Newborn intensive care unit opens at Columbia St. Mary's

MILWAUKEE -- A new newborn intensive care unit opened at Columbia St. Mary's Hospital in November, this unique facility offers 23 individual rooms, allowing families some privacy. With over half a million babies born premature in the United States each year, health officials say the quiet, calm atmosphere at this facility helps babies and their families get healthy and go home more quickly.

For the past three weeks, Azza Malik has spent her days and nights at her baby boy, Ayman's side. The little one was born more than four weeks premature. Malik's son is being cared for inside Columbia St. Mary's new newborn intensive care unit. The unit offers individual rooms, catered to the baby's needs, and families are welcome as much as they'd like. The rooms feature an area for the doctor and baby, and also a small living space for the family.

"Studies have shown that there were better outcomes with private rooms. Babies gained weight faster, and there was a decrease in the length of stay,"  Pat Mueller, Director of Neonatal Care at Columbia St. Mary's said.

Columbia St. Mary's newborn intensive care unit was made possible because of a generous donation from the Doerr family, and is named in their honor. It is the first all-private NICU in southeastern Wisconsin.

Columbia St. Mary's Doerr NICU Info.