Maternity wards without nurseries

[HelenePA]

I had my 1st at a different hospital and she went right to the NICU so I'm not sure how it worked there but the hospital where I had my other 3 is exactly like the movies.. big nursery, window all that jazz, you have the option to keep your newborn with you during the night. I did. I just wheeled them into the bathroom with me when I had to shower and stuff.. just like I would have at home. I honestly wanted to leave right after I had the last 3. I was fine with in a few hours. I would have got more rest at home too. The nurses come in every few hours to wake you up anyway. I got no rest there. At home I could relax. I could see why people choose to have their babies at home (with a midwife) DH was set against this!

 

[Fintastic]

I plan on sending this baby to the nursery just like I did with DD. New moms need all the rest they can get! Besides, if you're breastfeeding, they'll bring the baby to you every three hours anyway, so it's almost like having them right there in the room to begin with.

 

[wdwiala]

With both of my babies, I was exhausted. I sent them to the nursery but they wouldn't let them stay for long. I considered it dangerous. One time I fell asleep holding the baby. Good thing that I didn't drop her.

My husband? Where was he? Sleeping like a rock on the other side of the room. Unwakable.

It's not like anyone leaves you alone in the hospital all day. They poke you, check you, people are visiting, etc. I needed some rest for goodness sake.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I understand what you're saying. But, actually in my hospital, I'm not sure that's the case.

It is far easier to have the babies in the nursery (nurse-wise, that is) and more cost-effective. IF you have twenty babies in the nursery, feeding, burping and diapering them every 3-4 hours can be handled by 2 nurses and one nursing assistant. With 20 patients out on the floor, without their babies, we only need around 4 nurses to care for them.

If everyone kept their babies, only one nurse, and nursing assistant, is need in the nursery, but 5-6 nurses would be needed on the floor to assist the parents with caring for their babies. Believe me, it's far easier to care for a mostly sleeping mom, than it is to care for a (hormonal, sleep-deprived, in pain and anxious) mom that's up all night caring for her baby. To do that, we would need more nurses so that each nurse could have fewer patients, and therefore have more time to help each of them.

I know a lot of people think that nurses encourage patients to room-in because it makes it easier for the nurse, but it's actually the opposite At my hospital, many night shift nurses are elated to have a patient that wants her baby to be in the nursery all night

So in essence, rooming-in=6-7 nurses + 1 asst. on the entire unit. Babies in the nursery - 6 nurses +1 asst.

Wow thats some great staffing . Can I have an application?

When I worked in our city womans hospital we had between 7-8 couplets (mother , baby) per nurse, with 40 patients rooms. No nursing assistant on the whole floor, and the charge nurse(who if no on called off, didn't have an assignment) covered the nursery if a mother wanted to not room in.

I'm not saying you are lying. I'm just saying the staffing of nurses as you describe definetly is not like that in every hospital.

And for the record, I think a nursery should be provided. It was encouraged at our hospital for a baby to room in, but For my 1st I kept him 24/7. With my daughter I kept her during the day , but sent her back at night. I told the nurses, "you could have her". This will be my last couple peaceful nights for a long time. LOL

 

[SydSim]

Wow thats some great staffing . Can I have an application?


I'm not saying you are lying.

No worries I work in a huge, inner city hospital that does the most deliveries in the area, so yes, we do have a lot of nurses. Twenty years ago when I started, we did have an average of 8-10 couplets per nurse at night. Now, thank God, we average 3-5. We have a huge high risk population, so we have all kinds of complicated patients on our floors, so having a low nurse-to-patient ratio is a must!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

No worries I work in a huge, inner city hospital that does the most deliveries in the area, so yes, we do have a lot of nurses. Twenty years ago when I started, we did have an average of 8-10 couplets per nurse at night. Now, thank God, we average 3-5. We have a huge high risk population, so we have all kinds of complicated patients on our floors, so having a low nurse-to-patient ratio is a must!

You are quite lucky! The hospital I worked in was a huge inner city hospital with the most deliveries also. Our staffing was alot better when I started there 11 years ago but has got progressively worse over the years with no relief in sight. The nurses are there to be hired, but the hospital feels the staffing is fine. We have a seperate anti-partum floor whose ratio used to be 4-1, but even that is 8-1 now. ( I have a friend who still works there.)

