Every birth story is different. Although every family hopes for the best circumstances, an uncomplicated birth, and a healthy baby, reality is that life can often take unexpected turns. From preterm birth to congenital birth defects, there are many reasons why a newborn needs to be admitted to a hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). NICUs are a lifeline for critically ill newborns, providing specialized care to stabilize these infants and give them the best chance at a healthy life.
Through our Nominate-a-NICU program, we have been able to support NICUs all over the country with our monthly donations. Your nominations and personal stories have touched the lives of many babies and their families by spreading awareness and giving these NICUs the platform they deserve. This May, we are honored to name Boston Children's Hospital, a top-ranked pediatric hospital in the nation and the world, as our NICU of the month.
About the NICU at Boston Children's Hospital
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Boston Children's Hospital is a Level III/IV, 30-bed referral center for infants who require complex medical and surgical care. The hospital ranks #1 in neonatology in the national U.S. News & World Report rankings, and was the first hospital in Massachusetts to offer therapeutic hypothermia protocol to prevent secondary brain damage in newborns.
Infants admitted to the NICU at Boston Children's Hospital often come from community hospital special care nurseries and other NICUs. Many are referred from other Level III institutions in Massachusetts, as well as from hospitals throughout New England, the country, and internationally, because they require advanced medical or surgical therapies. With a team consisting of experts from multiple specialties, the NICU at Boston Children's Hospital provides advanced therapies and family-centered care for infants from around the region and the world.
Meet the Clinical Care Team
Boston Children's Hospital is committed to providing the highest quality of care for critically ill infants. Patients in the NICU have a clinical care team of experts, consisting of:
- NICU medical director
- Attending neonatologist
- Neonatal fellow
- Attending pediatric surgeon
- Pediatric surgical fellow
- Respiratory therapist
- Nutritionist
- Pharmacist
- Neonatal nurse manager
- Neonatal/pediatric nurse practitioner
- Bedside nurse
- Clinical assistant
- Social worker
- Chaplain
- Child life specialist
- Resource specialist
Words From the Kyte Community
"Boston Children's Hospital is a world-renowned children's hospital providing lifesaving and life-changing care on a daily basis. As a NICU nurse at BCH, I see firsthand how much these NICU families go through and I would love for the unit to be able to continue improving and evolving to keep supporting these babies and their families."
-Allie C.
"My son Jace was born with a complex congenital heart condition and was in the cardiac NICU for 63 days. The team in Boston was beyond phenomenal. They worked hard to educate us on his condition, expectations for the future and how to tend to his needs at home. Without this team, my son wouldn't be thriving the way that he is! Jace has a long journey ahead of him and open heart surgery in the near future, but Boston Children's has helped us to get him to a stable point where we can take him home and give him all the love while he grows."
-Amber G.
"My son was born three months early, weighing in at 2 pounds. He transferred from another hospital's NICU to BCH's NICU because he needed to have an emergency surgery. He spent over six months with them. The NICU team at Boston Children's Hospital are miracle workers!"
-Maura D.
"My son spent the majority of his life here, around 6 months in the NICU. We had many heartbreaks through our stay and we had the most supportive team, who became like family to us. My son ultimately passed away in 2023 at 11.5 months old, and his team came to visit us in his last days even though we hadn't been on the NICU floor in 4 months! They held his hand, snuggled him, held us, and comforted us as we had to make heartbreaking decisions. We recently welcomed his baby brother into the world, and they couldn't have been more supportive. They are truly angels on earth."
-Amanda H.
