Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Derrick – Fighter Since Day One

Derrick was born at 34 weeks, weighing 4 lbs. 10 oz. He was born with gastroschisis – a condition where his intestines were being pushed out of his body. He had his first surgery, just 4 hours after he was born.

Jax & Piper – Double Trouble

When their mother experienced placental abruption, Jax and Piper were born 16 weeks early – each weighing less than 2 lbs.

Scarlett – Transporting Care

Born prematurely and with a life-threatening defect, Scarlett needed immediate access to the highest level neonatal care.

Aidan – Overcoming Obstacles

Aidan was born at 37 weeks and suffered from gastroschisis. Immediately after birth, Aidan had surgery to place his intestines back in his body.

Ryder – Feeling at Home

After an emergency C-section, Ryder was born weighing only 1.65 lbs. and required specialty care to help his underdeveloped body grow.

MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach is one of 22 hospitals in California to feature a regional Level IV NICU, which is the highest designation available by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This means the unit has advanced care capabilities, along with skilled specialists, to care for sick and critically ill and premature babies. The NICU at Miller Children’s & Women's treats more than 1,000 critically ill and premature babies each year.

The NICU is just down the hall from the Cherese Mari Laulhere BirthCare Center at Miller Children’s. If a woman has a high-risk pregnancy, where the baby may need to go to the NICU immediately following birth, they will not need to be taken away from mom and transported to another hospital, if they are born at Miller Children’s.

Combining Supportive Care, a dedicated Small Baby Program and Integrated Transitional Care Area, March of Dimes^® NICU Family Support, breastfeeding education and high-risk infant follow-up, the NICU at Miller Children’s cares for infants before they are born and well after they leave the hospital.