Neonatology
When your baby arrives early or needs extra medical care, you want experts by your side. Our neonatal teams care for a 1,000+ newborns each year at our hospitals—with doctors on-site 24/7 and families at the center of everything we do.
Related condition
Premature babies and critically ill full-term newborns need highly specialized care. Our neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) bring together neonatologists—doctors who specialize in newborn care—along with advanced practitioners, nurses, respiratory therapists, physicial therapists, feeding specialists, speech-language pathologists, social workers, care managers and lactation consultants.
A member of our NICU team attends every delivery where complications are possible, and our doctors and advanced practitioners are in the hospital around the clock. Your baby's care plan is personalized, and you are part of the team — because parents play a real role in helping babies heal and grow.
What makes our NICUs special
We offer four levels of newborn care across northern New Jersey, so your baby gets the right care close to home.
Sam's NICU is a 34-bed Level III NICU and a Regional Perinatal Center designated by the New Jersey Department of Health. Our team cares for extremely premature babies and newborns with complex illnesses, genetic conditions, or surgical needs. Neonatologists and advanced practitioners are on-site 24 hours a day and coordinate care with pediatric subspecialists.
Overlook's 15-bed Level III NICU cares for extremely premature infants and babies with a wide range of medical and surgical needs. Like Morristown, the unit is staffed by neonatologists and advanced neonatal practitioners around the clock.
Chilton's Level II Special Care Nursery cares for babies born after 31 weeks who need critical care, including newborns with infections or breathing problems. The nursery is always staffed by experienced neonatologists, advanced neonatal practitioners, and pediatric hospitalists.
Newton's Level II Intermediate Care Nursery is staffed by in-house pediatric hospitalists, available 24/7 to coordinate newborn care and attend deliveries.
CentraState’s Level II Special Care Nursery provides 24/7 care from neonatologists and specially trained nurses for babies born after 32 weeks who need close monitoring or treatment for mild to moderate health concerns. Using advanced technology in a calm, supportive environment, we care for issues like breathing problems, infections and low birth weight while helping you bond with your newborn.
Expecting a baby who may need special care?
If a condition is found during pregnancy, early planning leads to better outcomes.
Neonatal transport
Sometimes a baby born at another hospital needs a higher level of care. As the regional perinatal center, Sam's NICU at Goryeb Children's Hospital accepts newborn transfers from across New Jersey.
Our hospital-based transport team—neonatology physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists—travels with your baby every step of the way. The ambulance carries a specially designed incubator with a built-in newborn respirator, IV pumps and heart and breathing monitors. Emergency transport is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Family-centered care
You're part of the team
Having a NICU baby is stressful. We work hard to make it an environment where babies can heal and parents feel at ease. Our approach is called family centered care—open communication between your baby's care team and your family, and real support to help you bond with and care for your baby.
A NICU built for healing—and for families
Advanced technology
Voice-activated calling let's nurses stay at your baby's bedside instead of answering pages. Duplicate monitors at the nursing stations cut down on in-room alarms, so your baby rests in a calmer space.
Comforts of home
Spacious private and semi-private rooms fit families—including twins and triplets. You'll find sleeper sofas, soft lighting, personal temperature control, sound dampening design and free Wi-Fi.
Family support
In room lactation equipment and refrigerators make feeding easier. A family lounge offers TV, refreshments and activities for siblings, plus programs like the NICU Hugger Program and Lending Library.
Helping you bond with and care for your baby
We believe strongly in helping mothers to accomplish their breastfeeding goals and rigorously support lactation in the NICU. Our nurses help mothers with nursing and advise them on the use of electric pumps and milk storage. Our neonatal staff educates families about the nutritional needs of infants and helps them to bond with their babies. Our lactation consultants and neonatal feeding specialists are always available to ensure that we are doing everything possible to make it work.
We also promote kangaroo care, which encourages parents to hold their baby in an upright position, skin-to-skin on their chest. Your baby thereby becomes more familiar with your scent, voice, touch and breathing, leading to improved infant-parent boding and helping your newborn develop a sense of security and belonging. Comfortable recliners are available in the NICU to help enhance the kangaroo care experience.
We encourage parents and families to interact with their babies as much as possible, and to become familiar with their daily routines. This process may be gradual, and depends on the level of clinical support an infant requires. Nonetheless, our nurses facilitate this process in the NICU so parents become comfortable handling their infants while recognizing their limits.
NICU rounds occur daily - when your baby’s care team gathers to discuss the medical plan for the day. We invite parents to attend daily rounds. You can ask questions about your infant’s care and speak face-to-face with any member of your infant’s care team.
Specialized NICU programs and services
Care doesn't stop at the NICU door. These programs support your baby—and your family—before birth, during your stay and after you go home.
Coordinated care during pregnancy when a baby is expected to need specialized care, in partnership with maternal-fetal medicine. Includes prenatal consultations and NICU tours.
Infant apnea program
Some premature babies go home with an apnea (breathing) monitor. Our team provides training, ongoing support and medical management.
NICU developmental follow-up program
After discharge, your baby can receive coordinated outpatient care with pediatricians, therapists and socials workers.
Ongoing breastfeeding support for NICU families.
Neonatal CPR education
Hands-on training so you feel prepared before taking your baby home.
We track clinical practices and outcomes so we can keep improving care and adopting the latest innovations.
NICU frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions families ask most.
A NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) is a hospital unit that cares for newborns who need extra medical support — including premature babies and full-term babies with health problems. Atlantic Health operates NICUs and special care nurseries at Atlantic Health Morristown, Overlook, CentraState, Chilton and Newton medical centers in New Jersey.
The level of care a newborn needs varies based on several factors, including overall health at birth, weight, and pregnancy weeks. The American Academy of Pediatrics categorizes the degree of care a hospital can provide into levels:
- Level I, Well Newborn Nursery – has dedicated staff caring for babies born after 35 weeks and are stable.
- Level II, Special Care Nursery – has dedicated staff caring for babies born at or after 32 weeks. These babies may have minor health problems requiring close observation or other special attention.
- Level III, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) – has dedicated staff caring for babies born before 32 weeks, critically ill babies of any age or weight, and babies in need of surgery.
Our neonatal transport team can bring your baby to Sam's NICU at Goryeb Children's Hospital, our regional perinatal center. A team of neonatology physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists travels with your baby in a specially equipped ambulance, 24/7.
A regional perinatal center is a hospital designated by the New Jersey Department of Health to provide the highest level of care for mothers and newborns — and to accept transfers from other hospitals. Sam's NICU at Goryeb Children's Hospital, Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center, holds this designation.