Babies overnighting in moms room

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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Specializes in nursery, L and D.

Hi guys, I need some opinons. I work in a rural hospital in the newborn nursery. We don't do couplet care. Have different depts for L and D, nursery, and post partum, with different nurses for each. I have been there for about 3 years. Well, last night I had a baby, SVD, breastfeeding, fine kid, about 36 hours old. Mom wanted me to keep him the night before, she was tired and just wanted him for feeding, but last night she wanted to room in with him. So, I take him in for a few minutes assess, weigh, bath all that stuff and take him right back out. A little while later dad calls for something and talks with another nurse and happen to mention that they are rooming in. This nurse, who is a really great nurse and a friend of mine, tells them that they can't keep the baby unless someone is awake at all times and goes to bring the baby back. I get back about this time and we had a bit of an argument about this, but she says they can't keep him if they are going to be sleeping, period. Liablity issues, etc. I point out that most other hospitals do couplet care, that this family would be sleeping in their own house if they had decided to go home that day, etc. She is not moved! LOL Says they can do what they want when they get home, that while the baby is in the hospital he is our problem and it is on us if the baby dies while in the room with the parents and they can't keep him if they are going to sleep. I backed off, (she was charge and has been there 20+ years) smoothed it over with the parents (who were NOT happy about this), and just took him out for feedings. We don't have a written policy about this. I just called my NM for some clarification but I couldn't get her. What do you guys do at your hospitals? How do you feel on this subject?

Thanks,

Criss

Whoa, did a search for threads on this and just wanted to say, I don't want this to get ugly, lol!

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Specializes in L&D, M/B.

>>>>>>

That's your problem right there!! We do couplet care but have a written policy. Mom's can have the baby go the nursery at night if they want (way to many of them do this .........), but rooming in should be encouraged for bonding, learning feeding cues, etc.

I could go on but this subject gets me in hot water way to much as it is.....

Theresa

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Specializes in nursery, L and D.

UPDATE: I just talked to the assistant nurse manager and she says a committee is working on this. She is also the LC and feels that rooming in should be done. I just really think that it is in the best interest of mom and baby alot of times to room in. We should have a policy in place soon, hopefully one that promotes rooming in. Isn't that part of being a baby friendly hospital?

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I'm not a nurse, but I can totally understand that each hospital has to make this decision for itself, and yes, your senior nurse was right on liability issues. There was another thread where someone posted that she brought in a baby to be breastfed, went in and checked on the mother 20 minutes later, and the mother had fallen asleep and the baby suffocated to death under her breast. 20 minutes...who would have thought?

When I went to pick up my twins out of the NICU the day they went home, I had to bring the car seats in advance so they could do a "car seat" test.

Can you imagine, as a mother, how suprised I was, when I went to get my twins...and they were already in their car-seats, ready for us to pick them up...and they STILL were attached to the monitors?

The hospital, was not about to remove anything from them until we took them home.

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Specializes in nursery, L and D.
I'm not a nurse, but I can totally understand that each hospital has to make this decision for itself, and yes, your senior nurse was right on liability issues. There was another thread where someone posted that she brought in a baby to be breastfed, went in and checked on the mother 20 minutes later, and the mother had fallen asleep and the baby suffocated to death under her breast. 20 minutes...who would have thought?

When I went to pick up my twins out of the NICU the day they went home, I had to bring the car seats in advance so they could do a "car seat" test.

Can you imagine, as a mother, how suprised I was, when I went to get my twins...and they were already in their car-seats, ready for us to pick them up...and they STILL were attached to the monitors?

The hospital, was not about to remove anything from them until we took them home.

Oh, I know all about liablity issues, I am a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant as well as a neonatal nurse:lol2: But with this, as long as you educate the parents about the risk, and document it, I don't think that it would be an issue. Never worked on a case (lawsuit) where this was an issue. Now in a NICU things would be different. I think in certain situations rooming in shouldn't be done (mom sick, baby sick, etc). Thanks for your responces guys, keep em coming. both views not just mine, lol;) thats how we learn from each other!

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UPDATE: I just talked to the assistant nurse manager and she says a committee is working on this. She is also the LC and feels that rooming in should be done. I just really think that it is in the best interest of mom and baby alot of times to room in. We should have a policy in place soon, hopefully one that promotes rooming in. Isn't that part of being a baby friendly hospital?

Why don't you get involved with this committee? You obviously have a lot to offer them. It IS in the best interest of both mom & baby (and the hospital!) for the babies to room in. You could help ensure that your hospital policy reflects that.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

A really good resource to use if you are working on a couplet care policy is Dr. Celeste Phillips' book Family Centered Maternity Care. Also her website I will post below. Everything from room equipment logistics to how/when to do certain tasks, it covers a lot.

Our hospital encourages moms to keep babes in the room all night, which does indeed include sleeping. You are right, that is part of being a baby-friendly hospital. If mom or baby are sick, we definitely work around that & try to do what's best for everybody.

Here is her website: http://www.pandf.com/index.html

I am all for it, and when it works, it is a wonderful thing. I have seen it work with 40-something WASPS, 16-yo single moms, and all in between.

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Specializes in nursery, L and D.

Thanks Arwen, great website! I think I will try to get involved in this committee. Its kinda weird, they usually post these committees for us to sign up for, but they didn't do this one. Any idea where I can by the book?

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Working on the committee is a great idea. We do only rooming in and have had no problems with it. We just check on them several times a night and have had no liability issues. We don't even have a nursery so it's not evena option not to room in.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
Thanks Arwen, great website! I think I will try to get involved in this committee. Its kinda weird, they usually post these committees for us to sign up for, but they didn't do this one. Any idea where I can by the book?

I think it is available on amazon.com. Best of luck!! I know it can be an uphill battle.

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i had a terrible time after my last baby was born. i had a c-section and got very sick afterwards and then got a spinal head-ache. i could not even hold my baby for the first 24 hours of her life. on the second day i asked if i could have her sleep in b/c i had not been able to breast feed i wanted to have her at all times to bond and feed. the nurse told me that although they do allow rooming in she did not think it was a good idea b/c of how bad i was, and i wouldn't not have someone there with me at all times. she brought my little girl in through the night and let me feed her. and i sure did thank her the next morning b/c i remember after her and the baby left i crashed. i think if the mother is fine then that should be her choice. my sister-in-law roomed with her baby and loved it. of course she had a problem free delivery.

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Specializes in OB L&D Mother/Baby.

As long as mom is getting up on her own and not a fresh c-section we leave the babies in the moms room if they want. We have a pretty flexible rooming in policy that we do what the parents want. There are many moms that want the babies for feedings only and others that don't want the babies to leave the rooms.

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