JUST. SAY. NO. –> You can’t take my baby……
JUST. SAY. NO.
You CAN’T Take MY Baby to the Newborn Nursery!
All too often, we~ as hospital staff in Labor and Delivery- Mother Baby units or the Newborn Nursery, want to take YOUR baby away for this test or that exam saying we’ll be right back. Well it isn’t always that quick- in fact it is RARELY that quick. One thing leads to another and before you know it, it is 1 to 2 hours before you have your baby back.
This is beyond wrong.
We are horrible for doing this.
We need to be a better support system for you.
I am working on getting all staff involved in increasing our exclusive breastfeeding rates. This begins with the first feeding. (well- it really begins with birth interventions but of course that is a totally different post)…….
Your baby should stay with you until he latches and feeds.
Stay.
Skin to Skin is the best way for him to get accustomed to his new habitat and learn where he will be feeding.
STAY WITH YOU
We can do virtually everything~ all routine newborn exams, procedures and tests at the bedside, with you right there.
Speak up and tell us NO
Thank You
TheFeministBreeder
StorkStories..... 
… and tell them that if they need to take baby, you’re going too! (I just did that a few months ago for my newborn’s hearing test – all other tests were done in our room.)
When I had my daughter a year ago, some of the staff at the hospital I delivered at got short with me because I wanted to go with my baby for her hearing screening. They told me I couldn’t go because I was “high risk” because I had MRSA. Well, I quickly corrected the staff and said I did not have MRSA I have a HISTORY of MRSA from 2005. Huge difference between have and had. Needless to say I went with her for her test and thankfully it only took 5 minutes then we went right back to our room. My babies do not leave my site when at or in the hospital. I also had a nurse one time tell me she was taking my daughter who is now 13, was I think 3 or 4 at the time for a weight check because she was being admitted into the hospital and when they came back she had an IV. I was furious. I told the nurse that it was to be noted in her chart that I was to be present for every single thing that was to be done to or for my child. This prompted a visit from the head nurse that told me they usually have a hard time with parents when giving IVs and such. I simply said I am not every parent. This is the situation that promted me to never let my babies out of my site. I would rather be there and be the one to hold my child down or whetever it takes so they can be comforted and know that they are not alone with a bunch of total strangers. I am glad that you posted this. It is very important that babies or children stay with their parents breastfeeding or not. But I completely agree about the breastfeeding part.
This is the exact reason I’ll be delivering at the hospital I do NOT work at and for-going my 30% discount (which is a lot of money!!)
The hospital I chose to deliver at is 110% baby/breast feeding/ family friendly!!! No newborn nursary for your healthy uncomplicated delivery!! They don’t even do weight and length, shots or eye cream in the first hour!!
Thank you Sherman Health in Elgin Illinois!!! Every hosp should follow your lead!
I was traumatized by having an Iv placed without my parents when I was in the hospital. I had strong PTSD for about 30 years from that experience. While it was unpleasant to go through, it has made me an extremely educated consumer of medical services (or not, as the case may be). The regard for the emotional health of the child is lacking greatly. I will never ever ever leave my children in a medical setting out of my sight. Never.
I had a terrible experience with this. My hospital did not listen to my wishes at all and I honestly don’t plan on ever having a birth at an actual hospital again. Birthing center, yes, hospital no. What happened was this: My son was born during shift change. 9:45 pm. So everyone bombarded me about getting him weighed, and measured, etc. I didn’t even have more than 2 seconds with my son before he was whisked away to the table in my room for this. I maintained that his procedures would be accompanied by myself or my husband, and the next day they argued about it. The nursing staff AND my doctor were both specifically told that nothing happened without my supervision. They did it anyway while I was sleeping. I wake up to just my husband, who said they just had a quick check up to do on my son because he was slightly jaundiced. 2 hours after they took him, “Here is your baby boy” and everything was done. My wishes were completely ignored, even though they were expressed. Never again.
