Mother/Baby units, how do they flow?

[luv2laborRN]

I am working at a hospital where we will soon be trying out "mother/baby" care. Currently we are L&D and pts transferred to PP after delivery, however, our census has dropped and are now considering crosstraining L&D nurses to do "mother/baby" care. Anyone out there that has this experience, please let me know, "How does it flow?" Do you work the rooms by "pods" or do you shuffle mom and baby after delivery to a different area (post partum)? I am looking forward to providing total care for both mother and newborn.... Please help, I'm very curious as to how things will "flow".

[mommy2boysaz]

We usually keep babies with moms at all times. Unless, of course, there are any problems, but if baby is healthy, no need to "transition" in another room -separate from mom.

Babies are assessed in mom's room, weighed, measured, given meds, bathed, rewarmed, and placed back in mom's arms. She does have the option of having any of the above done in the nursery, but most moms like having it all done in front of them.

Nurses who have come to work at our facility after working in larger hospitals with separate nursery, postpartum, and L&D units have a real adjustment period, but usually end up admitting that it does work well and really is more mom and baby-friendly. :)