• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Children's Hospital of Orange County

Children's Hospital of Orange County

Donate
  • I Want To…
    • Find a Doctor
    • Make an Appointment
    • Access CHOC Patient Portal
    • Explore Career Opporunities
    • Estimate My Charges
    • Pay My Bill
    • Request Medical Records
    • Download Vaccine Records
    • Refer a Patient
    • Visit a Patient
    • Connect
    • Volunteer
    • Help
    • I Want To…
      • Find a Doctor
      • Make an Appointment
      • Access CHOC Patient Portal
      • Explore Career Opporunities
      • Estimate My Charges
      • Pay My Bill
      • Request Medical Records
      • Download Vaccine Records
      • Refer a Patient
      • Visit a Patient
      • Connect
      • Volunteer
      • Help
  • Services
    • Primary Care
    • Specialty Care
    • Mental Health
    • Conditions Library
    • All CHOC Services
  • Patients & Families
    • Make an Appointment
    • MyCHOC Patient Portal
    • Pay Your Bill
    • Request Medical Records
    • CHOC Health Hub
  • For Medical Professionals
    • Refer a Patient
    • Care Guidelines
    • Physician Relations
    • Continuing Medical Education
    • Residency and Training Programs
  • Research & Innovation
    • Research Institute
    • Medical Innovation Institute (Mi4)
  • Locations
    • Emergency Departments
    • CHOC Hospital
    • CHOC at Mission Hospital
    • Urgent Care
    • Primary Care Offices
    • Specialty Centers
    • All CHOC Locations
  • About
    • Main Operator: 714-997-3000
    • Customer Care: 714-509-3200
    • Nurse Advice: 1-844-GET-CHOC
    • Contact Us
    • CHOC Foundation
    • Events
    • News Media Resources
  • Find a Doctor
  • Careers
  • Log In
    • MyCHOC
    • MyChart (CHOC Mission)
  • Donate

Questions about your child's health? Call our free 24/7 Nurse Advice Line 844-GET-CHOC.

Home » Neonatal Services (NICU) » Small Baby Unit

Small Baby Unit

  • Neonatal Services (NICU)
    • Locations and Programs
    • Family and Visitor Resources
      • Transferring to the NICU
      • Arrival at the NICU
      • Daily life in the NICU
      • Nutrition in the NICU
      • Visiting the NICU
      • Discharging from the NICU
      • Life after the NICU
    • Support Services
    • Neonatal Research
Neonatology Referrals
Physicians can refer patients to CHOC through our eCeptionist Referral Portal.

Refer a Patient

The CHOC Small Baby Unit is a very special unit within our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) that focuses on caring for the unique needs of the smallest and sickest babies. Designed for babies born at less than 28 weeks gestation or who weigh less than 1,000 grams, it is the only unit of its kind anywhere.

Published studies show that babies born before 28 weeks gestation or weighing less than 1,000 grams do better in a dedicated, high-volume program like ours, where the specially trained team provides guidelines-driven care. The 30-bed Small Baby Unit is designed to aid in the babies’ development with dim lighting and low noise levels.

The Small Baby Unit Team

The Small Baby Unit is staffed with a specially selected multidisciplinary team of highly trained and dedicated NICU nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, lactation consultants and pharmacists who have undergone advanced education. We also offer an extraordinary team of case managers, social workers, psychologists and a family support liaison who helps with everything from dealing with the emotions of life in the NICU to handling insurance companies and home health needs.

All NICU associates not only undergo special training in neonatal intensive care, but receive specific training on the health complexities of extremely low birth weight babies upon becoming a member of the team as well. As part of their continuing education, our staff attends quarterly “Small Talks” with our neonatologists covering the specific topics facing patients in the unit.

Crucial for the newborns in the Small Baby Unit are our developmental care team who continuously assess muscle tone and movement, feeding and motor development of our babies and our team of registered dietitians who continuously monitor the growth and development of our babies to ensure they are receiving the correct nutrition.

Caring for the Needs of Babies and their Families

Because the entire Small Baby Unit staff specializes in caring for tiny, fragile babies, they can be an incredible source of strength and guidance while in the NICU. They work closely with families to help them learn about their babies and understand complex medical terminology and procedures. Our staff is by your side during the tough decisions and emotional rough patches, as well as when it comes time to celebrate special milestones and happy times. What’s more, because families with babies in the unit are going through many of the same experiences, they are able to form a bond of friendship and understanding that would be difficult to forge elsewhere. Learn more about the resources available to all NICU patients and families.

1201 W La Veta Ave
Orange, CA 92868

(714) 997-3000

CHOC is affiiliated with

CHOC Links

  • Contact Us
  • Directions
  • Locations
  • News Media Resources
  • Careers
  • Giving

I Want To…

  • Find a Doctor
  • Refer a Patient
  • Pay My Bill
  • Request Medical Records
  • MyCHOC Patient Portal
  • Volunteer

Legal

  • Patient Rights and Responsibilities
  • Notice of Privacy Practices
  • Notice of Nondiscrimination
  • Language Assistance
  • Pricing Transparency
  • Privacy Policy
Choco Wave
  • US News and World Report
  • The Joint Commission
  • California Awards
  • Magnet Recognized
  • Charity Navigator

Language Assistance:

  • Español
  • 繁體中文
  • Tiếng Việt
  • Tagalog
  • 한국어
  • Հայերեն
  • فارسی
  • Русский
  • 日本語
  • العربية
  • ਪੰਜਾਬੀ
  • ខ្មែរ
  • Hmoob
  • हिंदी
  • ภาษาไทย
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

©2025 CHOC, A 501(c)(3) Organization