Postpartum Sleeping Pill

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What kind of sleeping pill is being ordered for your moms after delivery? We have used Dalmane 30mg prn for years- pharmacy is suggesting to switch to Ambien.

Specializes in correctional, med/surg, postpartum, L&D,.

Ambien 10mg PRN

I've only given it to PP moms whose infants are in the NICU and don't need to get up to feed them. I don't think I've ever given it to a mom who has her infant in her room.

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Specializes in OB.

We don't have standing orders for any sleepers, but we use Ambien for inductions and such so I guess it would be that. I can only remember having one mom ask me for some, and I discouraged her from taking it, mainly because she had the baby in the room with her, was breastfeeding, and her husband was useless. I pointed out to her that it wouldn't be a great idea to be taking sleepers at home with the new baby.

Anyway, I would give it to a mom who was formula feeding, or who had someone helping her in the room, but otherwise no.

A couple years ago, my coworker gave Ambien to a mom who had the baby in the room, and had no one in the room to help her. Then my coworker allowed her to keep the baby in the room, as well as in bed with the mom. Can you guess what happened? Yep, the baby fell out of bed. Thank goodness the little one wasn't hurt, but it could have been bad. So that is my little tale of caution.

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We don't have standing orders for any sleepers, but we use Ambien for inductions and such so I guess it would be that. I can only remember having one mom ask me for some, and I discouraged her from taking it, mainly because she had the baby in the room with her, was breastfeeding, and her husband was useless. I pointed out to her that it wouldn't be a great idea to be taking sleepers at home with the new baby.

Anyway, I would give it to a mom who was formula feeding, or who had someone helping her in the room, but otherwise no.

A couple years ago, my coworker gave Ambien to a mom who had the baby in the room, and had no one in the room to help her. Then my coworker allowed her to keep the baby in the room, as well as in bed with the mom. Can you guess what happened? Yep, the baby fell out of bed. Thank goodness the little one wasn't hurt, but it could have been bad. So that is my little tale of caution.

Very good points. I would not give a sleeper to an unassisted mom with the baby in the room either. NICU moms or baby-in-the-nursery moms, okay. Or if there is a grandma or a hands-on dad and baby is in the crib. But sleeper-medicated mom alone or with zonked-out dad, not on my watch.

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