Every September is NICU Awareness Month, a time to honor the tiniest fighters among us, their families, and the health professionals who care for them. Many babies spend their first days and weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) due to preterm birth, birth defects, or other health conditions. Thanks to advanced technology and specialized teams of doctors, nurses, therapists, and other professionals, NICUs are able to save many lives and help these vulnerable newborns stabilize and develop properly.
In support of the critical care that these units provide to these sick babies, Kyte Baby makes a donation to a different NICU every single month. Our Nominate-a-NICU program allows members of the Kyte community to share their stories and nominate a hospital of their choice to become our NICU of the month. The recipient of the most nominations and our Kyte Cares donation for September is Mount Sinai West.
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Mount Sinai West
The NICU at Mount Sinai West is a state-of-the-art, Level III, 35-bed unit located in New York City. Caring for over 500 preterm and high-risk newborns each year, this NICU provides expert, comprehensive, family-centered care that can address advanced respiratory concerns, hypothermia, brain issues, and retinopathy of prematurity. Its multidisciplinary staff includes:
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Board-certified neonatologists
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Attending pediatricians
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Pediatric medical subspecialists
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Nurses who specialize in newborn care (half of which are certified lactation counselors or international board-certified lactation consultants)
What to Expect at Mount Sinai West
This unit features 32 patient bays, two isolation rooms, and a “nesting room” with overnight accommodations for parents who want to stay with their babies. At Mount Sinai West, parents are encouraged to visit their baby as often as possible and to take an active role in their child’s care. Parents can participate in daily bedside medical rounds, and are updated on their baby’s condition by the neonatologist every single day. This family-centered care improves both infant and family health outcomes by reducing stress, creating stronger parent-infant bonds, and empowering parents as experts in their baby’s care.
Special Programs at Mount Sinai West
Having a baby in the NICU is extremely hard for families and causes a significant amount of stress. In order to provide the best care for these newborns in the hospital and once they go home, Mount Sinai West offers special programs that support both babies and families through their NICU journey.
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Neonatal Resuscitation Program
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NICU-based social work support, including Parent Sharing Support Group, NICU Family Advisory Council, and Parent CPR Training
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Small group NICU parenting classes
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Music therapy
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Lactation support, provided by a staff of six dedicated certified lactation consultants
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Nesting Room
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Chaplain services
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24-hour live translation services, available in hundreds of languages
Words From the Kyte Community
“We live in California, but our daughter was born prematurely at 29 weeks while we were visiting family in NYC. Mount Sinai took such amazing care of her and all the other babies at the NICU. We met lots of moms who had traveled from out of state to have their baby born at Mount Sinai because Mount Sinai was uniquely positioned to care for their child.”
-Nina Q.
“My twins were born early and the nurses were fantastic in taking care of them!”
-Marlin D.
“Our daughter was born at 22 weeks + 3 days and Mount Sinai took us in right away. After a 5-month journey, we are blessed to have had the entire medical team behind our daughter to help her through each day!”
-Jennifer B.
How to Give
If you would like to give to the NICU at Mount Sinai West, you can make a donation through their giving page.
How to Nominate a NICU
If you have a NICU that you would like us to donate to, you may submit a nomination along with your story on our Nominate-a-NICU page.