The main reason I left there , plain and simple dangerous. Its a shame!

 

[krcit]

I had all 3 of my kids in the same hospital. My oldest was in the nursery as was my middle one. By the time I had my ds, they were more about you keeping the baby the whole time. I remember being so tired the first night and my ds was crying and crying. A sweet nurse came in and saw how exhausted I was and said 'Would you mind if I took this little man to the nursery and sit with him in the rocking chair?" I almost cried I was so grateful. By the next morning I was rested and ready for my little guy.

 

[disykat]

My "babies" are 14 and 16 and rooming in was required at both the hospitals I gave birth in. It was expected that I care for them myself or have someone staying with me who did.

I left the hospital as soon as possible after both babies because I couldn't get any rest and I wasn't really receiving any care. My first child I had a 36 hour labor followed by a c-section, my baby was a screamer, and I needed some sleep. At least at home dh could take the baby in another room.

 

[Beca]

The nursery was not supposed to be used much at the hospital where my dd was born, and I was VERY happy about that. I just wanted my dd with me the whole time. However, I had 31 hrs of labor and then an emergency c-section, so they told me she could not stay with me. I was SOOOO sad!!!!

Within 10 minutes of my spinal meds wearing off, I was up walking to the nursery to see her. After much begging, they let me bring her to the room for 30 minutes to cuddle her, but sure enough....they came back to get her!! I was a basket case...I had just expected her to be with me!!

I got to have her the next day for a few hours, but she was getting more and more jaundiced, so they had to put her under the bili ruben lights, so I only got to hold her for 30 min. to feed her once every two hours. They were also concerned that she was not getting enough liquid because of the lights, so they began to give her formula when I was not around (which also made me so sad!!).

Pretty much nothing about her delivery, or the care afterwards went as I had imagined/hoped. I just wanted to be mom so badly, and I felt like I had absolutely NO control or say in her care after she was born. The hospital DID have portable bili ruben lights that could go into rooms with the mom, but they were all in use, so my dd had to stay in the nursery.

I REALLY hope all goes better with this pregnancy, and that I can keep my baby with me...separation is just too hard!!

 

[disneynewbee]

I'm so glad our hospital still has the option of the nursery for everyone. I have 4 children and I needed the rest so much after having them. All my labors were 12 hrs and all but one of them involved at least 2 hrs pushing because my babies like to come out facing the wrong direction. I also got extremely sick after 2 of my deliveries with dizziness and vomiting not related to BP, they couldn't really figure out why but I was miserable. With the pain pills they give you I could sleep through anything and so I don't want the baby in the room with me when I could be dozing in and out. When I was awake she was there but when I started feeling tired I would buzz them to come get her.

 

[Planogirl]

Our hospital had the big nursery and I was so glad. I was feverish and didn't feel good so I desperately needed rest. We stayed in the hospital for an extra day because of my fever and it really helped.

 

["Got Disney"]

Since studies have shown that both babies and moms sleep better when they are near each other, there has been a push for all moms, who are able, to room in with their babies 24/7. The nursery is only used for brand new, just-born babies or babies of moms who are extremely ill and can't care for themselves. Moms are encouraged to room-in with their newborn and sleep when their baby sleeps, like they would do at home.

Has anyone ever been on a maternity ward that had this, and what are your opinions on this.

This would only be for moms who are physically able to care for the baby - not for those that had traumatic deliveries that left them incapacitated

L&D nurse here and am all for it. WE always prefer the babies to stay with the moms Postpartum. All the hospitals I have worked in give the Moms the choice. Years ago they always took the babies away after feeding, not to mention the Moms staying in the Hospital for at least 5 days after delivery.

It has been shown that the bonding time right after and keeping the baby there helps the newer moms grow confidence and learn.

Also helps the nurses watch to see if there is any bonding problems with the baby or mom.

As long as the Hospitals dont do away with the nursery which is for sure needed for those moms that had difficult deliverys and need to recover and get more sleep due to heavy bleeding or just a break before going home than I'm for it.

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

I like for them to take the baby for awhile because I need time to rest and recover. I also consider it a little break from my other kiddies

 

[Cool-Beans]

As is usually the case when someone tells you they want to do something for your own good, I think it is really for their own good.

The less babies they have, the fewer nurses they have to pay.

