Level III NICU Care - Reading Hospital

Our 30-bed Level III NICU offers the most advanced newborn care in Berks County. We care for critically ill infants with conditions such as:

Our trained NICU specialists, neonatal Nurse Practitioners and critical care trained Physician Assistants, use the latest equipment and approaches to monitor your baby’s health and provide care in a supportive, family-friendly environment. We keep you well-informed and offer support every step of the way.

 We provide advanced care, including:

• 24/7 neonatologist coverage. Neonatologists — doctors who specialize in newborns — are always here, ready to provide care. They work closely with NICU nurses to keep your baby safe.
• Advanced care for breathing problems. We offer sophisticated therapies to support your baby’s breathing and lung function, including CPAP therapy, nitric oxide, and high-frequency ventilation.
• Neonatal body cooling (newborn therapeutic hypothermia). This advanced approach treats a brain injury caused by a lack of oxygen or blood to a newborn’s brain. It lowers their body temperature safely to prevent further damage to the brain.
• Rehabilitation. Our physical, occupational, and speech-language therapists evaluate and care for newborns who need extra attention for feeding, swallowing, movement, mental processing, and other areas. Our physical therapists provide gentle massage to soothe and calm newborns.
• Breastfeeding support. If you want to breastfeed, our international board-certified lactation consultants (IBCLCs) can help. We help you get started and create a breastfeeding plan that works for you.
• Safe donor milk to reduce complications of prematurity. We offer donor human milk to premature infants which has an impact on reducing common comorbidities associated with prematurity such as Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), Late-onset sepsis, and Necrotizing Enterocolitis.
• Developmental testing. Our rehab therapists test premature infants to see how they’re developing compared to their peers. 
• Follow-up care. After your baby leaves the NICU, we see them for checkups every three or four months for the first two years. This lets our neonatologists, nurses, therapists, and nutritionists keep an eye on their mental and physical development. We keep your pediatrician well-informed.
• Supplemental and supportive services. We make sure you and your baby are well-supported. Our NICU specialists support kangaroo care to promote baby’s overall well-being and bonding between you and your baby. If you can't be there in person, our Cuddler program provides trained hospital volunteers to hold and comfort your baby.