Newborn & Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU)
Trust the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at VHC Health if your baby needs extra care after birth. Our team provides kind, expert care to babies born early or with medical needs in Arlington and the DC metro area.
Level III NICU
When choosing where to deliver, pick a hospital with a Level III NICU approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This level means trained staff from many specialties are available 24/7 to give life-saving care. They use advanced tools and treatments that you won't find at all hospitals.
Conditions We Treat
Rely on your baby’s NICU care team to:
- Care for babies born at any weight and age
- Detect and treat infections
- Help your baby recover from lung disease
- Treat jaundice (yellow skin and eyes because of too much bilirubin)
Collaborative Care
Your baby's care team works with Children's National Hospital. So, your infant has access to pediatric experts and treatments informed by the latest research. U.S. News & World Report named Children's National the country's 12th-best hospital for neonatology in 2025.
Depending on your baby’s needs, your care team may include:
- Doctors, physician assistants and nurse practitioners – Oversee your newborn's care
- Case managers – Help coordinate care during your baby’s hospital stay and after going home
- Chaplains – Provide spiritual care
- Development experts – Check how well your baby grows
- Dietitians – Help your baby get the right nutrition
- Lactation consultants – Support breastfeeding
- Occupational therapists – Help you and your infant build healthy skills
- Pharmacists – Make sure your newborn gets the right medicines
- Registered nurses – Provide care and education
- Respiratory therapists – Help your baby breathe more easily
Family-Centered Care
You and your support person can stay with your baby as much as possible to play an active role in your baby’s care.
Parents can visit 24/7. Two adults may be in the room at a time during hospital visiting hours.
No one under 18 years old can be in the NICU.
Amenities
Each NICU room includes:
- Lights you can dim or brighten
- Breastfeeding supplies, such as a fridge for storing breast milk, a waterless warmer and a breast pump
- Pull-out bed for overnight guests
If you gave birth to twins or triplets, you'll stay in a larger room to keep your babies together.
Family Suites
To get ready to go home, you'll stay in a family suite. For your comfort, each suite has a:
- Private bathroom
- Fridge
- TV
Book Buddies Program
In the NICU’s Book Buddies program, trained volunteers read children’s stories to babies at their bedside. This helps premature babies hear more language in a calm, quiet room.
