Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are equipped to provide specialized care services for the smallest and most critically ill newborns and infants.

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Hawaiʻi Pacifc Health provides a full range of highly specialized medical and surgical services to approximately 1,000 babies from across the state of Hawaiʻi each year. Newborns from other NICUs on Oʻahu and babies born on neighbor islands are transported to Kapiʻolani when a higher level of care is needed.

Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) treat babies with medical conditions that need close monitoring and special care. This includes babies who are sick due to early delivery or prematurity, heart conditions, breathing problems, birth defects and other life-threatening conditions.

Our multidisciplinary NICU team provides care for newborns who need acute medical interventions. This includes:

• Breathing support, including conventional, high-frequency oscillator and jet ventilation for premature and full-term babies.
• Inhaled nitric oxide for severe lung problems.
• Complex pediatric surgical procedures.
• Cardiac interventions performed in the Kapiʻolani Pediatric Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, the only one of its kind in Hawaiʻi, as well as some open cardiothoracic surgical procedures.
• Whole-body cooling and real-time video seizure monitoring for infants who have suffered a low-oxygen event during the birth process.
• Advanced imaging such as magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI.
• Dialysis for babies with kidney or metabolic problems.
• Highly advanced life-saving measures such as ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), which runs a baby’s blood through a bypass machine, providing oxygen to the blood and returning it to the body.
• Rapid on-site access to a wide range of pediatric medical subspecialists.
• Perinatal comfort care and palliative care for newborn children with complex care needs.

Here are PDF guidelines and helpful information for families with a baby in the NICU.

• NICU Family Guidelines: Guidelines and helpful information for families with a baby in the NICU.
• Footprints to Home: Goals and expectations for when infants can go home from the NICU.
• Bottle Recommendations for Preemies: What to consider when choosing a bottle/nipple system if your baby needs bottle feeds. 
• Colostrum Milk Feedings in the NICU: The benefits of breastfeeding when your child is in the hospital.
• Collection and Storage of Breast Milk for the Hospitalized Infant: Helpful advice for how to begin breastfeeding, using a breast pump and storing breast milk for your newborn.
• Car Seats for Preemies and Small Babies: Get the right car seat for small and premature infants.
• Car Seat Checklist: Five things to check on a car seat at home.
• Car Seat Checks: Free in-person car seat checks on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi. Also available virtually.

These resources may help you navigate care for your newborn.

• Take a 3D Tour of a NICU Room at Kapiʻolani
• Health Library: Caring for Babies in the NICU: Articles about the special care NICU babies may receive.
• The Period of PURPLE Crying – A New Way to Understand Your Baby's Crying: Learn about this developmental phase when baby will cry more.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Parent information about premature babies from the AAP.
• Baby Steps to Home: Useful education information for all NICU parents from the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN).
• Hawaiʻi Mother’s Milk: Hawaiʻi Mother’s Milk helps advocate breastfeeding as the best source of nutrition for infants.
• Breastfeeding Information: Handouts for parents from Lactation Education Resources.
• Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) | March of Dimes: Additional resources and support to help parents understand and navigate their babies' NICU journey.
• Women, Infants and Children (WIC): The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a federally funded program in Hawaiʻi for pregnant, breastfeeding or postpartum women, and infants and children younger than age five.