- The hospital had a mandatory 24-hour nursery stay for all newborns. (She doesn't know if this is still the case today; I will definitely investigate this.)
- A woman asked the hospital's CNM how long she should breastfeed, and the midwife responded, "it's not culturally acceptable to breastfeed longer than 6 months."
- This same CNM dropped a woman from care for refusing a gestational diabetes screen.
- The nurses often gave out nipple shields to new mothers although they were not needed or warranted.
This is a hospital that advertises its "5-star accomodations." It uses the typical cheesy marketing techniques to draw in potential customers (not like we have any other choices--it's the only hospital in town):
[Our] updated facilities and amenities more closely resemble that of a fine resort than that typically associated with a local community hospital. That’s because our newly renovated LDRP suites were designed to soothe and calm both mother and baby....Can't you just hear the schmaltzy violins in the background?Enjoy All the Comforts of Home
We like to call our Maternity Care Center “state of the heart” because we combine the most modern technology with our unrivaled personal attention. We listen closely to our mothers and their birthing needs, because we want their delivery to be as unique as their new bundle of joy....Begin Parenthood in Style
The inviting nature of the LDRP (labor/delivery/recovery/postpartum) suites is designed to ease anxieties while calming the spirit of both mother and baby. The new atmosphere encourages mothers to begin bonding with their baby immediately after birth, all in a room equipped with the latest technology, so you enjoy the comforts of being at home at a location not far from your home....Celebrating New Life
During your maternity stay, you and your birth partner will be treated to a celebration meal, as well as a new baby care package. Before you leave for home, our nurses will provide you with informational materials about feeding your baby, caring for your newborn and caring for yourself.
Just to compare, the hospital that I work at also really tries to enforce a 24 hour until discharge for newborns as well--although you can get around it usually if you track down the on-call pediatrician, although some are more gracious about it than others. If you know who the pediatricians are, I'd take it up with them, as it's typically their policy, not necessarily the hospital's.
ReplyDelete"state of the heart" OUCH
ReplyDeleteCileag--I wasn't referring to a 24 hour time period until discharge; I was talking about the fact that babies had to undergo a mandatory 24 hour stay in the *nursery* (not just in the hospital with the parents).
ReplyDeleteMy hospitals all had a "mandatory" stay for moms and babies - but since they can't hold me hostage, I left after only a few hours - both docs (mine and baby) discharged us - nothing the hospital can do at that point.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe they can enforce these policies, holding a healthy person against their will.
Good luck!
DUDE. A "celebrational meal"? Sign me up!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sandra -- you can leave any time, they'll probably just make you sign in blood that if anything happens, you won't sue.
This reminds me of the ads I've been hearing on the radio for James Patterson's new book Against Medical Advice. Perhaps it's about freebirthers?
Wow, I would hope that 24-hour nursery stay is no longer the case. That should be an archaic practice! :(
ReplyDeleteI forget sometimes how backwards some hospitals are. The one I am usually at for doula births or hospital transports is fairly open-minded. But they are working on their mother-baby certification so that helps I'm sure... that and being in a cultural melting pot.
Go get 'em!
Oh my word, I honestly was wondering what was wrong with a 24 hour hospital stay, and then I saw it had to be in the nursery! Oh no, my babies stay in my room, unless they are in nicu...period.
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle and Michelle, I see you are in fact two different people, not someone double-commenting like I sometimes do :)
ReplyDeleteRixa yeah it sounds cheesy. My favorite is "The new atmosphere encourages mothers to begin bonding with their baby immediately after birth, all in a room equipped with the latest technology, so you enjoy the comforts of being at home at a location not far from your home...." who writes these things? "The latest technology". Don't worry your pretty little heads about what exactly that means, take our words for it, it's the latest, and it's technology! You can't go wrong with all that good stuff.
Nursery? Surely rooming-in is standard?
