Transition in Nursery, required?

[Island_Mama]

Ok, so I went for my hospital tour, and they said transition time if there isn't enough nurses they will take the baby away between 1-4 hours. "this is just how we do it" Are they allowed to take my baby away? or by law can I saw no I want my baby in my room. They said if there is enough nurses and the baby isn't cold, THEN there is full room-in, which I feel the only reason the baby will be cold is because the unatural A/C. (which I get to control thank goodness)
They said they are really working on having room in and bonding, but then they said they will TRY to get the baby to the mother within an hour of birth. I was like huh!? While the midwife is there i am sure it will be ok, but I don't know how soon the midwife leaves after the birth.
Well my question is if they really are allowed to keep my baby away if the baby is perfectly healthy.

[cynde]

don't know

don;'t know, but I hope to god you have the legal right to say that your baby musst be with you at all times unless a dire emergency occurs - and even then someone should be allowed to go with baby!

[nandodianenicole]

Uh, if there aren't enough nurses, why would they take your baby into the nuresery w/out enough staff to watch the babies. I would think your baby is better off in your room, near you, nice and warm on your chest. At least the baby is being cared for instead of crying in the nursery. I don't know about legally, but I would refuse, refuse, refuse and keep my baby near me all the time. What are they gonna do, pry the baby from your arms?

[melanie83103]

No! They are not allowed to take your baby away against your wishes!!!! They did this after my son was born, and I was a new mom and doubting myself and let them take him. I would never do it again! This time, the baby will not leave my side, and I'm ready to fight them on it if need be.

Good luck!

Melanie

[Sea_Gal]

If my mom can could keep my brother and I with her in the early 80's,
long before people thought to have "rooming in", you can too.
In fact with my brother she was the first woman at that hospital to request it.
They kept bugging, questioning, and offering "help" but she still
successfuly faught them off.
I will say it didn't sound easy, but I'm sure your up to the challenge.
Still that hospital sounds :

[bemommy]

Umm, it's your baby. You can refuse anything you want. Don't let them tell you that any policy or procedure is a hard and fast rule. Sure it might be what is usually done but that doesn't make it set in stone. If they are concerned about babies body temp they can keep you and babe in the L&D area for longer with the babe in the bun warmer there.

And I would say never let babe go anywhere alone. If you can't go then send DP/DH to be with babe.

[Mavournin]

Request a copy of hospital policy in writing. Many things that are "policy", really aren't.

Talk to your practitioner. If you make your wishes known and have a good relationship with your midwife/OB many times they will gently tell the nurses to buzz off. Which is usually better than it coming from you, because maternity nurses (while there are excellent ones) have a reputation...

And yes, while it is your baby - technically the hospital has the legal responsibility to care for that baby until you are both discharged. This is where we run into problems with parents refusing things and powertripping staff. Talk to people ahead of time. Talk to the nurse manager. Talk to your ped. Talk to your practioners. NOW.

You should absolutely put up a fight when they pull out bs you are uncomfortable with later, but have a plan now.

[Mummytwice]

What bemommy said.

[MsElle07]

Unfortunately, even with my MW on board, they still took my baby for 2+ hours at my hospital birth. My DH went with him, but it was still terrible. There I sat, alone in my hospital room, with my DH and baby somewhere else.... it was very lonely. I would just politely decline to allow the baby to be taken anywhere, and make sure your DH is on board with honoring your wishes. It's rather hard for them to rip the baby from your arms if you're holding him/her.

With my birth center birth, it was SO wonderful to never have the baby leave my side. The MW asked me about an hour after the birth if it would be OK if she weighed the baby in the room next door. She was gone for about 45 seconds. My MW asked if it was OK if she did the newborn exam about two hours after the birth, which she did right on the bed next to me. Such a difference!

