The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at McMaster Children’s Hospital (MCH) is a 72-bed tertiary care unit based in Hamilton Ontario and is one of the largest NICUs in Canada. We provide care to approximately 1500 babies and their families every year.
The NICU at MCH has one of four Provincial Neonatal Transport Teams responsible for safely stabilizing and transporting infants from community hospitals to the NICU at MCH for intensive care and specialized services. The transport team completes approximately 800 calls every year.
Welcome to the NICU
As a parent in the NICU and Level 2 NICU, you are the most important caregiver for your baby. You are welcome here 24 hours a day.
Before you enter the NICU you need to be “bare below the elbows” meaning roll sleeves up to the elbows and remove all jewelry (e.g. watches, rings, and bracelets). See the handwashing video above on the steps needed to be bare below the elbows.
Cleaning your hands is the best way to stop the spread of germs and keep your baby healthy. Please wash for 30 seconds when you enter the unit and clean your cell phone at our UV light sanitizer stations or use the electronic wipes provided.
Do not wear nail polish or any scented products in the NICU and Level 2 NICU.
Family and friends are welcome to visit your baby. One other person may be with you at your baby’s bedside at a time, for a maximum of two people over the age of 16 at a bedside at a time.
Siblings are welcome! Proof of immunizations are required before they can enter for children under 16.
If you or your visitors are unwell, please do not enter the NICU or Level 2 NICU. You will be asked routine screening questions when entering the NICU. This is to protect the infants’ fragile immune systems by ensuring everyone entering the NICU is healthy.
We welcome phone calls for updates on your baby. See below under “calling into the NICU” for how to get in touch with your baby’s health care team for updates.
There is support available for you and your older children. We have a large team that includes nurses, social workers, lactation consultants, Child Life Specialists (CLSs), and peer mentor support (previous NICU parents). Speak to your nurse to access these at any time.
Calling into the NICU
From outside the hospital: 905-521-2100 extension 76146
Toll Free: 1-866-207-1971
A business clerk will answer the main phone line. Give them your baby’s full name, last name or pod and bed number (eg: E10) and they will connect you to your baby’s nurse. If the phone keeps ringing or it takes a long time for someone to answer, the staff just may be providing care to the babies. This happens occasionally and is not a reason to worry. You can try calling back to the main line so they can connect you to another extension or call back in a couple minutes.
When your call is received, the person answering will confirm the last four digits of your badge number (found on the back of your parent identification badge) this ensures that parents of the baby are the only ones getting updates on their baby. You are welcome to call and get an update about your baby at any time day or night. There may be a delay in response during shift change which happens for nurses at 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Parking
Use your parking voucher to pay for parking in the parking garage at the machines by the elevators. If you think your baby will be in the NICU or Level 2 NICU for longer than a few days, visit the Parking Office located in the red section of the parking garage (near the Main Street exit) to ask about purchasing a pass.
See more information about parking at McMaster Children’s Hospital.
WiFi, Internet and Cell Phones
Internet is free for our McMaster families. Simply connect to “HHS Free Wifi.” Please be mindful if you are on your phone. Extra noise is disruptive in the NICU. Please use headphones and quiet voices while talking in the NICU.
Family Areas and Food
No food or drinks are permitted at the bedside in the NICU with the exception of water in a closed container.
Corner Café (open 24 hours a day) – Main lobby on the 2nd floor
Baywest Café (Mon – Fri 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.) – Red area on the 1st floor
The Ronald MacDonald coffee and snack cart comes to the front entrance of the NICU Monday to Friday from 10:45-11:15 am and is free of charge for families.
Ronald McDonald Family Rooms – 3rd floor behind red and yellow elevators open daily, 8:00 am to 11:00 pm. Free coffee, tea, snacks. TV, fireplace, fridge, kitchenette and laundry are also available.
Makayla’s Room – 3rd floor across from yellow elevators.
Spiritual Care Centre – 2nd floor behind red elevators.
Place to Stay
If you need a place to stay overnight, please speak with a social worker. If you live more than a 45-minute drive away, the social worker may be able to arrange for you to stay at the Ronald McDonald House near the hospital.
MyChart
MyChart is an application that you can get on your phone that will provide medical information about your baby (eg: bloodwork results).
If your baby was born at McMaster Children’s Hospital, the birthing individual is eligible for MyChart. Once access has been activated for the birthing individual, a chart can be created for your baby.
A staff member can support you in gaining access to your baby’s chart. Please see a NICU business clerk for more information and how to create accounts if you have given birth elsewhere.
Welcome book & questionnaire
Please ask for a Welcome Book from your bedside nurse. This will provide you with more specific details and information about the NICU and Level 2 NICU.
