Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Patient Resources

Having a child in the NICU is a challenging time for any parent. While it is important for parents to be present at the bedside for your child, we encourage you to also take time to care for yourself. We offer a variety of programs to help parents while coping with having a child in the hospital and recovering from childbirth.

Our dedicated social workers specialize in perinatal mental health and meet with each family to assess their needs; provide supportive, short-term counseling; and offer guidance and resources. Please don't hesitate to ask to speak with the social worker if you would like to discuss Boston Children’s and community resources, adjusting to the NICU, or if you have any additional support needs.

Additionally, the Hale Family Center for Families supports families throughout their experience at Boston Children's. All patients and families are welcome to these services, which include activity spaces for older siblings, wellness programs, multicultural services, and more.

Your support and cooperation help us provide patients with the best possible care. Please keep the following in mind:

We will include you as part of our team when making decisions about your child's care.
We will assess your child frequently throughout the day and night. This means that we will check your child's vital signs, give medications, and complete other tasks.
We respect the privacy of all our patients, so we cannot answer questions about any other patients or families.
All members of the Boston Children's team, including doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, clinical assistants, social workers, physical therapists, child life specialists, and nutritionists, will work together to answer your questions in a timely manner.
Some children need to be on special precautions. In these cases, staff and visitors may need to wear gowns, gloves, and/or masks when caring for your child. You will be told if you need to wear this kind of protective clothing.
If you’re breastfeeding, please speak with your child's nurse or the lactation specialist to arrange for proper storage of your milk and any other considerations related to lactation.

When you’re not at the hospital and would like to speak to your child's nurse, you can call 617-355-1111.

Additional resources for families

Family Advisory Council

The NICU Family Advisory Council (FAC) invites parents whose babies were cared for in the NICU to act as advisers and partner with staff and clinicians on continuous improvement plans for the NICU. The invaluable feedback we receive from families allows our team to make decisions from parents' perspectives. Families who participated in the FAC have helped us implement the following:

Year of the Family 2025
Healthy Families program
Family-centered care
Developmental care
Welcome package
Multiple studies that pertain to the family’s experience
Design and function of our new NICU

Parent relaxation

Boston Children’s offers a variety of parent relaxation activities, including chair massages, meditation, and Reiki. Services are offered on Hale 11. We encourage all parents to take advantage of these complimentary services as a simple but effective way to practice good self-care during a NICU admission. More information can be found on the Hale Family Center for Families webpage.

Lactation support

Boston Children's recognizes that breastfeeding is important to families and the health of their babies. Our certified lactation consultants provide breastfeeding support and education, work with nursing parents to prevent and manage breastfeeding challenges, support breastfeeding for infants with special health care needs, help nursing parents maintain milk supply when separated from their babies, and assists nursing parents with obtaining breast pumps and equipment.

Gym membership

Bodyscapes Longwood is a state-of-the-art fitness center located across the street from the hospital that offers free membership to parents of children admitted to Boston Children's Hospital. It offers the latest fitness equipment, personal training, a wide variety of classes, and a full-service locker room. For more information, visit bodyscapesfitness.com or visit the facility on Blackfan Street, one block after the Boston Children's Hospital parking garage on the right. Please bring your Boston Children's Hospital parent ID badge to take advantage of this offer.

Smoking cessation

Infants, especially premature infants, often have fragile lungs that are underdeveloped and/or recovering from illness. Even when discharged home, they continue to be vulnerable. Secondhand smoke can make them more susceptible to illness and readmission to the hospital, so we strongly recommend quitting smoking before your baby is discharged. We realize that this is added stress in an already stressful situation, and we're here to help. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health offers smoking cessation assistance, including counseling and nicotine replacement therapy. With a referral from a doctor, these services are free to Massachusetts residents. We are happy to provide a referral for anyone interested in quitting smoking — simply ask your nurse and visit the CDC website for more information.