Sometimes a pregnancy or birth might not go as planned and there are many stresses associated with an early or difficult birth. For these babies and families there is a special place to receive the additional care they need and the extra support to get through this challenging time. The Family Birth Center at Marin General includes a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), located on the Fourth Floor, Central Wing, near the Family Birth Center.

MGH's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, the only one in Marin County, is fully equipped for the specialized care of infants needing extra medical attention. The NICU supports the needs of babies and is fully staffed round the clock by nurses certified in neonatology. Marin General Hospital provides in-house pediatric hospitalist who specialize in the care of sick newborns. The care team also collaborates with the infant's private physician as well as the Neonatology team at UCSF.

The unit recently welcomed new beds for its tiny patients. The NICU also has specialized equipment, including isolettes, ventilators, intravenous pumps, radiant warmers and pulse oximeters. Services include advanced respiratory therapy, developmental care, phototherapy, daily nutrition consultation, access to an NICU pharmacists, lactation assistance and family support.

The staff and physicians at the NICU look after babies as well as their families, respecting and nurturing the bond between them during the child's path to recovery.