There’s no greater need for new parents than to know that they’ll be in good hands if their newborn needs intensive care in the hours or days after birth. Generations of parents in the Fredericksburg region have depended on Mary Washington Hospital to give them the peace of mind that those needs will be met.

Thanks to a $5 million donation from Joe and Mary Wilson—whose granddaughter was cared for in the Mary Washington Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) 22 years ago—the hospital recently opened a significant expansion of this Level III intensive-care facility. The inviting new NICU demonstrates Mary Washington Healthcare’s continued response to the need to provide enhanced support for maternal and fetal health in the Fredericksburg region.

A Growing Need to Support Mothers and Babies

“The high-risk population in our community and surrounding area for moms expecting babies is at the highest it’s ever been,” said NICU Nurse Manager Nancy Young. “We are seeing more pre-eclampsia, more gestational diabetes. We are seeing just more complicated pregnancies, and that tells us we may have more babies in need of neonatal intensive care, whether it be for 24 hours, because of a delayed transition, or they’re born premature at 22 weeks, and they’re with us for 100 days.”

The new and expanded NICU facility doubles the square footage available in which to care for these tiniest patients. The new Joe and Mary Wilson NICU has 20 private rooms with a 5-bed open ward. This allows for a new level of comfort, as parents can enjoy privacy with their baby in a single private room.

“We can really support that early bonding between parents and babies, in an environment that feels more like home,” Young said.

“The design for this unit is well thought out with the needs of the family in mind,” said Dr. Arslan Arshad, a neonatologist with Mary Washington Healthcare. “We have a small pod where babies who are extremely sick can get the extra attention they need. Babies who are stable enough can be in their private rooms with their mother, extended family and siblings. We cater to the emotional needs of the family and giving them that opportunity of being a parent and celebrating this occasion—it’s an important part of how we built this unit.”

A pullout couch and recliner in the rooms enable caregivers to grab rest when needed in between consultations with NICU staff, who provide hands-on instruction to help parents learn to care for their fragile newborns. Brand-new, state-of-the-art equipment and décor that promotes calm and peace create a welcoming environment. Little touches like night lights in the rooms aim to make families feel at home.

“The intensive care experience that we can offer now with more space is so important for our region,” Young said. “As the number of babies in need of this level of care has risen, Mary Washington Healthcare and the community have come together to create a safe place that offers that Level III intensive care that will hopefully help us be able to send babies home sooner.”

Arshad said the locally owned nonprofit health system has been working for years to be able to ensure that parents can access the level of care their newborns need without driving out of the region. He said planning for the new expansion sought to meet the region’s needs for the next 20 to 30 years.

Experience Matters

The Joe and Mary Wilson NICU is the region’s most experienced Level III NICU. It is staffed 24/7 by board-certified neonatologists from Children’s National Hospital. Specialists from both Children’s National and Virginia Commonwealth University [AL1] connect local families with pediatric subspecialties close to their homes, so parents can spend less time driving, and more time getting to know their newborns.

The highly specialized team also includes neonatal nurse practitioners, registered nurses, respiratory therapists, physical and occupational therapists, case managers, dietitians and lactation consultants.

That kind of care creates lasting memories during a time that is very stressful for new families. Young said the staff on the unit occasionally get visits from families with grown children who started their lives at Mary Washington.

“Just last week we had a family visit. They had their 18-year-old son with them, and they said, ‘This is where you were born. This is the NICU that took care of you and saved you.’ And we had this spontaneous reunion,” Young said. “They said, ‘Mary Washington NICU was our first family.’”

A Community Commitment

This expansion is part of Mary Washington Healthcare’s ongoing investment in women’s and children’s services.

For parents, it means having peace of mind during one of life’s most vulnerable moments.

Learn More

To learn more about Mary Washington Hospital’s NICU and maternity care, visit
MyBaby.mwhc.com.