Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

If you have a sick or premature infant, you want and need the best possible care. You'll find that care at Children's National Hospital, where our specialized team of pediatric subspecialists and nurses use the latest technology and equipment to ensure that babies in our care have the opportunity to grow up stronger. Our neonatology program continues to be recognized with high rankings from U.S. News & World Report, including our current ranking as the number 2 neonatology program in the country.

NICU Details and Visiting Hours

Our Providers

Our pediatric specialists provide personalized care for your child’s physical, mental and emotional health needs.

Meet the Neonatology Team

Contact Information

For appointments, please call 1-888-884-BEAR (2327) and for information, call NICU administration at 202-476-5448.

Appointments Information

At Children’s National, our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a Level IV NICU. As a Level IV NICU, we offer the highest level of care for premature and ill newborns, as designated by The American Academy of Pediatrics. This means we can:

Offer the full range of pediatric medical subspecialists, pediatric surgical subspecialists and pediatric anesthesiologists on site. Learn more about our team.
Perform complex surgical procedures to repair complex congenital or acquired conditions
Arrange for babies to come to the NICU and provide education for parents and families

Regional NICU Partnerships

Children's National Hospital partners with specialists at other hospital neonatal intensive care units across Maryland and Virginia to provide expert care beyond our main campus.

Learn more about our partnerships

Understanding NICU Levels

All neonatal intensive care units care for babies who need special help, but different NICUs offer different levels of care.

Resource

Learn more about the different levels of NICU care

What to Expect in Our NICU

Who will be caring for my child in the NICU?

Your baby will receive the focus and attention of a team of the best specialists. Because we only treat children and infants, our care team includes leading physicians in every major pediatric surgical and medical subspecialty — like neurology and others — right here on our main campus. That way if your baby needs a specialized type of care, our team can consult immediately, 24/7, with an expert colleague they know and trust.

What should I know about the NICU nursing staff?

What should I expect from the NICU patient rooms?

What programs and resources are available for my child and family?

We know that your family is a core part of your baby’s recovery and healing. That is why we offer unique programs and services, like:

Daily participation in rounds with the team of doctors and nurses caring for your baby
Private rooms with comfortable rockers where we teach you to care for your child safely and comfortably, when you are both ready
Child development specialists who will evaluate and design therapies to help your baby, when ready
Social workers, chaplains and Child Life Specialists who can help different members of your family, including your infant’s siblings
Our NICU Postpartum Support Program, a behavioral health program designed to support parents of babies in the NICU

Your baby is our focus, but the emotional and physical health of your entire family is our goal. Learn more about our Specialized Programs or visit our Resources for Families, where you will find information about what to expect while in the NICU, feeding and bonding resources and a list of supportive services we offer.

What are the NICU visiting hours?

Visitation hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for designated visitors (ask your nurse or social worker for more information).
Parents or caregivers are able to be in the NICU 24 hours a day.
Only two visitors are allowed to be at the bedside at a time.
Siblings who visit must be 10 years of age or older. The hours for visits from siblings are also 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
If you have symptoms of any illness, we ask that you do not visit until you are well and wear a mask in the building. Masks are available at the front desk.

How can I transition from the NICU to my home with my child?

Our goal is to get your baby home with you as soon as is safely possible. Bringing home a tiny baby for the first time after a serious illness can be concerning for many parents. That’s why we offer Parent Transition Rooms, a hotel-like room that allows parents to “practice” being at home with their child — with the reassurance of the NICU staff nearby.

Our care doesn’t stop when you leave. Our Child Development Program evaluates NICU graduates to ensure they are developing appropriately.

Family Resources

Explore our dedicated NICU Family Resources page where you'll find helpful resources and supportive programs created to help families with loved ones in the NICU.

Visit the NICU Family Resources page

NICU Postpartum Support Program

The NICU Postpartum Support Program is an integrated behavioral health program designed to support parents of babies in the NICU at Children’s National Hospital.

Learn more about the NICU Postpartum Support Program

Additional Contact Information

For specific inquiries, please see additional phone numbers below.

NICU Administration: 202-476-5448
Admission to NICU (24/7): 202-476-5040
Admission Fax: 202-476-3459
Neonatal High Risk Follow-Up Appointments: 202-476-5405
Evenings and Weekends: 202-476-5000

For comments and questions, we welcome you to email the unit director.

Email the unit director

Locations

Main Hospital

111 Michigan Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20010

1-888-884-2327

Emergency Department Info

Specialty Care

exterior of George Washington University Hospital building

George Washington Hospital

900 23rd St., NW Washington, DC 20037

202-715-4000

Affiliate
Specialty Care

Howard University Hospital

2041 Georgia Ave Washington, DC 20060

202-865-6100

Affiliate
Specialty Care

Reston Hospital Center

1850 Town Center Parkway Reston, Virginia 20190

703-689-9000

Affiliate
Specialty Care

Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center

2300 Opitz Blvd.Woodbridge, Virginia 22191

703-523-1000

Affiliate
Specialty Care

Stone Springs Hospital Center

24440 Stone Springs Blvd.Dulles, Virginia 20166

571-349-4000

Affiliate
Specialty Care

Virginia Hospital Center

1635 N. George Mason Drive Arlington, Virginia 22205

703-558-5000

571-405-5960

Affiliate
Specialty Care

All Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Locations

Patient Stories

Xiomara's Story
When Xiomara's mother Elena was 20 weeks pregnant, her ultrasound uncovered something that didn't look right. Elena was referred to Children's National Hospital to meet with Mary Donofrio, M.D., in the Fetal Heart Program who flagged a few potential heart issues and continued to monitor Xiomara throughout the remainder of the pregnancy.

Winona's Story
During a routine prenatal appointment at around 16 weeks, Megan and Dennis found out that their unborn daughter had a heart defect. Learn how Yves d'Udekem, M.D., Ph.D., and his team performed a complex surgery on one week old Winona.
Darcy's Story
How outside-the-box thinking and multidisciplinary care preserved the good half of Darcy's brain.
Finding a Better Option for Trace's Seizures
When Trace was born in 2021, he had HME and seizures that evolved into infantile spasms before his second month of life, a type of seizure that causes serious neurodevelopmental delays.
Avery's Story
Faced with an APGAR score of one, which indicated Avery was struggling, the team quickly recognized the infant had hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), one of the most severe complications that can affect full-term infants.
Emilee's Story
How ECMO helped Emilee not only survive, but thrive.

Take a Tour of Our NICU

Learn more and take a look around our Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children's National Hospital. As a Level IV NICU, we offer the highest level of care for premature and ill newborns.

Watch the video