[Island_Mama]

Yeah, I am asking my midwife about it tomorrow. I have my birthplan all ready just need to print it out. I have *almost* convinced my boyfriend that he needs to stand up with me that if the baby is perfectly healthy she has to stay with us in the room.
The whole not enough nurses thing is that they don't have enough nurses to check in on us in the room if it is really busy. I guess since there is a certain amount of nurses at all times in the nursery they find it easier to have the babies all in there, and it looks so unconfortable in there! its sooo bright and the little plastic box things the babies go in are just like a little island in the middle of the room. ugh.
They said once I go up to the other room (not the delivery room) then they do 100% room in.
I hope my midwife has some good news and advice about this! At least she could tell me what their policies are. I guess I will find out tomorrow.

[moppity]

I work on a 20 (ish) bed postnatal ward. Regularly there are 4 midwives, babies are delivered in the delivery suite, baby stays in the room with Mum at ALL times then mum and baby are both transferred to the postnatal ward. Each m/w has about 5 postnatal patients (mum + baby) each (although I have seen them have up to 8 each when it's really busy) and everything gets done. We don't have nursery facilities unless the baby requires NICU care. So, my point is, it can be done, it's YOUR baby, fight to keep it with you!

[Mavournin]

Sadly moppity, American birth culture is downright archaic. It's amazing what they can, and will do, to laboring families and their newborns here. And get away with it...

It is really important to talk with your practioner ahead of time, but it is really important to also stand up for your rights while at the hospital. If your midwife is on board with baby staying with you, but the nurses try taking it away anyway - refuse.

[Yo Becca]

If I were in your position, I would first put all this in your birthplan - that you don't want the baby removed from your room and presence period, and that your partner will accompany the baby at all times when he/she leaves the room. It is unacceptable taht they take the baby out of the room to do useless stuff like measure the head - this stuff can be done in your room. You can ask for you or your DH to give the baby it's first bath also. I would be friendly and polite, but firm. in EVERY case, your partner should be with the baby if it's taken from you. I think the removing the baby for an HOUR after it's born - a period when bonding is critical and the baby needs to get to know you from the outside - is totally unacceptable and archaic. My DD was taken from me, but in the same room, for about 15-20 minutes after she was born for all that stuff - but that was after I'd gotten to hold her for 30 minutes or so, and if I had to do it again, I would have insisted on a) waiting longer to do that stuff, and b) that they do most of it while I hold her.

As for taking the baby for 1-4 hours due to understaffing - um, newborns need to nurse every 2-3 hours! This seems like it would totally undermine bonding and your nursing relationship. If it were me, when they came to take the baby, I would ask to be discharged and go home. If they don't have enough staff to allow the baby to stay with you, you'd rather go ahead and go home. Believe me, you'll get more and better rest and probably recover much quicker at home, so you won't be missing out on anything except beaurocratic hassle from the hospital. And they might just say, Okay, keep the baby rather than have to track down a doc/mw to give discharge orders.

Definitely discuss this with your MW and make sure you and your partner are on the same page and will stand strong together.

[Island_Mama]

Yeah, that's pretty much what midwife said. I will be adding a little more to my birth plan that I have, she said just tell whichever midwife is there to inform the nurses and keep the baby warm (duh) so they don't take her away because her temperature. She said the best thing is to ask to be taken to the post-delivery (is that the name of it?) room ASAP, because there is full room in there.
She also said they usually tranfer you within a few hours, so if I just stick to my guns for a bit, I shouldn't have any problems.
My bf is a lot more supportive about my decisions now, he said he just thought I might want to rest. I told him, my god you see how protective I am with the dogs and YOUR daughter, you really think I'll be able to rest if they put her in that awful nursery? I might doze off from exhaustion, but I doubt I will be resting without peace of mind. So he says he will back me up on that and promised if they do take her to stay with her the whole time.

Just like you said, Yo Becca, I didn't undertsnad why that long if the baby needs to feed!
But is sounds like by what midwife said, just be firm, and let them know ahead of time.