UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center

08/02/2025

At UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center, our mission is clear: the relentless pursuit of healing kids.

Discover more about our expert pediatric care, special services and recent news on our website!

Find comprehensive pediatric care at UMass Memorial Medical Center's Children's Medical Center, offering specialized services for children and families.

07/31/2025

UMass Memorial Medical Center hosted "Jolly in July" on Wednesday!

Our Child Life Specialists and food services led the festivities, delivering gifts, crafts, treats and more to patients around UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center.

07/26/2025

Our friends at the UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center NICU have some-fin to show you this Shark Week... We think it's pretty jaw-some. 🦈 🌊

07/25/2025

UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center is happy to share that Valentina has received a "Top Dog" award from Worcester Business Journal.

Animal assisted therapy at UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center is made possible thanks to support from Dunkin', Dunkin' Joy In Childhood Foundation, and individual donors like you.

Read the Worcester Business Journal "Dog Edition" here: https://bit.ly/4mhMqWp

07/18/2025

When kids are admitted to the hospital during the summer, it can mean missing out on summer fun with friends.

This week, we brought Camp Day to inpatient pediatrics in partnership with Children's Cancer Association, JoyRx.

Patients were treated to virtual concert of campsite songs, s’mores treats and crafts including bracelet making and paper plate tambourines!

07/14/2025

Do you know a UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center caregiver who deserves a spotlight?

Give them a shutout in the comment section or send us a Direct Message with their name and a brief explanation why we should highlight them on our page!

07/13/2025

An important reminder this summer...

07/10/2025

At UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center, we know kids have unique physical and mental health needs separate from adults.

Learn more about pediatric emergency care: https://bit.ly/4kqvb3O

07/09/2025

After 45 years of service to children and families in Massachusetts, beloved UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center nurse Helen Mullen celebrated her retirement with family, friends, and colleagues last week.

"My life has been changed and blessed beyond what I ever could imagine," Helen explained. "There have been many good days and many difficult days where I have laughed and cried with so many children and families. I have received more than I have ever given to the many children and families I have cared for over the years."

Helen has left a lasting impact on so many children, families and fellow caregivers during her career.

"Treat and care for [patients] as you would want your family member to be cared for – with kindness and compassion. Advocate for them and be their voice." she explained.

When providing advice for new nurses or aspiring nurses, Helen shares the reminder that nursing is a "team profession."

"There is no 'I' in 'Team.' Learn from the more experienced nurses and never be afraid to ask questions," she said. "The only silly questions are the questions not asked. Do not be afraid to ask anyone for help."

Congratulations, Helen, on a wonderful career and thank you for the care and support you have provided for more than 40 years at UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center.

07/08/2025

Worcester Red Sox season is in full swing. Next time you’re at Polar Park, make sure to donate at the concession stand to support the big league care provided at UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center.

06/30/2025

UMass Memorial Medical Center's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has implemented a transformative approach to infant feeding. By shifting from volume-driven feeding practices to Infant-Driven Feeding (IDF), the NICU team aims to provide individualized, evidence-based care for premature and medically complex newborns.

Traditionally, NICU feeding practices have focused on the volume of milk an infant consumes. However, this approach can sometimes overlook key factors such as the infant’s readiness and quality of feeding and can lead to inconsistent feeding practices between caregivers.

Recognizing the need for a more holistic consistent method, our interdisciplinary NICU team of approximately 200 caregivers is adopting IDF to support each baby’s developmental stage and readiness cues. This approach is aligned with the latest standards of care implemented in over 250 hospitals across the United States and Canada.

“Feeding in the NICU is often the most challenging and emotionally charged milestone before discharge,” said Rebecca Hughes, MS, OTR/L, CNT, Occupational Therapist/Developmental Specialist and project lead for the IDF initiative. “By focusing on individualized care, we can support better outcomes for both infants and their families.”

What is Infant-Driven Feeding? IDF emphasizes an infant’s readiness to feed and the quality of their feeding experience over the volume consumed. Key elements include:

· Recognizing developmental cues to determine feeding readiness.

· Monitoring quality indicators during feeding to ensure comfort and safety.

· Tailoring caregiver strategies to meet each infant’s needs.

The program will foster consistency in care and enable better communication among the NICU team, while also helping parents participate in their child’s feeding journey. The initiative aims to reduce time to reach full oral feeding, shorten hospital stays, increase breastfeeding rates and breast milk usage, and improve satisfaction for families.

“This represents a significant culture shift,” explained Hughes. “Our entire team — from new graduates to those with decades of experience — will receive consistent education, ensuring we align with best practices, we’re setting the foundation for a lifetime of positive feeding experiences.”

06/30/2025