MercyOne Waterloo Integrated Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) (INIC)

Having a baby is one of the most important moments of a parent's life, and while it’s always the hope that the pregnancy, labor and birth go as planned, there are instances where babies need advanced care. MercyOne's unique Level III Integrated Neonatal Intensive Care (INIC) model allows babies to be cared for by our team of neonatologists, nurses and specialists while staying in the same room as their parents.

Each of MercyOne's 19 labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum birthing suites are equipped with the technology and support necessary should your baby need intensive care. Our family-centered approach allows for families to stay together rather than separating parents and baby in a more traditional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) setting.

Benefits to this family-centered approach include more skin-to-skin time for parents and baby, decreased separation and increased breastfeeding success rates. The first few minutes, hours and days are essential for bonding with a new baby, and the INIC model allows for that even when a baby needs advanced care.