Maternity

Sometimes babies arrive too early or may need extra attention before going home. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is specially designed, staffed and equipped to care for newborns.

Both Methodist Germantown and Methodist South offer NICU services and employ board-certified neonatologists. Neonatologists have received advanced training in the care of infants and are available 24 hours a day. They are supported by our trained professionals, including nurses, dietitians, respiratory therapists and pharmacists.

NICUs are nationally classified in levels I - IV depending on the care they are able to provide. Methodist South is a Level II NICU, meaning that it provides specialty newborn care for babies greater than 32 weeks gestation. Methodist Germantown is a Level III NICU, and is equipped to care for babies greater than 26 weeks gestation. Level IV NICUs in Memphis are available at The Med and at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center. Infants in need of more specialized services are typically stabilized and transferred to Le Bonheur.

We take extra steps to involve families in the care of their newborns while in the NICU so that both you and baby are prepared when you go home.