Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
Specialized Care for Your Newborn, Compassionate Support for Your Family
At Windsor Regional Hospital, our 22-bed NICU provides advanced, family-centered care for newborns who need specialized medical attention. With Level 2c capabilities and select Level 3a services, our team is here to support your baby and you every step of the way.
What We Offer
Our NICU is equipped to care for a wide range of conditions with:
- Advanced breathing support: Conventional and high-frequency ventilation
- Therapeutic hypothermia for neuroprotection
- Cerebral Function Monitor to monitor brain activity
- Inhaled nitric oxide for lungs with high blood pressure
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening and treatment, including Laser and Anti-VEGF therapy
- Functional echocardiography and point-of-care ultrasound
Meet Your Baby's Care Team
Your baby will be cared for by a compassionate and experienced team:
- Neonatologists
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (NNPs)
- Specialized NICU Nurses
- Allied Health Professionals (respiratory therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, social workers, and more)
We work together and with you to provide the best possible care.
Tips for New NICU Parents
Being in the NICU can be overwhelming. Here are some helpful tips to support you during this journey:
- Ask Questions - Don't hesitate to ask your care team anything. Understanding your baby's condition and treatment helps you feel more confident and involved.
- Be Present - Spending time with your baby - holding, talking, touching, or simply being nearby - can be comforting for both of you.
- Keep a Journal - Write down updates, milestones, and questions. It helps track progress and gives you a space to reflect.
- Take Care of Yourself - Eat, rest, and take breaks. Caring for yourself helps you care for your baby.
- Lean on Support - Talk to social workers, join p
arent groups, or connect with others who've been through NICU experiences. You're not alone.
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Learn About Your Baby's Care - Your team will teach you how to care for your baby: feeding, diapering, holding, and more, so you're ready when it's time to go home.
Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
At WRH, patient safety is of utmost importance for our vulnerable neonatal population. To achieve this goal, we conduct monthly interdisciplinary reviews of our clinical practices within the NICU and with the obstetrical team.
The practices in our NICU are standardized with neonatal units across Canada, including the London NICU.
Learn More
We also compare how our patients do in the NICU to other NICUs across the country regarding lung health, brain health, eye development, infection and gut health as part of the
Canadian Neonatal Network on a yearly basis.
To improve our care, WRH is also part of a national project called Evidence-Based Practice for Improving Quality that has been ongoing in 30 Canadian NICUs since 2010. Locally in WRH, we have significantly reduced our infection rates related to central lines. In addition, brain injury has decreased with our brain protection protocol for preterm infants.
Parent health and well-being are also important to us. As such, one of our initiatives has been a parent committee called FACT that is involved in quality improvement projects in areas such as parental mental health and breastfeeding.
Discharge Planning
Members of the NICU multidisciplinary team begin discharge planning for all infants from the time of admission. Each baby's length of stay is different and is based on their gestational age at birth and the medical problems that they have.
In general, the more premature the baby, the longer the stay. Discharge planning is discussed regularly during patient care rounds.
Learn More
It is very important to us that you have a well-planned and safe discharge. In addition to the infant being ready for discharge, it is important that parents are competent in caring for their infant and that appropriate follow up appointments are put in place.
Your baby is ready for discharge when:
- They no longer require intravenous therapy.
- They are taking all their feeds by breast and/or bottle.
- They have steady weight gain.
- They are no longer experiencing episodes of bradycardia or apnea.
- They sleep on their back in an open crib or cot and maintain their temperature.
Your baby's discharge is an exciting time that can also cause some fear and anxiety transition from the hospital environment to the home environment. These feelings are normal. Our team will support you in transitioning your baby home and will involve you in their care from admission to discharge in order that you have an increasing level of comfort as discharge approaches.
At the time of discharge, you will know how to:
- Bath and dress your baby
- Change your baby's diaper
- Understand your baby's hunger cues as well as cues of being tired or overstimulated
- Settle them when they are upset
- Breastfeed and/or bottle feed your baby.
- Give your baby their medicine.
- Provide any other specific care your baby needs at home.
- Recognize signs and symptoms of illness.
- Contact appropriate resources if you have a question about caring for your baby
It is highly recommended that prior to discharge you:
- Room in with your baby at least 24-48 hours in order to develop confidence in taking care of your infant independently with minimal nursing support
- Get your baby's things ready at home ahead of time such as the crib, clothes, blankets, diapers and bottles
- Read through your car seat manual and practice putting your car seat in your car at least one week prior to discharge
- Choose a doctor for your baby at least one week prior to the discharge
- Review Infant CPR
Following discharge, you may have multiple care providers who continue to see your baby. In addition to the appointments with your baby's primary doctor, you may be visiting:
- The NICU or Pediatric Dietitian if your infant is on a special diet.
- The Neurodevelopmental Follow-up Clinic if your infant was born at less than 32 weeks of gestation or if there are other risk factors for neurodevelopmental outcome.
FAQs
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Babies may need NICU care due to prematurity, breathing issues, infections, or other medical concerns.
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Yes! We encourage parents to be involved in care and bonding as much as possible.
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A team of doctors, nurses, and specialists will care for your baby and keep you informed.
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Our support staff, including social workers, are here to help. We also offer resources and referrals for emotional support.
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You'll receive regular updates and can ask questions anytime. We believe in open communication.
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We'll guide you through discharge planning, provide education, and ensure you feel confident taking your baby home.
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WE'RE HERE FOR YOU!
Having a baby in the NICU is never easy - but you're not alone. At Windsor Regional Hospital, we're here to support your baby's health and your family's well-being. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact our NICU team.
FAQs - NICU Medical
Prematurity
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Prematurity means your baby was born too early - before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Because they didn't have enough time to fully develop, they may need help with breathing, feeding, and staying warm.
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Premature babies often stay in the NICU until they're strong enough to go home. Most grow and develop well with the right care.
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Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN)
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This is a condition where your baby's lungs have high blood pressure, making it hard for oxygen to get into the body.
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We use special breathing support, oxygen, and sometimes a gas called nitric oxide to help relax the lung vessels and improve oxygen levels.
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Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
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HIE is a type of brain injury caused by low oxygen or blood flow during or just after birth.
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We use cooling therapy (called therapeutic hypothermia) to protect the brain and reduce damage. Your baby may also need breathing support and close monitoring.
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Neonatal Sepsis
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Sepsis is a serious infection that spreads through the body. It can make babies very sick and needs quick treatment.
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We give antibiotics through an IV and support your baby's breathing and fluids. Early treatment helps prevent complications.
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Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)
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ROP is an eye condition that affects premature babies. It happens when the blood vessels in the eyes grow abnormally.
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Mild cases often get better on their own. If it's more severe, we may use laser treatment to protect your baby's vision.
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Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN)
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TPN is a way to feed your baby through an IV when they can't eat by mouth or tube yet. It gives them all the nutrients they need to grow.
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Yes, and we monitor it closely to make sure your baby gets the right balance of nutrients.
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Mechanical Ventilation
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Mechanical ventilation is a machine that helps your baby breathe when they can't do it well on their own.
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No. Most babies use it temporarily until their lungs are strong enough to breathe on their own.
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CONTACT US
Program Director
Deborah Mayea-Parent
519-254-5577, ext. 59227
Deborah.Mayea-Parent@wrh.on.ca