Visiting Guidelines for St. Louis Children’s Hospital NICU

Visiting a baby in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) can be a deeply emotional experience that fosters a bond among family members, allowing them to share the joys and challenges of their child’s early days together.

To ensure the safety and well-being of both your baby and all other infants in our care, we have established specific visiting guidelines for St. Louis Children’s Hospital's NICU. These protocols are designed to create a secure, nurturing environment where parents, guardians, and other family members can provide comfort and support to their children. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we work together to prioritize the health and privacy of every child and family in our unit.

  • Parents, guardians, and grandparents are welcome at any time, day or night.
  • Visiting hours for all other visitors are 9 a.m.–9 p.m. To respect each family’s privacy, visiting hours will be limited to parents or those accompanying them during rounds (8–10 a.m.) and nursing reports (7–7:30 a.m. and 7–7:30 p.m.).
  • Our NICU is a closed and secured unit with a secretary available 24 hours a day. All visitors must sign in and speak with the secretary before entering. At least once a day, you will need to sign in at the secretary’s desk and receive a special sticker indicating you have been screened and cleared to enter the unit for the day.
  • Due to limited space, only two people are allowed at the bedside at a time.
  • Visitors in our NICU should be at least 12 years old, unless the visitor is a sibling of a NICU patient.
  • If you are sick or have a runny nose, cough, or fever, please refrain from visiting. Limiting visitors helps maintain a healthy environment for your baby.
  • Handwashing is crucial for keeping your baby well. Everyone entering the unit must wash their hands. Please ensure visitors have washed their hands before touching your baby.
  • Visiting may be restricted at times based on your baby’s condition or the condition of the unit.
  • Your baby’s nurse will assist you with any special visiting needs.

St. Louis Children’s Hospital is located at One Children’s Place, St. Louis, MO 63110.

For St. Louis Children’s Hospital visiting guidelines, click here.