ReplyDeleteWhere I am (UK) we can do early discharge from hospital (2-6 hours after birth), but often first-time mothers like/are encouraged to stay longer so they have more access to breastfeeding support (community midwife visits sometime on the day after discharge, so potentially a mother-baby dyad that hadn't got to grips with attachment etc, and didn't feel confident with that could be left struggling for quite some time).
On the other hand, for a home birth we would leave after two hours (assuming all is well) as a matter of course, and not be concerned about establishing breastfeeding. Having said that, there tend to be fewer problems with establishing breastfeeding after home births - whether that is to do with the demographics of those who choose home birth (more committed to and educated about breastfeeding, on average) or aspects of the birth itself (less likely to have used pethidine), I don't know.
Unfortunately, Yehudit, rooming-in varies from hospital to hospital. Mandatory nursery stays are less and less common now, but you can't assume that rooming-in will be the standard in every hospital.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to arrange for a tour of the local L&D. I want to find out a lot more specific information about what goes on in my hospital (such as their current nursery policy, c/s rates, policy on when you're "allowed" to labor in the tubs, etc). Plus, if I did need to transfer, I would like to know what I'm getting into!
"We listen closely to our mothers and their birthing needs" (as we tell them exactly what their needs are, out of the side of our smiling mouths.)
ReplyDelete"because we want their delivery to be as unique as their new bundle of joy...." (therefore all women assume the stranded beetle position and are instructed to PUSH to a count of 10 by our sweetest nurse)
"The new atmosphere encourages mothers to begin bonding with their baby immediately after birth" (just as soon as we vigorously rub off all the amniotic fluid & vernix, clamp and cut the still-pulsating cord, rendering the baby hypovolemic, whisk the frightened baby to the warmer for 'just a sec', and then return you a lumpy blanket with a shellshocked face so true bonding can be facilitated!)
"as well as a new baby care package. Before you leave for home, our nurses will provide you with informational materials about feeding your baby, caring for your newborn and caring for yourself."
ReplyDeletesounds like an artificial breastmilk "gift" bag to me--with a bucket load of coupons and ads for baby products and with a smattering of advice thrown in (blargh)
24 hours in nursery care sounds awful and horribly archaic to me too.
If it comes to it and crossing fingers it doesn't that you require their services, hopefully you can leave ASAP
You know, this has me thinking ahead to my own homebirth. Not expecting anything to go wrong, but I'm wondering if it truly is mandatory for newborns to stay 24 hours? I remember after my second in the local hospital I felt great and wanted to go home that night but they said the baby had to stay 24 hours and be seen by my pediatrician before she could leave. I didn't question it at the time, but wonder now if I could have left and taken her with me anyway?
ReplyDeleteHey Rixa-Rixa,
ReplyDeleteWondering if you've seen the CR evaluation of the Evidence-based maternity stuff.
I read about it on BlogHer.
http://www.blogher.com/consumer-reports-high-tech-births-poor-outcomes
I think the tour is a great idea - I'm always leary of second and third hand information. Somebody overhearing a CNM say that 6 month is culturally accepted could be anything - I might have even said something like this somewhere along the line (you know, while agreeing with a mom that her cultural experience exists but still arguing against these norms.) After practicing in my small town now for 7 years, it is amazing to me what people come back and tell me I've supposedly said!
ReplyDeleteThat said, the advertising stuff you copied here is kind of scary sounding and certainly doesn't sound very baby friendly or mother friendly, so you definitely want to check it out!
We have a baby factory like this one too here in town. They are the "Ritz" in most women's eyes. In my eyes they are more like Rikers Island with "mandatory" stays in the nursery every day for the baby and their 40%+ c/s rate.
ReplyDeleteI told my midwife before Monkey #2 came along that if I had to transfer that she was not to take me there even if I was dead. I absolutely *refuse* to support their practices in any way, shape, or form.
Get the real details, then GO FOR IT!!
Nothing's mandatory. Find out what in the world the nursery bit is all about, for sure.
ReplyDelete"State of the Heart"... Blech.
ReplyDeleteThe whole tone of that marketing blurb is so condecending! Betrays volumes of the way they think of the women who birth there.
Ugh.