Ochsner Hospital for Children is dedicated to providing outstanding, personalized care for infants, children and adolescents. Recognizing that pediatric care is the beginning of the healthcare journey, Ochsner Hospital Center for Children offers an interdisciplinary approach that honors diversity, encourages open discussion and respects the parents’ and child’s rights to participate in the planning of care.

Sound medical research and education, empowered by skill and technology, bolster Ochsner Hospital for Children’s commitment to excellence in pediatric care. With the assistance of an experienced group of neonatal nurse practitioners, our team of board certified neonatologists directs the 54-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Ochsner Baptist - A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center.

The NICU carries a Level III regional designation – the highest level designation awarded by the state of Louisiana – and has long been commended for its innovative approach to caring for the sickest newborns. Additionally, the neonatal transport team can be dispatched in less than 30 minutes (weather permitting) and travels by ambulance, helicopter or plane as the need dictates. Partnering with our colleagues in obstetrics and perinatal medicine, Ochsner's neonatologists optimize the outcome of each pregnancy – knowing that the NICU and its staff are available should the need arise.

The referral of a high-risk expectant mother allows time for family preparation and permits the mother and her infant to remain in close proximity after delivery. To help newborns get healthy, out of the hospital and back home with their parents sooner, the NICU employs techniques such as kangaroo care (allowing skin-to-skin contact of a baby with its mother), which has been proven to decrease the length of the stay and to promote infant-mother bonding while encouraging the mother to breast feed her child.

Ochsner’s neonatal nurse discharge coordinator also begins assessing the needs of each patient and family soon after birth in order to facilitate the transition from hospital to go as smoothly as possible.

Some of the special services available include the management of:

• Premature birth and its resulting complications
• Respiratory distress syndrome (surfactant deficiency)
• Inhaled nitric oxide therapy (which is available during transport)
• Pulmonary hypertension care
• High-frequency jet and oscillatory ventilation
• Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
• Pediatric subspecialty surgical intervention

Contact Information

• NICU direct phone: 504-842-3650
• NICU direct fax: 504-842-5138
• Neonatology office: 504-842-3658

NICU

A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a highly specialized center for premature and special needs newborns and infants. Everyone on our staff is dedicated to the health and well being of your baby.

Locations

Ochsner offers a NICU at several locations:

• Ochsner Baptist Women's Pavilion offers a 36-bed, Level 3 regional designation NICU – the highest level designation awarded by the State of Louisiana
• Ochsner Medical Center - West Bank Campus offers a 16-bed, Level 3 unit located adjacent to the Labor and Delivery unit
• Ochsner Medical Center - Baton Rouge offers a Level 3 NICU, with a "starlight" ceiling
• Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner offers a Level 2 NICU located within the hospital building