[DutchgirlRN]

I was at a sister hospital in Nashville this week attending a class. I was sitting in the cafeteria having lunch and heard a little baby giggle and then about 30 seconds of Brahms Lullaby. I heard it several times during the week. I asked someone sitting near me, what's up with that? and they said that is played everytime a baby is born. I thought that is so sweet. I'm going to suggest this to my hospital. My daughter is due in 7 weeks and I think it's a super idea! Does your hospital do anything special when a baby is born?

[dianah]

What a great idea!!

Hmmmmmmmmm, . . . I don't think our VA hospital has many births . . .

[VivaLasViejas]

My hospital plays about 20 seconds of "Brahm's Lullaby" whenever a baby is born.

I remember when they started doing this, it was about 3 months before my grandson was born. Naturally, I couldn't wait to hear it played for him; then, when he finally came into the world, everyone on the OB floor was so excited for our family that they FORGOT it!! It wasn't until after we'd all gone into Amanda's room to see the new-made family that I remembered, and then I went racing down the hall to the labor desk and reminded them to play the music!! It came over the PA system just as my dh, sons and I walked into the cafeteria for a late breakfast, and I couldn't help myself: "They're playing that for OUR grandbaby!!" I announced to the entire room, heedless of the fact that most of the patrons at that hour of the day weren't staff members. I was so proud, I didn't care if I made a spectacle of myself.

[dianah]

Great story Marla!! What a Grandma!

[grinnurse]

At our tiny little hosp. they play a short "snippet" of Brahms lullaby too. The only thing is that it sounds like a song for a funeral unfortunately!! Great idea, thought was in the right place, but the version they play is scary!!

[BabyRN2Be]

In the early 90's they used to play Brahm's Lullaby at what was Presbyterian Hospital in OKC. I had noticed that they didn't allow codes to be announced over the general PA system. I asked about that, and they said it was too disruptive (codes). Everyone who needed to be warned of a code had pagers, they were notified that way.

When I got back to my hospital (I worked in "publicity" for L&D), I told my supervisor what they did at the hospital in OKC, playing Brahm's Lullaby and wouldn't it be neat if we did that here? She looked down at me and sniffed, "It would be too disruptive."

I, for one, would love to know about a new life announced over the hospital PA system than a code announcing an impending death. I think that hospitals are really trying to fool themselves in thinking that the general public does not know what a "Code Blue" is.

None of the other hospitals around here does Brahm's Lullaby when a baby is born. That would be so nice.

[Spidey's mom]

We don't do anything.

steph

[fergus51]

I worked in one hospital that used to do that. They stopped when we brought up the fact that the families who were losing babies on the same floor could be very hurt by it being broadcast everywhere.

[stidget99]

At my last place of employment, they played the lullaby also. It was very soft....barely noticeable. But when we did hear it, it was a wonderful thing to know that life was brought into this world instead of all of the pain/death.

I never did think about the feelings of parents who just lost a baby/child.

[dianah]

It would be interesting to obtain opinions from those who have lost a baby or whose baby was gravely ill, as to whether the playing of a lullaby bothered them or not. I see two camps here (and, of course, there may be others): One: those who are grieving so much that the lullaby does, in fact, inflict more pain (the lullaby accentuates their loss or pending loss); Two, those who interpret the playing of the lullaby as a re-affirmation of life . . . yes, despite all the pain and grief, life does go on.

Personally I wouldn't want my grieving to detract from others' happiness (they are unrelated to my personal situation), and I would vote to have the lullaby played.