Neonatology & Newborn Services at Mary Washington Healthcare
Mary Washington Healthcare is a proud partner with Children’s National
Hospital in Washington, D.C., ranked No. 7 nationally and No. 1 for newborn
care for the fifth year in a row by U.S. News & World Report Best
Children’s Hospital Survey. Expert physicians from Children’s
National work every single day to provide personalized care to our most
vulnerable patients. Patients and family members can take comfort in knowing
that Mary Washington Healthcare has two specially designed centers to
take care of our smallest patients, allowing new mothers to deliver their
babies close to home, near family and friends.
Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Mary Washington Hospital
Mary Washington Hospital (MWH) has the region's most experienced Level
III, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The 17-bed NICU admits approximately
350 babies per year and provides care for newborn infants as small as
one pound. Neonatology is the subspecialty of pediatrics which involves
the medical care of newborn infants with prematurity, intrauterine growth
restruction/low birth weight, congenital malformations/birth defects,
problems with breathing, infections, or birth asphyxia.
The NICU at Mary Washington Hospital is staffed by board-certified neonatologists
from Children’s National Hospital, ranked No. 1 in newborn care
for the fifth year in a row by U.S. News & World Report. The team
of Children's National neonatologists, led by medical director Dr. Joshua
Attridge, are available on site to support the NICU 24 hours a day, 7
days a week. The partnership with Children's National also connects MWH
to pediatric subspecialties and provides collaborative research opportunities
between MWH and Children's National.
In addition to our neonatologists, we have a highly specialized team that
includes neonatal nurse practitioners, registered nurses, respiratory
therapists, physical and occupational therapists, case managers, dietitians
and lactation consultants. The NICU at Mary Washington Hospital provides
a world class level of care to mothers and their babies in our community
and allows these families to be close to their homes, near extended family
and support systems.
Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Stafford Hospital
Stafford Hospital has a 6-bed, Level II NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit).
It is equipped with the latest neonatal technology to provide care for
infants who are delivered at 33 weeks or later and weigh at least 3.3
pounds, or 1500 grams.
The NICU team can provide care for newborns that need extra medical attention
but aren’t sick enough to need critical care. This includes babies
born a few weeks early as well as those with intrauterine growth restriction/lower
than average birth weight, feeding difficulties, infections, and mild
breathing problems.
A dedicated Neonatal Transport Team is always available to transport babies
needing a higher level of care to the Level III NICU at Mary Washington
Hospital or the Level IV NICU at Children’s National.
The Level II NICU at Stafford is staffed by board-certified physicians
from Children's National. The team of Children’s National pediatric
hospitalists, led by medical director Dr. Allison Markowsky, are available
on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The team at Stafford also includes
registered nurses, respiratory therapists and lactation consultants with
specialty training in newborn care.
Neonatal Nursing & Clinical Support
Specially trained neonatal nurses attend high-risk deliveries and cesarean
sections, and are available for any delivery complication. The nursing
and clinical support staff maintains a family-centered care approach.
The team encourages family members to participate in their baby's care,
offers lactation support services, and provides evidenced-based practices
such as the latest developmental therapies and Kangaroo Care-or skin-to-skin
therapy-to their baby.
NICU Breastfeeding Support
Our certified lactation consultants are here to provide breastfeeding support
to you and your premature or sick newborn. This lets you participate in
your baby's healthcare in a very crucial way. Because the benefits of
mother's milk are so important to the high-risk newborn, you are able
to do something for your baby that no one else can. Many neonatologists
and NICU staff members now encourage mothers to provide their own milk
for high-risk babies, even if those mothers do not intend to breastfeed later.
Neonatal Transport Team
The NICU at Mary Washington Hospital has a Neonatal Transport Team that
provides ground ambulance transportation for infants less than or equal
to 28 days old. Transports completed by the team allow for babies born
at local hospitals without a Level III NICU a local NICU option for care.
The team provides high-quality care by safely transporting newborns from
referring hospitals to the specialized care in the MWH NICU. In addition,
the scope of service also includes transport of neonatal patients from
MWH to another facility (approved by the NICU medical director or designee)
in those rare incidents no other outside facility transport is available.
The transport team consists of the following clinical staff:
Registered nurse (RN)
Respiratory therapist (RT)
Paramedic
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
For more information on MWHC's Neonatal Transport Service, call
540.741.2772.
Newborn Nursery and Lactation Services
Newborn Nursery
For healthy babies born at Mary Washington or Stafford Hospitals, our Newborn
Nursery provides routine care and services such as post-birth bathing,
blood sugar monitoring, vaccine administration, and circumcision recovery.
Our highly skilled and compassionate nurses will provide necessary services
to your baby, then return your baby to stay with you in your room.
Lactation Services
Certified lactation consultants are available daily to provide personalized
breastfeeding support while you and your baby are patients at Mary Washington
or Stafford Hospital. If you need additional breastfeeding support after
you and your baby return home, our certified lactation consultants are
available for phone or in-person consultations. Contact the Lactation
Services Department at 540.741.4465 (for Mary Washington Hospital) or
540.741.9236 (for Stafford Hospital). Before baby arrives, we recommend
you take our free Breastfeeding Essentials class to help you feel more
confident as you start this journey. We have also condensed the class
into a few short videos for tips on a great breastfeeding experience.
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