Neonatal

Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is recognised as a centre of excellence for neonatal services, providing care to babies born prematurely, with low birth weight or who have a medical condition that requires specialist treatment. As part of the Southern West Midlands Newborn Network, it consists of four departments that include, NICU, Transitional Care (TC), Outpatient Baby Clinic and the Human Milk Bank.

The standards for today’s special and neonatal intensive care baby units across the country have their roots right here in Birmingham where one of our maternity doctors, Dr Mary Crosse, established the first incubator cots in the 1930s. Today the tradition of pioneering patient care for some of our most vulnerable babies continues. Professor of Neonatal Medicine, Dr Andrew Ewer’s ground-breaking work on Pulse oximetry screening helps identify critical congenital heart defects that would previously have gone undetected with routine antenatal screening.

Our dedicated team prides itself on the family-integrated care it provides. With the highest standards of healthcare quality and safety, we put the family at the centre of neonatal care and believe it's important that you are involved in all aspects of your baby’s care and treatment.

We know that having a baby with complex conditions can be difficult and highly emotional for you and your family, and we’re here to support you through every step of your journey.

Departmental contact details

  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit reception: 0121 335 8190
  • Transitional Care ward: 0121 335 8150
  • Outpatient Baby Clinic: 0121 335 8192
  • Human Milk Bank: 0121 335 8245

You can call our direct number to find out information about your baby however, we cannot give any information out to relatives or friends.

We kindly request that you keep mobile phones on silent on the NICU and refrain from using mobile phones in the baby’s nursery. Using your mobile elsewhere could cause interference with our medical equipment. You are welcome to use your mobile phone in the parent's lounge on the NICU or outside the unit.

The Neonatal team

Our dedicated team is highly qualified to provide compassionate care to your baby with the most innovative therapies available. Consisting of nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals, the team works with doctors and advanced neonatal nurse practitioners to ensure your baby receives the highest standard of care. Our number one priority is to look after your baby and your family.

We have a dedicated breastfeeding advisor to support and advise mothers with expressing breast milk for their babies and help with breastfeeding, a discharge nurse to help prepare your baby for home, and our clinical psychologist can offer support and advice to parents on coping strategies and wellbeing. If you'd like to use any of these services, please speak with the ward clerks who will book you an appointment.