion-focused mindset at all of our facilities.
As babies gain strength, parents’ roles expand. Parents may sit by their babies and touch them at first, but later can hold them skin-on-skin; give them a bottle or breastfeed; change diapers and bathe babies, depending on the infant’s progress.
We offer extended visiting hours and are open 21 hours a day for you to visit your baby, closed only during shift changes. Grandparents and other guests approved by parents may also visit babies in the NICU. Siblings may visit babies in the NICU after they are screened for illnesses. (During flu season, no children are allowed to visit.)
Preparing for Home
When the momentous day for a baby to go home arrives, our trained staff will prepare new parents with all the information they need, including infant CPR education, car seat assistance, and contact information for all the new parent services provided at our facilities.
In addition, parents may spend the night with their baby in a room off the NICU to feel more prepared for discharge. Nearby nurses are available to answer questions, so parents feel comfortable taking care of their babies on their own once they arrive home.
Get Involved
You can support our NICUs and our tiniest patients! Learn more by visiting Baptist Health Care Foundation.
Birdies for Babies, a premier golf event in the Montgomery area, raises significant funds that directly benefit Baptist Health’s two Neonatal Intensive Care Units at Baptist Medical Center East and Baptist Medical Center South.