Newborn babies who need intensive medical attention are often admitted
into a special area of the hospital called the Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit (NICU). Located in the same building as our Labor & Delivery
unit, AVMC’s Level IIIB NICU is covered by board certified Neonatologists,
neonatal nurses, and respiratory therapists who provide expert in house
medical care 24-hours per day, 7-days per week.
The Level IIIB NICU combines advanced technology and highly trained healthcare
professionals to provide specialized care for our tiniest and most vulnerable patients.
We offer the area’s only Level IIIB Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
(NICU) and
Pediatrics departments. For over 40 years, Antelope Valley Medical Center’s
NICU has created thousands of positive outcomes for babies that required
immediate care after birth.
What is a Level IIIB NICU?
As a subspecialized NICU, we have round-the-clock personnel that have extensive
expertise in neonatal care, and are equipped to provide life support for
as long as needed. Level III NICUs provide higher level of care to newborn
infants with differing degrees of complexity and risk.
Newborn infants with extreme prematurity (28 weeks' gestation or less)
or extremely low birth weight (1000 g or less) or who have severe and/or
complex illness are in the highest risk group and have the most specialized
needs. These infants require a more advanced level III unit, lead by our
Neonatology group of physicians, with a broad range of pediatric medical
subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists, highly skilled nursing
and respiratory care staff, advanced respiratory support and physiologic
monitoring equipment, laboratory and imaging facilities, nutrition and
pharmacy support with pediatric expertise, social services, and pastoral care.
Breast Milk & Lactation Support
Breast milk is the best way that a mother can help a baby in NICU care.
We have a team of certified lactation specialists who provide education
about breastfeeding, support to lactating mothers and their babies, and
tips for returning to work while breastfeeding.
As a designated Breast Milk Collection Center by the BreastfeedLA, a nonprofit
breastfeeding advocacy organization, AVMC is one of four designated collection
sites in Los Angeles County. This milk is provided to infants in need,
in the event a mother cannot provide her own milk. As a milk collection
center, AVMC has the capability to provide pasteurized Donor Breast Milk
until the baby recovers or the mother can provide her own milk.
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