“We wanted a space where families can be here day and night, be comfortable, be next to their baby, and really feel like they are part of our care team. That is where this concept came from,” says Dr. Amy Zeringue, NICU Medical Director and neonatologist with FMOL Health | Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital.  

That concept led to an expanded Level III Surgical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s that includes 19 private family suites, including two designed for twins. “Both babies can be together and there is enough room that we can still provide the high-level care we need to,” explains Dr. Zeringue.  

In all, the project increased the NICU capacity to 60 beds to care for the region’s smallest patients. Rooms include a sleeping space for family members, a glider chair for parents to hold their babies and have skin-to-skin contact, private bathrooms with showers, workstations, state-of-the art-Philips monitoring, and dimmable lighting that avoids overstimulation of the patients but still allows the hospital staff to work.  

“This expansion is about creating an environment where families feel supported and babies receive the highest level of care,” says Dr. Zeringue. “Our private family suites are designed to keep families close, provide privacy, and create a nurturing space for bonding during this critical time. These private suites allow parents to stay overnight and remain with their baby 24/7, something no other NICU in Southwest Louisiana offers. Families can stay together while their baby receives advanced care, combining medical excellence with a family-centered care approach.” 

Approximately 80% of babies in the NICU are born at Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s with the other 20% being born at surrounding community hospitals. To transport patients that need additional care, Women’s and Children’s offers a special transport team that includes a NICU nurse and NICU respiratory therapist, who provide NICU services to the baby while being transferred to the Lafayette hospital. Additionally, physicians can stay in contact through telemedicine while the transport is in route. “We are always looking for ways to support our community hospitals,” says Dr. Zeringue. 

By combining cutting edge technology and a family-friendly space, Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s works to help the baby heal faster and allow families to transfer home so much sooner.  

We hope your family never needs a NICU, but it’s good to know what’s available — just in case. Across our health system we offer access to the highest quality family-centered care:

• Greater Baton Rouge and Northshore: Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital’s Newton & Betsy Thomas Family Center for Newborn & Infant Intensive Care
• Acadiana: Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital’s Level III Surgical NICU
• Northeast Louisiana: the region’s only Level III NICU at St. Francis Medical Center