Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Having a baby is a life-changing experience, and we want to be sure your baby starts his or her life with the best health possible. More than 4,000 babies are delivered every year at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, making us one of the most experienced hospitals in the area for the care of newborns. We offer prenatal care for women with high-risk pregnancies, well-baby care after delivery, and neonatal intensive care for newborns in need of advanced support. Our team provides culturally sensitive care to the diverse population of Queens, with bilingual staff and interpreter services available to help you communicate well with your healthcare team. We have the compassion, experience, and resources to address your needs and those of your baby — before and after birth.
Your Neonatal Care Team
Pediatric specialists throughout NewYork-Presbyterian Queens are available onsite to care for your baby. We have all the healthcare providers you and your baby need, in one location. Our team includes:
- Neonatologists: physicians who provide advanced expertise in newborn care
- Maternal-fetal medicine specialists: doctors who care for women with complex pregnancies
- Nurses and physician assistants (PAs) with special training in newborn care
- Speech/swallowing therapists and a pediatric nutritionist to help with newborn feeding issues
- Respiratory therapists to provide care to infants in need of breathing care
- Lactation consultants who are available daily to assist breastfeeding mothers
We can also refer you to pediatric subspecialists at NewYork-Presbyterian Komansky Children's Hospital or NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital in Manhattan if needed.
Onsite Neonatal Intensive Care
NewYork-Presbyterian Queens has a 14-bed Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to care for newborns who are premature, have a serious illness or condition, or need close observation in a monitored setting. A board-certified neonatologist is available in the NICU 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as nurses, PAs, respiratory therapists, and other team members who provide specialized care for fragile infants. High-frequency oscillatory ventilation is provided for newborns in need of respiratory support for complex respiratory illnesses and inhaled nitrogen dioxide for babies with pulmonary hypertension. Together, our team combines their expertise to give your child the best chance of a healthy outcome.
Personal Care for Complex Pregnancies
For women with complex pregnancies — such as those with other medical conditions and women carrying babies known to have a birth defect — advanced care begins before delivery and is provided by our maternal-fetal medicine physicians. We work with specially trained obstetricians to support you and your baby in every way we can, preparing for delivery and any special care that is needed after birth.
When It's Time to Go Home
We understand you may feel nervous when it's time to take your baby home. We are sure to prepare you about what to expect and what you will need to do. After leaving the hospital, your baby can continue receiving care from our neonatologists at the Theresa Lang Children's Center.
Advancing Neonatal Care through Research
In addition to providing excellent patient care for newborns, our neonatologists participate in research to further improve neonatal care.
- Our NICU is part of the New York State Perinatal Quality Collaborative, and we work closely with the Regional Perinatal Center. We are studying the growth of premature infants (born before 31 weeks) who receive enteral nutrition (tube feeding).
- With our collaborators at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the New York State Newborn Screening Program, we are evaluating a newborn screening test for Duchenne's muscular dystrophy. There is currently no standard screening for this illness in newborns.
- Our investigators are studying umbilical catheter lines in premature infants and sick full-term infants to determine the best way to use them while reducing the risk of infection.