Manning Family Children’s announces expansion plan to build state-of-the-art 60-bed Neonatal Intensive Care Unit – a critical investment for the region’s most fragile and critically ill babies

The new flagship unit will remain the only NICU in Louisiana to house all pediatric medical and surgical subspecialties under one roof, expanding the highest level of care for Louisiana’s most critically ill babies

NEW ORLEANS – Manning Family Children’s has announced a transformational investment to construct a new 60-bed Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) – providing the highest level of care available for critically ill newborns. The new flagship unit will anchor the hospital’s regional neonatology network and address a critical need for expanded capacity and advanced specialized care for families from across Louisiana and the Gulf South.

The project will increase the hospital’s current main campus NICU capacity from 35 to 60 beds, while expanding its broader regional neonatal network, which encompasses all LCMC Health birthing hospitals and its affiliate partners, to nearly 200 beds.

“As a Level 4 NICU, Manning Family Children’s provides the highest level of neonatal intensive care available, caring for babies with the most complex needs,” said Lindsey Casey, RN, Chief Nursing Officer for Manning Family Children’s. “As the only facility in Louisiana with a full complement of pediatric medical and surgical specialties, this critical investment will provide our care teams with the space, technology, and infrastructure that match the excellence of the care we provide – all designed with the experience of our families at the center.”

Louisiana currently faces the second-highest preterm birth rate in the United States at 13.4%, with New Orleans and Baton Rouge ranking among the lowest for preterm birth rates in the country. In 2025, Manning Family Children’s main campus NICU cared for 272 critically ill babies transferred from 39 different referring hospitals across the region. The hospital has seen an increase in the number of micro-preemies cared for over recent years, including babies born as early as 22 weeks – many weighing barely a pound. The highly specialized care required for this incredibly fragile population has increased average length of stay, along with specialized staffing, equipment and technology needs within the unit.

“For more than 70 years, Manning Family Children’s has stood in the gap for children and families in their most fragile moments,” said Lucio A. Fragoso, President and CEO of Manning Family Children’s. “The vision for our expanded state-of-the-art NICU is simple—to build a future for Louisiana’s littlest to thrive. This means more miracles, more birthdays, more first steps and a lifetime of memories made possible thanks to our team’s unmatched expertise.”

The new unit will triple the current NICU’s square footage and feature an intentional design that fosters a quiet, low-stimulation, family-centered healing environment.

Key features of the expansion include:

• Developmentally supportive care environments: Sensory optimized patient care rooms that promote optimal neurodevelopment and patient and family centered care
• Integrated Procedural Spaces: On-unit procedure space to support rapid intervention by pediatric subspecialists when seconds matter
• Family Transition Rooms: Co-located suites designed for families to “room in” as they prepare for independent care and discharge home
• Modern, efficient design: Improved space for clinical workflows, equipment, and multidisciplinary teams, along with state-of-the-art technology to equip care teams with the best tools to save lives and improve outcomes.
• Advanced Academic Space: Expanded facilities for the region’s only neonatology fellowship program and the pediatric academic pipeline for LSU Health New Orleans and Tulane Medicine, growing the next generation of pediatric and neonatal providers.

Manning Family Children’s also operates the region’s only 24/7 pediatric and neonatal critical transport service, including its dedicated helicopter Abby, which completed 133 neonatal air transports in 2025.

“When it comes to the care of fragile newborns, not all NICUs are created equally. Manning Family Children’s stands apart as a comprehensive, highly specialized center of excellence for neonatal intensive care – the only one of its kind in the region,” said Christy Mumphrey, MD, Service Line Chief for Neonatology at Manning Family Children’s and Section Head for the Division of Neonatology at LSU Health New Orleans. “From the depth in expertise of our clinical teams to the strength of our regional network and academic partnerships, this vital investment provides a level of care that doesn’t exist anywhere else in Louisiana or the Gulf South. With this next chapter, we will continue to serve as a lifeline for even more critically ill babies.”

The new NICU will serve as a national model for neonatal care, which often begins before birth due to the strength of the LCMC Health network of obstetricians and maternal -fetal medicine specialists. Access to the region’s top pediatric specialists is available 24/7 because of our integrated transport services, and comprehensive, in-house family support services including lactation services, social services, and pastoral care that address the holistic needs of families as they prepare to transition home. Ongoing post discharge care is available through our complex care post NICU clinic.

Construction of the new unit ensures the hospital can maintain its commitment to never turning away the region's most vulnerable patients. The new unit will be housed on the fourth floor of Manning Family Children’s newest medical tower, which was framed out as shell space during the hospital’s 2018-2021 campus expansion. The project is scheduled to break ground this Spring, and open in 2027. The new NICU is designed by Kennedy Kraft Architects and will be constructed by Woodward Designs. Additionally, the hospital has launched a corresponding capital campaign to help make this vital investment possible.

For more than 70 years, Manning Family Children’s has proudly served as Louisiana’s only, freestanding, comprehensive children’s hospital with more than 600 pediatric-trained providers and 3,000 employees solely dedicated to the care of kids. In addition to comprehensive services offered at its main campus in New Orleans, Children’s operates a robust network of more than 30 satellite locations, pediatric affiliations across Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and robust and long-community programs designed to meet the health needs of the diverse communities it serves. At the heart of its mission, Manning Family Children’s is committed to delivering expert care for every child, every time – regardless of the family’s ability to pay.

To learn more about this project, visit manningchildrens.org/newnicu.

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About Manning Family Children’s: Manning Family Children’s is a 263-bed, non-profit academic pediatric medical center that offers comprehensive healthcare services, including over 40 pediatric specialties, just for children. With more than 600 pediatric providers, Manning Family Children’s offers a comprehensive array of specialized pediatric services in Louisiana and the Gulf South. In addition to its main campus located in New Orleans, Children’s operates a network of specialty clinics across Louisiana, including in Covington, Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Lafayette, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Children’s offers primary care at 17 convenient locations, along with a network of statewide pediatric affiliations. Children’s is a proud member of LCMC Health, a Louisiana-based, not-for-profit hospital system which also includes New Orleans East Hospital, Touro, University Medical Center New Orleans, West Jefferson Medical Center, East Jefferson General Hospital, Lakeview Hospital, and Lakeside Hospital. Learn more at manningchildrens.org.