Specialized care for our smallest patients 

From helping the tiniest preemies thrive to caring for full-term babies with complex needs, our newborn intensive care units are  dedicated to providing premature and critically ill newborns with the best, most comprehensive medical care in a family-focused environment. Our neonatal fellowship-trained specialists offer complete Level 4 neonatal care - among the highest levels of care available in Virginia.

We have developed a large team of dedicated and experienced health care professionals who bring rapid, complete and focused care to babies and their families as soon as they need it.

Special features in our NICUs

• Two units - one care team
• 60 beds, all private rooms with special rooms for multiples 
• Adjustable lighting
• Developmental care space
• Family lounges and a family resource center
• Overnight accommodations for parents in the child's room, including a pullout sofa, family restroom, secure wardrobe and breast milk refrigerator
• Palliative care suite
• Procedure room
• Sibling playroom (CCH NICU)
• Access to RMHC House within the Hospital (Children's Tower NICU) 

Reasons your child may come to the NICU

Our NICUs are equipped to diagnose and care for premature and critically ill newborns. We specialize in caring for babies with:

• Premature birth
• Congenital heart defects 
• Complex surgical needs
• Respiratory distress and inefficiency due to a variety of conditions
• Cardiovascular disease
• Gastrointestinal disease
• Infectious disease, including congenital infections
• Neurological diseases

Two NICUs – one care team 

We expanded in 2026 to meet the growing need for the highest level of newborn care in the region.

Critical Care Hospital - 6th floor (804-828-9956)

Children's Tower - Level 4 

Highest level of care for critically ill and premature babies 

As a Level 4 NICU, we offer the highest level of care for pulmonary and cardiac conditions. Treatments and resources include:

• ECMO: We are one of the only hospitals in Central Virginia with the specialized team and equipment to provide life-saving extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation care to critically ill infants and children. We were one of the first member hospitals of the International Extracorporeal Life Support Organization. Families have even more assurances that their children are in the best possible hands as we have received a prestigious Gold Level ELSO Award for Excellence in Life Support from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO).
• High-frequency jet and oscillatory ventilation, nitric oxide, to assist breathing