Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Caring for our tiniest patients

Norman Regional's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is a Level III NICU, meaning we offer continuous and comprehensive care for newborns and premature infants who are in need of critical care.

Our highly skilled NICU team has the resources and skills to care for babies who are born before 32 weeks, infants who are critically ill, babies who need equipment to help them breathe to stay alive, and babies who may need surgery.

Our NICU team attends every high-risk delivery, including all deliveries less than 36 weeks of gestation. Any newborns needing a higher level of care once born (regardless of gestation) are admitted to our Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

The large NICU care team works together to ensure your newborn's on-going needs are met every step of the way. The team experts include neonatologists, advanced practitioners, Level III trained nurses, and respiratory therapists who are all eager to assist however needed at a moment’s notice.

Norman Regional NICU Features

Board-certified neonatologist on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on-site daily
High risk neonatal delivery team
Neonatal transport team
- On a case-by-case basis, the Norman Regional NICU team offers a Level III transport team that includes a highly-trained registered transport nurse and a respiratory therapist that goes to hospitals throughout rural Oklahoma.
NICVIEW®cameras
- These cameras provided through a grant from the Norman Regional Health Foundation, allow families to see their babies from anywhere at any time.
- Read this story to learn more about the cameras and how they benefit families with babies in our NICU.
Private and semi-private rooms
Level II transition
- For babies needing support as they transition during the first few hours of life.
Norman Regional Speech, Occupational and Physical Therapists develop personalized treatment care plans for all babies under 32 weeks and others as needed.

Routine Newborn Care, Even in the NICU

After your baby is delivered and they are taken to the NICU, your newborn will receive the same compassionate newborn care as if they were not admitted to the NICU. Babies in the NICU receive care including newborn hearing screens, newborn testing at 24 hours of life, skin-to-skin bonding and more.

Visit our Women's and Children's page to view the entire list.

Mothers with babies in the NICU also have the opportunity to communicate their wishes in the care of their baby. Our TeamBirth processoffers families the choice for personalized care preferences listed below, specific to the NICU.

Parent to follow infant to NICU if possible
Parents to be present for first bath
Mother or parent to be present for first feed
First feeding latch if baby is able and is preferred
No pacifiers while baby is in the NICU unless for comfort
Give pumped colostrum instead of glucose gel if possible
No other visitors to NICU besides those with an ID band
Be provided with a blanket to take scent from mom to infant.

Discharge from the Hospital

For parents who have already been discharged, rooming-in services allow you to stay in a hospital room the night before your baby goes home. This allows time for the family while in a safe and supportive environment with full access to the care team.

For more information on how to care for yourself post-birth after discharge, visit our Discharge Information page.

Patient Stories

The Atkinson Family

When Tailor Atkinson went into labor two weeks early, her care team at Norman Regional Hospital discovered her baby, Maddox, was in a breech position. Because he was not in the safest head-down position for delivery, Tailor needed an emergency C-section.

After birth, Maddox was taken straight to the NICU for breathing issues. In the midst of an emotionally and physically challenging delivery, Tailor shared how difficult it was to be separated from her baby - unable to hold him and unsure of what was happening.

Soon after Maddox was admitted to the NICU, his care team also learned he had an unexpected diagnosis of Down syndrome, adding another layer to an already overwhelming first day - and underscoring the importance of having specialized, compassionate NICU care right away.

Hear Tailor and Maddox's story

The Burns Family

The Burns family is all too familiar with the NICU at Norman Regional Hospital. When their first baby was delivered, she had to stay in the NICU until she was strong enough to go home. They were terrified and didn't know what to expect as first-time parents. By the end of her stay in the NICU, parents Luke and Samantha Burns knew everyone by name and became friendly with all the nurses on the unit.

When it was time for baby Burns number two to be born, he was about a month early. Because of his early arrival, he also had to stay in the NICU before being discharged. By this point, Luke and Samantha had full faith in the process and the team in the NICU at Norman Regional. They knew he would be in good hands, so it was a no-brainer for them after their first experience. Everything turned out fine for baby number two, and they got to go home with another happy and healthy baby.

Samantha was pregnant with baby Burns number three when she experienced a placental abruption. The baby came at 33 weeks, and for the third time, the Burnses had a baby needing to stay in the Norman Regional NICU. Based on their babies' three separate experiences in the Norman Regional NICU, the Burns family is very grateful for the expert care their family received.