Neonatal intensive care
When newborns arrive early or have medical complications, they need a special place to grow and heal. The newborn intensive care units (NICUs) at Sharp are state-of-the-art environments that provide around-the-clock, life-saving care for newborns.
State-of-the-art healing for newborns
When newborns arrive early or have medical complications, they need a special place to grow and heal. The neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) at Sharp are state-of-the-art environments that provide around-the-clock, lifesaving care for newborns and their families.
The family is an important part of the care for these newborns, and parents are encouraged to hold, change and visit with their babies throughout the day. Our NICUs also feature AngelEye bedside cameras, so parents can securely view baby when away from the hospital.
Specialized staff provide instruction on breastfeeding, caring for fragile newborns and other skills to prepare parents to care for their babies at home. The staff includes physicians and nurses who specialize in neonatology, nutritionists, rehabilitation therapists, lactation specialists, respiratory therapists, social workers and research specialists.
Resources for NICU parents
Guiding parents through the NICU experience
This specialized guide from Sharp Mary Birch Hospital (also available in Spanish) provides important information about what to expect as a NICU parent, such as caring for your baby during the first few weeks of life and preparing for your baby’s discharge from the hospital.Infant CPR
While the thought of using cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on your baby is frightening, knowing what to do in an emergency could save a life. The Sharp Training Center created this brief instructional video (also available in Spanish) that shares how to perform CPR and chocking prevention techniques on an infant.Kangaroo care in the NICU
We encourage you to be as hands on and involved as possible with your baby, even while in the NICU. Learn how to do skin-to-skin contact, also known as kangaroo care.Hydrotherapy in the NICU
Hydrotherapy treatments are used to promote brain development and motor patterns in babies born earlier than 32 weeks.
Sharp Mary Birch NICU resources
At Sharp Mary Birch, we've collected various tools to help you care for your newborn and connect with fellow parents and guardians who have babies in the NICU.
Guiding parents through the NICU experience (also available in Spanish)
Sharp Mary Birch NICU intermediate care welcome
While some babies need long-term intensive care at our NICU, others just need a little extra support. We want to welcome you to the NICU. The care here is carefully designed to support the growth and development of newborns, with the goal of ensuring your little one can go home and stay home.Sharp Mary Birch Support Group
Join our support group every Wednesday from 1 to 2 pm for parents and guardians whose baby is in the NICU. We meet in the NICU, and walk-ins are welcome. Prior to your arrival, please refer to our current visitation guidelines. If you have any questions, please call the Sharp Mary Birch Social Work Department at 858-939-4133.Sharp Mary Birch NICU Parent Facebook Group
We created a safe place exclusively for current and past NICU parents to support one another. Go to Facebook and search “Sharp Mary Birch NICU Parent Support Group.” Click the “Join Group” button for one of our staff members to confirm your information and grant you access.NICU to Now
Our support of each NICU family continues far beyond the day they graduate. Please share your NICU to NOW story, including your NICU graduate's growth, milestones and accomplishments with the Sharp Mary Birch NICU community.
Improving outcomes for our tiniest patients
The research and clinical trials conducted at our Neonatal Research Institute lead to innovative treatments and medical practices that improve the health and growth of preterm babies and newborns throughout San Diego County and beyond.
At our Nemeth NICU Follow-up Clinic, preterm babies get specialized follow-up care and assessments that promote growth after leaving the NICU.
