Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital NICU

Our providers receive extensive training allowing them to deliver a wide variety of services for infants with complex medical needs. We offer innovative treatments and access to new medications not available elsewhere. These leading-edge treatments not only save lives but also prevent further injury and help critically ill babies thrive.   
 
Even if a baby is born outside Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital, our dedicated ground and air transport teams quickly stabilize and transfer at-risk newborns to our Level IV NICU. 

Why choose Geisinger for NICU care?

• Expertise: Our board-certified physicians, nurses and other healthcare providers undergo years of specialized training to care for seriously ill infants. Because of our expertise, we can care for even the most complicated medical conditions. If doctors identify problems before birth, they may refer you to the Center for Prenatal Pediatrics. This specialty clinic supports and educates families while organizing future care plans for both mother and child.   
• Specialized treatments: We’re one of only a few NICUs in Pennsylvania utilizing therapeutic hypothermia. This treatment helps prevent further brain injury for babies born without enough oxygen.     
• Treatment for opioid-dependent infants: Infants identified as high-risk for opioid dependency receive care and support before birth. In our Fetal Diagnostic and Treatment Center, our specialists help women with opioid-dependency issues prepare for birth. When infants are born with symptoms of opioid-dependency, we offer special treatment protocols to stabilize newborns and help gradually wean them as their physical dependency improves. 
• Developmental milestones: Thanks to targeted, personalized care and treatments like continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), our Level IV NICU promotes better outcomes and helps premature babies hit developmental milestones. 
• Robust transport team: If necessary, our transport team quickly and safely transfers infants by Life Flight ambulance or helicopter to our Level IV NICU. Our specially trained team places your baby inside a portable incubator that monitors vital signs, maintains your child’s body temperature and delivers safe oxygen levels during transport. 
• Location: Our Level IV NICU is located directly next to labor and delivery. If anything happens during your baby’s birth, our specialists are immediately available to provide the care your child needs. 
• Family support: Having a seriously ill baby can cause stress and anxiety in families. We support and educate your family while coordinating the very best care for your child. We work with the Ronald McDonald House to provide accommodations for families, so they can be close to their infants in the NICU. You can visit your baby 24/7, which helps you bond with your child. Breastfeeding also offers a meaningful bonding experience — our lactation specialists help you develop a plan for breastfeeding before your infant is born, and they help you after your baby arrives.