“All my life I dreamed of having a family. I always thought that it would be such a blessing to be a mother of twin boys, so I can really say that my sons are a dream come true,” Aimee says.

Born just shy of 34 weeks, the twins spent a few days in the hospital’s Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) while Aimee Jo recuperated from medical complications related to the pregnancy.

Aimee Jo was released from the hospital a few days before her sons were released in mid-November. Having the family together for the first time was a relief for the Brumbacks.

“It was a scary time for my husband, me and my family. I was too sick to see the babies at first, so it was comforting to know that the NICU nurses and doctors were there to constantly care for them,” Aimee Jo says.

The Women & Babies Hospital NICU provides an advanced level of care for babies. Dr. Kevin Lorah, Medical Director of the NICU, explains that the 21-bed unit has a Level III designation—the only one in Lancaster County. As a Level III NICU, Women & Babies’ neonatologists and medical staff are capable of treating all but the most complex cases involving newborns. If additional care is required, rapid helicopter transport is available to move a baby to the proper facility quickly and safely.

The Women & Babies NICU staff is able to manage more complicated cases, including those necessitating a ventilator and intravenous fluids. Our doctors are in the hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week to care for the babies in the NICU and to attend all high-risk deliveries.

NICU nurses are dedicated to caring for one to three babies, depending on why the baby is in the unit. If a baby is seriously ill, the ratio is smaller to ensure more personalized attention. These nurses monitor the babies’ vital signs, assist in feeding and provide specialized medical attention.

While the Brumback twins were born prematurely, not all NICU babies are preemies, says Dr. Lorah. “Ten to 15 percent of babies need the NICU at some time,” he explains. “Babies may end up in the NICU if they are born before 35 weeks. The normal due date is about 40 weeks into a pregnancy. Term and close-to-term babies may also need NICU care if they have breathing difficulties, low blood sugar or there is a concern about infection.”

While being in the NICU causes obvious concern for most parents and families, Dr. Lorah says that every NICU case is not a matter of life or death. “In some cases, it is just a matter of maturing. If a baby was born at four-and-a-half or five pounds, but he is breathing okay, he might spend some time in the NICU until he becomes mature enough to be discharged. Or maybe he has some feeding issues. It’s important for babies to continue to gain weight after leaving the hospital so they can grow and develop,” he says.

While most women don’t realize their child might need NICU care until just before, during or after labor, others know that it might be a possibility and want to make sure the hospital offers the necessary services.

“I knew early on, at 14 weeks, that I would be having twins,” Aimee Jo says. “As we were deciding where I should go for my delivery, it was important to me to have at least a Level III NICU because I knew I was a high-risk pregnancy. I wanted a hospital with the ability to care for premature babies. Plus, my friends and family who had gone to Lancaster General Women & Babies Hospital had great things to say about their care and about the facility.”

In addition to the advanced level of medical care available for mom and baby, Women & Babies Hospital takes pride in its courteous staff and homelike atmosphere. Even though the facility has one of the highest delivery volumes of any hospital in the state, the hospital takes special steps to accommodate the families’ needs as often as possible. Husbands can stay overnight with their wives and parents can stay overnight if they have a seriously ill child in NICU.

There are also private breastfeeding areas and family sitting and visiting rooms. Every effort is made to make the mother and family as comfortable as possible.

“We strongly encourage parental involvement. We want the family to be together as often as possible,” Dr. Lorah says.

“My husband stayed with me every single night. I encouraged him to go home, but I was so relieved when he would stay. The hospital made it really easy for him to stay with me while I was there,” Aimee Jo says. “One night it was my husband’s birthday and I asked if they could give us a candle to put in a cupcake. I was so surprised when they gave us a card and birthday cake with a message spelled out in chocolate medallions. It was so wonderful!”