Is it normal to have baby in room after delivery now?

[Anonymous]

I had my first over a decade ago. Gearing up again. Heard that the hospital where I will most likely deliver is lovely, nice nurses, spacious private room with couch for visitor etc. However, nurses bring baby directly to room right after delivery and baby stays with you entire time!! Really? As I recall, those two or three days in hospital were the most amazing time to catch up on sleep and lie groaning through the initial recovery pain before returning home to all the responsibilities of parenting. I know that my husband will be there to help, but changing diapers right after a c-section... yikes. Is this how it's done now?

[Anonymous]

We delivered at Sibley, and choose to have the baby room in with us, but we had the option to use the nursery as needed, and did have the baby spend the night there (brought to me for feedings as needed.)

[Anonymous]

Yes - typically the baby "rooms in" with you - particularly if you are planning to breastfeed. But I think most moms send the baby to the nursery for a couple of 3-4 hour stretches during the night to catch up on sleep. If you are having a C-section, you'll need your husband with you - esp. the first 24 hours when you can't get out of bed yet.

[Anonymous]

Yes, but you can send your baby to the nursery. My DH couldn't stay overnight with me, and I sent DC to the nursery every night. They brought him back to me when I needed to feed him, but otherwise I was able to sleep and didn't feel like I needed to make sure he was breathing all night.

[Anonymous]

Awwww. Your poor babies! Do they bring them to you when they cry? Who/what soothes them in the nursery? I just feel for the babies who cry and aren't tended to...

[Anonymous]

We sent our baby for one three hour stretch in the nursery which was really nice. Basically, she was spitting up a lot and the nurse told us one of us needed to stay up to watch her the whole time.

I had just delivered the baby around 8 pm after a really long labor, and really hadn't slept the night before since my water broke in the middle of the night, and my husband was really tired too obviously because he had been with me the whole time though obviously hadn't been through labor. I was BFing exclusively though so we sent her for one three hour stretch and DH stayed up the rest of the time, and he snoozed while I fed her (which took a long time since we were both learning).

I'm really glad we did - apparently she split up several times while she was in there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Awwww. Your poor babies! Do they bring them to you when they cry? Who/what soothes them in the nursery? I just feel for the babies who cry and aren't tended to...

Those first 24 hours babies tend to sleep a lot. They don't even that much. Yes, if the baby wakes up and you are BFing and have no formula instructions, they bring them to you from the nursery. But my baby slept and had to be woken every time I fed her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We delivered at Sibley, and choose to have the baby room in with us, but we had the option to use the nursery as needed, and did have the baby spend the night there (brought to me for feedings as needed.)

We did exactly this at Sibley, and it was awesome. I felt like we were able to get the right mix of bonding and rest. I found the Sibley nurses were really accomodating -- they brought DD to me to nurse when she was hungry at night and were happy to take her to the nursery when I called so I could get some sleep. During the day, I had her with me so we could all bond and hang out together. But when I was ready to sleep . . . bye bye!

Oh, and the nurses changed every single diaper while we were there. Loved it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Awwww. Your poor babies! Do they bring them to you when they cry? Who/what soothes them in the nursery? I just feel for the babies who cry and aren't tended to...

The nurses at Sibley totally hold and soothe the babies in the nursery. During the last morning my recovery, I woke up early and wandered in there to get DD, and she was asleep in someone's arms. So cute!

And my sense is they're usually sleeping the first few days unless they're crying for food (at which point they are brought to you to feed.)

[Anonymous]

OMG why are you having this baby anyway????

[Anonymous]

I find posts like this very annoying. I can't imagine finally having my baby and then just focusing on how I needed to catch up on my rest. When I had my DD, I couldn't stand to have her out of my sight for a second. I had a c-section. My husband changed all diapers. That first month is so important for bonding and (if you're BFing, establishing BFing); I wouldn't want anyone else soothing my baby but me.

I know I'll get flamed for this post, but really....

[Anonymous]

I had my children in the room with me for both of my deliveries and the babies only left for nursery check-ups. I changed the diapers and kept track of the feeding schedule myself. It's up to the mother, though, so do what feels right for you.

[Anonymous]

As others have said, yes, I think having the baby in the room with you all or most of the time is the norm - when I delivered at Shady Grove last year, the nursery was largely empty. I do think it's different if you're having a c-section - I remember seeing something in the hospital materials about them not allowing babies to stay in the mother's room overnight if there wasn't another adult there to help with the baby.

In terms of getting sleep in the hospital, I found my baby to be far less disruptive than the hospital staff - I had a hard time getting much rest with people coming in and out of my room to check my blood pressure for the fifteenth time or whatever, so didn't really see how sending the baby to the nursery for a few hours would have meant more sleep for me. Plus, after all the work of labor and delivery, I wanted her with me, but everyo ne is different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find posts like this very annoying. I can't imagine finally having my baby and then just focusing on how I needed to catch up on my rest. When I had my DD, I couldn't stand to have her out of my sight for a second. I had a c-section. My husband changed all diapers. That first month is so important for bonding and (if you're BFing, establishing BFing); I wouldn't want anyone else soothing my baby but me.

I know I'll get flamed for this post, but really....

And I find posts like this very annoying. Maybe you weren't exhausted to the point of tears after giving birth, and that's fantastic. You're lucky. I was in L&D all day and up all night with my newborn. By the next morning I was so tired it was overwhelming. Just because you're a new mother doesn't mean your needs cease to exist completely. You have months of sleepless nights ahead of you. Get the sleep you can in the hospital.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find posts like this very annoying. I can't imagine finally having my baby and then just focusing on how I needed to catch up on my rest. When I had my DD, I couldn't stand to have her out of my sight for a second. I had a c-section. My husband changed all diapers. That first month is so important for bonding and (if you're BFing, establishing BFing); I wouldn't want anyone else soothing my baby but me.

I know I'll get flamed for this post, but really....

I find judgmental self-righteous bitches like you annoying. 'kay?

Repeat after me: people handle labor and deliver differently. People have different comfort levels and tolerances. The baby will be FINE. And it is really none of your business.
Recite to yourself as needed.