While it is great for moms do it, I think the reason the hospitals push it is less for the moms and more for themselves.

 

[fakereadhed]

I've been on both sides as a nurse and new mom, and it caused problems for me. If you do have a cranky baby(I had 2 out 3 crabby babies) you really do need some sleep before you head home with them on your own after delivering. And as a nurse, if a mom did need to get some sleep due to a super fussy baby, you have no way to take them out of the room and watch them safely at the desk unless things are completely slow.

Another great idea thought up by either men or women who have never had a colicky baby.

 

[mjkacmom]

At our hospital, the baby is usually with mom during the day, in the nursery at night, and brought in for night feedings if mom is bfing. I loved having them in the nursery at night! Heck, I was tempted to bring them back at night after we got home! With our twins, they went to the nursery at night from 10 - 5, even though DH was with me. It was nice to be able to get some sleep before the nightmare sleep deprivation began once we got home. I had a c/s with them, and I don't think a woman recovering from surgery should be expected to care for a newborn 24/7.

 

[Piecey]

I had Lucas June 3rd after an exhausting labor and ultimately a c-section... I didn't get out of the OR until about 11pm, I believe, and they wouldn't let me see him. By the time they finished my post-op stuff it was almost 2am and they brought him to me for a few minutes before they took him back to the nursery.

I was only given the option to keep him one night and I passed... I was scared I wouldn't wake up if he needed me because of all the pain medications I was on. I don't think they offered my second night there because I still wasn't supposed to get out of bed without first telling a nurse I was on the move...

 

[HelenePA]

The nursery was not supposed to be used much at the hospital where my dd was born, and I was VERY happy about that. I just wanted my dd with me the whole time. However, I had 31 hrs of labor and then an emergency c-section, so they told me she could not stay with me. I was SOOOO sad!!!!

Within 10 minutes of my spinal meds wearing off, I was up walking to the nursery to see her. After much begging, they let me bring her to the room for 30 minutes to cuddle her, but sure enough....they came back to get her!! I was a basket case...I had just expected her to be with me!!

I got to have her the next day for a few hours, but she was getting more and more jaundiced, so they had to put her under the bili ruben lights, so I only got to hold her for 30 min. to feed her once every two hours. They were also concerned that she was not getting enough liquid because of the lights, so they began to give her formula when I was not around (which also made me so sad!!).

Pretty much nothing about her delivery, or the care afterwards went as I had imagined/hoped. I just wanted to be mom so badly, and I felt like I had absolutely NO control or say in her care after she was born. The hospital DID have portable bili ruben lights that could go into rooms with the mom, but they were all in use, so my dd had to stay in the nursery.

I REALLY hope all goes better with this pregnancy, and that I can keep my baby with me...separation is just too hard!!

WTH kind of hospital were you at were you couldn't have the baby with you at night? I would have flipped out! With my first son I took him to the nursery but changed my mind. I walked down to get him he stayed with me the rest of the night.. sleeping in bed with me of course. I dont remember what I did with my 2nd daughter it was almost 7 years ago

 

[FormrCastMbr]

I just had my second about 4 months ago and they encouraged Moms to have their babies room in. I did some of the time but I just needed some help due to having a c section and having to be put under since the epidural did not work (they tried to get it to work for a while but it just wasn't hitting the right spots). I was thankful for that time to recooperate...it probably would have been different if my husband was able to stay with me but he was at home at night taking care of our other son.

I had the baby with me one night (I was there 4) and I was in such a sound sleep, the poor thing was crying and I did not even budge. The nurse had to wake me up.

The hospital did not even have a viewing nursery so I guess rooming in is becoming the norm now a days.

 

[DznyLvr2005]

Since studies have shown that both babies and moms sleep better when they are near each other, there has been a push for all moms, who are able, to room in with their babies 24/7. The nursery is only used for brand new, just-born babies or babies of moms who are extremely ill and can't care for themselves. Moms are encouraged to room-in with their newborn and sleep when their baby sleeps, like they would do at home.

Has anyone ever been on a maternity ward that had this, and what are your opinions on this.

This would only be for moms who are physically able to care for the baby - not for those that had traumatic deliveries that left them incapacitated

no way, when I had my dd I was so exhausted that I needed her to be in the nursery at night. I felt like it was my last break before never getting a break at all