I think its the NICU that I work in that a PP mentioned in Iowa. (Could be wrong). We have a one
year old 50 bed unit, and each room is an individual room. All rooms have recliner chairs, and
some rooms in the level-II area have daybeds, I believe 2 or 3 also have bathrooms. We have a
separate area with 6 rooms that are much like hotel rooms, with couches, daybed, rocker, private
bath with shower, and TV/VCR/DVD player, internet access. These 6 rooms are used for babes
closest to discharge, and especially for breastfeeding moms willing to room in 24/7 to work on
the feeding. Any parent can stay 24 hours a day, and sleep in the recliner chair in their baby's
room. There is a family lounge area adjacent to the NICU with lactation rooms, showers, lockers,
quiet rooms, kitchen area, etc. Its not perfect, as we don't have beds for everyone, but its better
than many units. And, the private rooms make it very nice for families, moms usually pump in
baby's room, which I'm sure improves milk flow. We do pretty well with providing BM for almost all
preemies (we have an abundant milk bank), but we do poorly at helping moms sustain BF after
discharge. I plan to spend the next 30 years of my career working on that, among other things.

Tarah Colaizy, MD
Asst Professor, Pediatrics (Neonatology)
University of Iowa
and mama to a 13 mo old nursling boy
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