Neonatal ICU (NICU)

When your newborn requires more care than expected, you need to know they're in the right hands. That’s why our NICU teams provide around-the-clock specialist care for newborns at every level of need. Every Providence Swedish NICU in the Puget Sound region is designated Level II or higher, and we're one of the few health systems in Western Washington to offer a Level IV NICU – the highest designation – at Providence Swedish First Hill.

Conditions Treated

Our teams are equipped to care for:

  • Premature and low-birth-weight infants
  • Breathing difficulties or respiratory conditions
  • Cardiac monitoring or surgical support
  • Infections, genetic conditions or neurological concerns
  • Newborns transferred from other locations
  • Infants needing palliative or comfort-centered care

How We Care for Your Baby and Your Family

When your newborn needs intensive care, the quality of that care – and the support your family receives – makes all the difference. Here's what you can expect from our NICU teams.

Our Level II NICUs provide specialized monitoring and care for moderately premature or medically stable infants who need more support than a standard nursery can offer. Our Level III NICUs care for more complex cases, including very premature infants and newborns with serious medical conditions requiring advanced intervention.

Wherever you deliver within our network, your baby will have access to the right level of care. And if their needs change, our transport team can move them safely to a higher-level facility.

Level IV is the highest NICU designation recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics. While all Providence Swedish NICUs provide Level II care and above, Providence Swedish First Hill holds a Level IV designation. It’s one of the few health systems in Western Washington that offers this level of care.

This means our team is prepared to care for the full spectrum of newborn needs, from routine monitoring to the most complex surgical and critical cases. If your baby is born at another hospital and needs a higher level of care, our dedicated neonatal transport team will bring your baby to us safely using a baby ambulance designed and equipped specifically for newborns.

Our Small Baby Unit at Providence Swedish First Hill provides specialized care for infants born at less than 30 weeks of gestation or weighing under three pounds. We go beyond standard NICU protocols to meet the unique needs of our most fragile newborns:

  • A quiet, dark environment that promotes neurological development
  • Careful guidelines on touch to avoid overstimulation
  • Respiratory care protocols designed to support lung function

Family involvement is central to our approach, with skin-to-skin care, feeding and diaper changes encouraged from early on to promote positive health outcomes for your baby.

We believe parents are essential members of the care team. From your first hours in the NICU, our nurses will guide you through holding, feeding and caring for your baby. Skin-to-skin contact is encouraged when medically appropriate. We know parents want to be as close as possible to their baby, so we have sleep rooms available for parents during their baby’s NICU stay. As your baby grows stronger, your involvement increases, so that by discharge, you feel prepared and confident to bring your baby home.

A NICU stay affects everyone. Our social workers connect families to financial assistance, lodging and counseling. Chaplains provide non-denominational spiritual support. Child life specialists help older siblings understand and cope with what's happening. And for families facing the most difficult outcomes, our palliative care team provides comfort-centered support for medically fragile babies and their families. We also offer additional resources, including parents’ groups, lactation help and counseling, during and after your stay.

Before your baby is discharged, our team will walk you through everything you need to know, including your baby's care plan, feeding, any medications and what to watch for at home. If your baby needs ongoing specialty care, we'll coordinate with our pediatric specialists and make sure the right follow-up is in place before you leave. You can also hire a postpartum doula to help with feeding, newborn care and sleep adjustments in your own home.

Find Care That's Close to You

Support During Your NICU Stay

Our NICU care extends well beyond the bedside. These resources are available to every NICU family.

Postpartum mom with baby
New Parent Resources

Lactation support, counseling, parents’ groups and more resources for new parents.

Mother and daughters sitting in waiting room
Social Work and Family Support

Help with financial assistance, lodging, counseling and community resources.

Mother with children talking in a bright sitting area
Pediatric Specialty Care

Ongoing care for NICU graduates and infants with known conditions after discharge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most insurance plans that offer maternity benefits include well-baby care under the mother’s plan for the first 30 days following birth. We recommend contacting your insurance provider directly for more information. If you receive your insurance coverage through your employer, you can also check with your human resources department.

Every baby's NICU stay is different, and there's no single answer. Their length of stay depends on your baby's gestational age, birth weight, diagnosis and how they respond to treatment. As a general guide, many premature babies stay in the NICU until close to their original due date, but that timeline can change as your baby grows and develops. Your care team will give you the most accurate picture of what to expect and will keep you informed as your baby's condition evolves.

Breastfeeding and breast milk are encouraged in the NICU whenever possible, as they provide important benefits for premature and medically fragile infants. Depending on your baby's gestational age and medical condition, direct breastfeeding may not be possible right away but pumping and providing breast milk can often begin early. Our lactation consultants and NICU nurses will work with you to support feeding in whatever way is appropriate for you and for your baby's stage of development.

Some NICU graduates do need ongoing specialty care after discharge, depending on their diagnosis and how their development progresses. Before your baby goes home, our team will coordinate any necessary follow-up with pediatric specialists and make sure the right care plan is in place. If your baby was born with a known condition, we'll connect you with the right specialists before discharge, so there are no gaps in their care.