Key elements outlined include sensory-optimized patient rooms, on-unit procedural space to support rapid intervention, family transition rooms for families preparing for discharge, improved space for clinical workflows and equipment, technology upgrades, and expanded academic space tied to the region’s neonatology fellowship program and academic partners LSU Health New Orleans and Tulane Medicine. | Photo Credit: Manning Family Children’s
What You Need to Know
- Manning Family Children’s announced plans to build a new 60-bed Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at its New Orleans campus.
- The project would expand the hospital’s main-campus NICU from 35 to 60 beds and grow its broader regional neonatology network to nearly 200 beds across LCMC Health birthing hospitals and affiliate partners.
- The hospital said the expanded unit will triple current NICU square footage and emphasize a quiet, low-stimulation, family-centered environment.
- Construction is scheduled to break ground in spring 2026 with an opening planned for 2027; the hospital also launched a related capital campaign.
Learn More
NEW ORLEANS — Manning Family Children’s plans to expand neonatal intensive care capacity in New Orleans with a new 60-bed Level 4 NICU that the hospital says will anchor its regional neonatology network and increase access to specialized care for critically ill newborns across Louisiana and the Gulf South. The project would increase the hospital’s main-campus NICU from 35 to 60 beds while expanding the broader regional neonatal network to nearly 200 beds, spanning LCMC Health birthing hospitals and affiliate partners, according to the hospital.
Manning Family Children’s said Louisiana faces the second-highest preterm birth rate in the U.S. at 13.4%. In 2025, the hospital’s main-campus NICU cared for 272 critically ill babies transferred from 39 referring hospitals across the region, the organization said in a statement. The hospital also reported an increase in micro-preemies, including babies born as early as 22 weeks. That shift has driven longer average lengths of stay and higher needs for specialized staffing, equipment and technology within the unit, according to the announcement.
“As a Level 4 NICU, Manning Family Children’s provides the highest level of neonatal intensive care available, caring for babies with the most complex needs,” Lindsey Casey, RN, chief nursing officer, said, according to an article from Manning Family Children’s.
The planned unit would triple the NICU’s current square footage and incorporate design features intended to reduce stimulation and support family-centered healing, the hospital said in a statement. Key elements outlined include sensory-optimized patient rooms, on-unit procedural space to support rapid intervention, family transition rooms for families preparing for discharge, improved space for clinical workflows and equipment, technology upgrades, and expanded academic space tied to the region’s neonatology fellowship program and academic partners LSU Health New Orleans and Tulane Medicine.
Manning Family Children’s also highlighted its 24/7 pediatric and neonatal critical transport service, including its dedicated helicopter Abby, which completed 133 neonatal air transports in 2025.
“When it comes to the care of fragile newborns, not all NICUs are created equally. Manning Family Children’s stands apart as a comprehensive, highly specialized center of excellence for neonatal intensive care – the only one of its kind in the region,” Christy Mumphrey, MD, service line chief for neonatology, said, according to an article from Manning Family Children’s.
The new unit is planned for the fourth floor of the hospital’s newest medical tower, which was framed as shell space during the organization’s 2018–2021 campus expansion. The project is scheduled to break ground in spring 2026 and open in 2027.
The hospital said the NICU is designed by Kennedy Kraft Architects and will be constructed by Woodward Design+Build. The organization also said it has launched a corresponding capital campaign to support the investment.
This article is based on reporting originally published by Manning Family Children’s on Feb. 26, 2026.