The hospital I had my baby in didn’t even have a nursery – all babies are kept in cradles next to their mothers. Furthermore, she was not moved from my bedside for any of her tests or exams except for one (a blood culture). Not a specific “baby-friendly” hospital, just an Irish one. (Unfortunately, despite our healthcare system being very pro-breastfeeding and putting baby-friendly policies in place – including skin-to-skin immediately after birth as part of the hospital birth plan – and despite an entitlement to 26-weeks paid maternity leave – at 80% of your basic pay – we still have one of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world.)
I am lucky to have the nurses I was with be very understanding whenever I wanted to be with our sons for anything. Our oldest son had to go to the hospital numerous times due to allergies & infections. (He was also born 8 wks early) Most of the time they asked me if I wanted to go with to comfort him. They knew that I was a breastfeeding mom & after whatever they had to do, they would tell me I could go ahead & nurse him for as long as I needed to in the room before heading back to our assigned room. I did have to have 2 c-sections though, which I am still mentally recovering from, but the staff was very nice & were always pro-breastfeeding.
I will never again trust that a birth plan will be followed. They managed to go against the only 2 things that I had requested-no formula feeding and to be present (at least) for his 1st bath. They told me that they tested his blood sugar and didn’t have time to bring him back to me for nursing so they gave him a bottle and then took him later for more “tests”, brought him back and said, oh, he’s all clean now. I was soooooo furious. I didn’t have a whole lot of stuff on my plan, just those 2 things and they managed to mess them BOTH up! Next time I will say NO!
It was extremely difficult to work out. I had peds approval and my dr’s approval. before delivery. baby never left me once!!!! some nurses seemed irritated, but it is my baby!!! I was also refusing to let anything be done to baby until we nurse, no vit K. no eye goop nothing! She is healthy and fine. Nursing like a champ now too!
This is what I am talking about!! This is YOUR baby! This is not difficult and should not be irritating to ANY nurse. I know we can be better than we are because I do this for a living. We can wait- we can….. We as nurses have become so task oriented and focused on completing “jobs” that the bigger picture of the beautiful birth and connection between mom and baby seems lost on some.
One of the reasons I home birthed #4 and am planning to for #5.
Wow – I’m assuming that this is a US-based blog? What is with the ‘eye goop’? Babies in Australia don’t have anything put into their eyes and breast-feeding and skin-to-skin contact are heavily encouraged here. With my first baby, we had at least an hour of skin-to-skin, first feed/suckle etc, before the baby was weighed and measured – just a few feet from the bed with my husband there holding her and assisting the midwife. Even with my second, who was born blue, we had as much skin-to-skin time as medically possible – just a few minutes in this case, but my husband went with her to the special care nursery and stayed with her. All tests, including the hearing test, were done with us present. With baby 1 we went to a separate room for the hearing test, but with baby 2 the audiologist came to us and it was all very simple and quick. I held them for the heel pricks and was there for every check-up. Baby 2 had to spend 24 hours in the nursery, but I spent as much time there with her as I could (eating and sleeping aside). There is now no general nursery in the hospital where I birthed – it is all “rooming in” except for babies who need special care (i.e. humidicrib for oxygen, temperature control etc) which is how it should be.
I wish you every success with your campaign!!
Yes I’m in the US hahaha. Wish we had birth practices more like those down under or in some place in Europe. The eye goop is an antibiotic ointment that is protocol most places. Thanks for stopping by.
A huge issue in both the States and Canada! Often mamas will feel bullied into decisions in the middle of the night when they are tired and overwhelmed. 😦 Thank you for your insightful posts….because of all the lovely work you’re doing, I’ve nominated you for a Liebster Award! You can check out the details here! http://relishthejourney.net/2013/02/07/honoured-once-again/
A very important piece and I hope that more and more will speak out in making sure this policy is adopted in care facilities everywhere!