Baby Friendly Question

[AngelicaHibbs]

Hi everybody,

The hospital I work for is going baby friendly as many other hospitals are. We have run into a few kinks with trying to change our process. We are delaying baths until the newborn is 12 hours old. Which is fine. The only issue is bathing the infant with the infant security tag that can't get wet. What are your hospitals doing about this bathing situation. We cannot remove the tag and reattach the tag because each leather band is $5 each. Any ideas? suggestions?

Thanks!

[klone, MSN, RN]

Find a different way to secure the tag? At the last hospital I worked at, we strung the tags through little Velcro posey straps, so the Velcro could be opened easily if you wanted to move or remove the tag.

It would help if we knew what type of security tags you use.

[rnkaytee]

We have our security tags on Poseys too (we're in the NICU so different locale) but I'm just wondering what the point of the system is if someone can just take off the band so easily? Am I imagining it wrong? Our L&D floor uses buttons around the first cord clamp but we just do sponge bathing so nothing is really getting "wet."

[Jolie, BSN]

I second rnkaytee's concern that making the security tags easily removable defeats their purpose. It would also leave the hospital with an awful lot of explaining to do if an infant was removed from the premises because the staff was trying to save 5 bucks by jury-rigging the tag attachment.

What does the manufacturer suggest?

In the meantime, a sponge bath should suffice for all but the baby's hair, which can be easily washed without saturating the baby's cord clamp, wrist or ankle.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I should have clarified, we use the Posey straps but the tag itself is also fastened directly to the baby's skin with a square of double sided tape. If the device gets removed from the skin, it will sense it and the alarm will sound.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

If you are just sponge bathing the baby and not submerging , just wash around it. We use the HUGs system and just avoid the tag. When the tag is removed just wash under it. We routinely take ours off in NICU and move them so we can clean under them.

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

We delay our baths too (6+ hours) and bathe our kids with the tags on all the time. Never had an issue. I'm curious as to what type of tags you use.....we use the Hugs system, zero problems. We keep them on our long terms who are with us long enough to qualify for tub baths. We have given them tub baths with the tag on and submerged...again, no problems for tag or baby.

[diamond_girl, BSN, RN]

We use the hugs system, and just sponge bathe the baby. No issues. We delay 6-12 hours.

[melmarie23, MSN, RN]

We too have the Hugs system and it can get wet, so we don't have this issue.

[AngelicaHibbs]

Thank you for all of your responses. We use the HUGS system. The tags are not easily removed. We have to disconnect from the computer system and then cut off with scissors, otherwise it will alarm. We called the manufacturer and I guess it's okay to soak them.

[Graduation2016]

Delay baths for 12 hrs? Out babies get their hugs tags after their bath after transitioning for 1-2 hours after birth. Couldn't imagine not bathing them for 12 hours? Don't the parents complain?

[diamond_girl, BSN, RN]

Delay baths for 12 hrs? Out babies get their hugs tags after their bath after transitioning for 1-2 hours after birth. Couldn't imagine not bathing them for 12 hours? Don't the parents complain?

Nope, we used to bathe 1-2 hours also. After we went skin to skin, delaying baths came shortly after. Current research is saying that delaying the bath leads to higher breast feeding rates, increased bonding, and less hypothermia. Once we educate on why we delay the bath, parents understand.