Please also consider filling out our family questionnaire located in the back of the Welcome Book so we can also get to know you! This will help us care for your baby and family. This can be returned to your bedside nurse and will be shared with your care team.
Who takes care of my baby or babies while in the NICU?
Parents + NICU Team = Care Team
- Parents and Families
- Business Clerks
- Child Life Specialists
- Clinical Leaders
- Dietetic Assistants
- Health Care Aides
- Lactation Consultants
- Learners/Students
- Neonatal Fellows
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioners
- Neonatologists
- NICU Volunteers
- Occupational Therapists
- Pediatric Residents
- Pharmacists
- Physician Assistants
- Registered Dieticians
- Registered Nurses
- Respiratory Therapists
- Social Workers
Common types of equipment in the NICU
Isolette: This is a type of bed that is closed on all sides to keep your baby warm and safe
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): a device that goes on or in your baby’s nose to help them breathe.
Endotracheal Tube (ETT): a small tube that goes in through baby’s nose or mouth and into their lungs to help them breathe if they are not breathing on their own. This gets taped to their face to secure it. It is important that this tube does not come out. Your nurse and respiratory therapist will show you how to touch your baby and still keep it secure.
Phototherapy: a type of light that is used to help break down bilirubin in your baby’s blood. This is also known as newborn jaundice and is very common.
Umbilical Venous Catheter (UVC): a type of line that is in your baby’s umbilical cord to give your baby fluids, nutrients, or medications. This can only be used for a short time and does not hurt to insert or have in place.
NG Tube (Nasogastric Tube): a small tube that is put in your baby’s nose or mouth that goes down to their stomach. It helps to feed your baby human milk or formula.
Saturation Probe (sat probe): this gets wrapped about your baby’s foot or wrist to monitor the amount of oxygen in their blood.
Peripheral Intravenous Catheter (PIV or IV): a type of IV that is in your baby’s hand, arm, foot, leg or scalp to give you baby fluids, nutrients or medications.
Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC): a central line that may be used for long-term IV fluids, nutrients, and medications.
ECG leads (leads): stickers attached to your baby’s chest connected to cords which plug into a monitor that shows us their heart rate, breathing rate and the amount of oxygen in the blood. The stickers do not hurt and can be moved around as needed.
Caring for your baby in the NICU
Kangaroo Care
Holding your baby undressed against your skin is called skin-to-skin (STS) or kangaroo care. It is one of the best things you can do for your baby and it’s great for you as well. Ask your bedside nurse the steps needed for your baby to come out for kangaroo care.
Kangaroo care helps babies breathe, calms them, protects them from infection, and helps their brains develop. It can also help you with human milk production and bonding with your baby.
Kangaroo care wraps are available to help support your baby during kangaroo care. Ask your baby’s nurse if you would like to use one.
Hand Hugging
For babies who are not yet well enough for kangaroo care, you can still provide comfort, bond with your baby and provide many of the benefits of kangaroo care with a hand hug. This involves gently cupping your baby’s head in one hand and their feet/legs in the other. Bedside staff can show you how.
Reading to your baby
Reading can help you feel close to your baby. As well, reading regularly and hearing language supports brain development.
Help yourself to books from our NICU lending library, in the hallway just outside of the South desk.
If your baby is in additional precautions, the business clerks will give you a book to keep that you can read to your baby.
Two-person care during procedures and routine care
It can be stressful for sick or premature babies to be handled and have procedures.
Having a second person provide containment (eg: hand hugs) to them and provide comfort during these times can help babies feel safe.
As a parent, you know your baby best and know what comforts them so you are in a great position to be the second set of hands in two-person care.
Ask your baby’s bedside staff how you can help with two-person care.
Be at your baby’s bedside during rounds
As part of your baby’s team, you are welcome to attend medical rounds daily if you are able.
The multidisciplinary team meets every day to discuss each baby and make a plan for their care.
This is a chance to get information and ask questions. Don’t worry if you don’t understand all the details discussed during rounds, your nurse and frontline medical staff can explain things further after they are finished.
Providing human milk for your baby
If you plan to provide breast milk for your baby, we encourage you to begin pumping as soon as possible after you deliver. Please ask your baby’s nurse or the nurse on the postpartum floor for help.
You will get an OIT (oral immune therapy) kit to collect your first drops of breast milk. This is something you can do to help their immune system.
Your nurse can show you how to give OIT to your baby. Because it is a very small amount, they can have it even if they are very small and not feeding by mouth yet.
You are welcome to pump at your baby’s bedside or in the pumping spaces within the unit. Your bedside nurse and lactation consultants are available for help and support.