WHS Neonatal Care Team

Throughout your whole pregnancy, we stay focused on your growing family and make sure you and your baby have the best care possible! Our newly renovated delivery unit offers an on-site level 2 special care nursery. Plus, not every hospital provides a neonatal team member present at EVERY birth, but we do! We make sure a neonatal team member is inside the room at EVERY delivery, high risk or routine.

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About Your Baby’s Care Team

Neonatal Team
A physician or nurse practitioner who is specially trained to manage the medical care of sick and premature newborn babies is present at EVERY birth. They provide a full assessment of each baby upon arrival to ensure prompt medical care in the event of any unexpected complications. If there is an issue, they can act quickly and get the baby’s treatment plan started right away.

Pediatrician(s)
Your selected Pediatrician or Family Physician will visit your baby in the hospital. If you did not select a primary care provider prior to birth, or your child’s doctor does not practice at WHS, our on-staff pediatricians will care for your baby during your stay. Any necessary information about your baby will be given to you at the time of your discharge to give to your baby’s doctor. Need help finding a pediatrician? Call our physician referral line at 724.250.4310 or visit whs.org

Special Care Nurses
If your little one needs special attention, rest assured that our experienced and specially trained nursing staff will provide great care for you and your baby. They work closely with the neonatal team and other members of your baby’s care team.

Lactation Consultant
WHS offers an onsite lactation consultant. She is specially trained in lactation and breastfeeding/chestfeeding to provide you the support you need while breastfeeding your baby. She can help with pumping, maintaining milk supply, and starting and continuing nursing.

Cuddler
At WHS, “cuddlers” are specially trained volunteers that dedicate their time to holding and comforting babies. Sometimes parents can’t always provide around-the-clock nurturing touch for their premature newborn. Adding these dedicated volunteers to our team helps us to provide the healing and soothing touch that some babies need during their first few days in the world.

Hospital Chaplain
At WHS, our chaplain is available upon request to give spiritual support and counseling to help families cope with the stress of either a special care baby or for any situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

WHS plans for the unexpected. Unlike most hospitals in the area, we make sure there is a neonatal care provider at EVERY delivery, high risk or routine. If your baby needs extra care immediately after birth, a member of our Neonatal Team will be ready to act quickly to provide immediate medical intervention. They will also provide around-the-clock medical attention during your baby’s stay, as needed.

WHS has a level 2 special care nursery where we can provide care for babies who need moderate assistance and are expected to improve quickly. To be in a level 2 nursery, a baby should be born after 34 weeks and weigh more than 3 lbs 5 oz.

For babies that are delivered here at WHS Washington Hospital and are less than 34 weeks of gestational age, or if for some reason the baby needs a higher level of care (such as a surgical procedure), WHS can promptly arrange transportation for that baby by medical helicopter to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Here are just a few of the reasons a baby may need some extra care after delivery:

  • Prematurity
  • Respiratory distress or breathing issues
  • Low blood sugar
  • Difficulty feeding
  • Other health issues

Our Neonatal Team manages babies who need intravenous catheters, supplemental oxygen, or feeding through a tube, for example. Even if the unexpected occurs, rest assured that your baby is in good hands with our team.

To take a tour of our newly renovated unit and to watch another video about our nursery.