The Manning Family Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
is a nationally ranked, designated Level 4 facility providing the highest
level of care within the state of Louisiana as the only hospital with
every pediatric medical and surgical specialty under one roof. Our unit
has 35 critical care beds for newborns and provides care for sick infants
with problems resulting from prematurity, birth defects or acquired conditions.
Our NICU is a state-of-the-art, 11,000-square-foot facility with 24/7
air and ground transport available for the sickest babies. The NICU has
both private and semi-private rooms available and has expanded to more
than five times its original size since opening in 1988.
Ranked among the nation's top 50 programs in neonatal care
As a Level IV NICU and the only NICU in Louisiana with every pediatric
medical and surgical specialty under one roof, Manning Family Children’s
provides comprehensive, highly specialized neonatal care—making
it a one-of-a-kind center of excellence for newborns across the region.
Our NICU’s commitment to excellence has also earned the Vermont
Oxford Network Award for Excellence and Quality Improvement in January
of 2026. In addition, we established a new
Pulmonary Hypertension Program, the only dedicated pediatric program in Louisiana and the Gulf South.
In spring of 2026, Manning Family Children’s broke ground on a new
60-bed NICU, tripling the size of the current unit, and expanding its
ability to care for critically ill newborns from across Louisiana and
the Gulf South.
This national recognition reflects Manning Family Children’s commitment
to advancing neonatal care and giving more of Louisiana’s littlest
the specialized care they need, closer to home.
All infants are under the care of the neonatologists with help from the
largest team of pediatric specialists in the state of Louisiana, as needed.
A broad range of medical specialists and allied health providers are available.
Highly specialized therapies are provided, including:
Conventional mechanical ventilation
High frequency ventilation
Inhaled nitric oxide therapy
Peritoneal and hemodialysis
ECMO (heart/lung bypass)
Therapeutic hypothermia
Social workers and case managers are on staff to assist families. The neonatologists
help train the largest group of future neonatologists and pediatricians
in Louisiana. Neonatology fellows and pediatric residents, in addition
to specialized neonatal nurse practitioners, are included in the patient
care team.
Parents are encouraged to visit as often as they are able to foster our
dedication to family-centered care. Daily rounds begin at 9 am, and we
invite parents to join in rounds as they are an integral part of the care
team. All visitors must be free of any cold or flu-like symptoms. Three
visitors are permitted at each bedside at one time.
Visitation is allowed 24 hours a day, except during a sterile procedure.
During RSV/Flu season, the minimum age to enter the unit for visiting
is 12 years old.
Taking photos and videos of the babies is encouraged to promote bonding
with siblings/family members who are unable to visit. Live-streaming bedside
cameras are also available 24 hours a day so parents and family members
can view their baby through a password-protected website. Breastfeeding
is always encouraged, and lactation support is available to help nursing
mothers provide milk for their infants.
Phone calls
Parents may call the NICU 24 hours a day at
504.896.9418.
Housing
Only one person will be allowed to sleep at the patient’s bedside
overnight, if the infant’s condition allows. Our social work team
is available to help each family should they need assistance with housing
accommodations while their baby is in the NICU.
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