Newborn mortality rates, one of the important indicators of the development levels of countries, have declined in recent years in the world and in our country. In spite of increased survival rates in newborns, there has been a steady increase in the incidence of premature born infants and related morbidity risk. Newborns with various problems are exposed to the effects of environmental and psychosocial stressors besides these problems. As a result of these exposures, neurodevelopmental and sensory problems such as delays in fine-gross motor skills, prominent cognitive delay, reduction in academic achievement, inability to maintain attention occur in newborns. Regulation of the physical environment and minimal stimulation to newborn have been determined to be beneficial in the prevention of morbidity and developmental problems in the newborns. In this regard, more attention has been focused on individualized developmental care practices in newborn intensive care units. Individualized developmental care practices have been systematically implemented with the maintenance models developed based on the theories that deal with the newborn as a whole with environmentally integrated subsystems of them. The individualized developmental care given in neonatal intensive care units according to the gestational age and adaptation capacity of the newborn and consists of the regulation of an environment-creation of healing environment, regulation of sleepwake states, developmental supportive activities and family-centered care components. The use of developmental care models in caring the newborn increases the newborn physical, mental, social and developmental well-being. Neonatal nurses have an important role in maintaining this care. This review focuses on individualized developmental care, theory on which it is based, care models and current care practices developed in line with them.