Special Programs | Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) | UC Davis Children's Hospital

Families of infants cared for in our NICU have available overnight sleeping rooms where they may become accustomed to caring for their babies prior to discharge.

Mothers are encouraged to keep their baby in the room with them during their hospital stay (“rooming-in”). Rooming-in offers time for mother and baby to bond and develop skills such as breastfeeding (if possible), bathing and general care of the newborn. Specially trained nurses are available to assist families in the care of their newborn.

The webcam program equips every bed at the NICU with a webcam. This allows parents and families to see their baby through a secure connection from a home computer, tablet or cellphone 24/7, even when they are not at the bedside.

The expansion to every bed is the latest development in the UC Davis FamilyLink program and is funded by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Using a Miris human milk analyzer machine, mother's breast milk is analyzed for calorie content and key nutrients such as protein, fat and carbohydrates. Based on the analysis, the milk is fortified to suit each infant’s individualized growth needs. This special program is funded by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

For many first-time mothers, breastfeeding can be a challenging skill that can take time to learn. Our nurses are trained to teach new mothers how to breastfeed. Certified lactation consultants are also available and both consultants and nurses can teach new mothers how to pump or hand-express breast milk. We also offer a variety of postpartum breastfeeding resources including telephone support, classes and support groups.