Why don’t U.S. hospitals let women sleep quietly for the night in the hospital after giving birth?

[Anonymous]

And put the baby in a nursery room for the night. The recovery should be treated like recovery from a surgery; no interrupting sleep.

[Anonymous]

I work as a nurse. We wake people up multiple times in the night to check their vital signs, give meds, and draw blood. Those post-surgery patients are not getting a restful night of sleep.

[Anonymous]

They used to do that but I think with staffing shortages and focus on maximizing profits they don't/can't pay for nurses to watch the babies. They claim it's to help establish breastfeeding but what would actually help is to let the mom sleep in between feeds. It's horrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They used to do that but I think with staffing shortages and focus on maximizing profits they don't/can't pay for nurses to watch the babies. They claim it's to help establish breastfeeding but what would actually help is to let the mom sleep in between feeds. It's horrible.

I checked out earlier than my insurance would have paid for because there was no nursery and I wasn’t being treated like a patient. Twice. So I do have to wonder if this is a penny wise pound foolish situation.

[Anonymous]

What you dislike is termed “rooming in,” I agree that it is awful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work as a nurse. We wake people up multiple times in the night to check their vital signs, give meds, and draw blood. Those post-surgery patients are not getting a restful night of sleep.

Do you really think this is necessary though? I understand checking on patients but I never understood why you couldn’t limit it, especially just the vital signs checks.

[Anonymous]

I left in less than 24 hours from GW with both deliveries, the first one, every single nurse was sick, and made sure we all knew it. The second delivery, I was doubled up in a room with the baby mamma and her twins and their fighting families coming in and out of the room unannounced. WTF?

[Anonymous]

Different state but for both my younger kids, it said “room in” but the nurse took them both for 3 hour stretches both nights.

[Anonymous]

These are called “baby-friendly” hospitals (lol)

I think babies should be able to go to a nursery from 9pm-9am.

[Anonymous]

It was because of an unpleasant hospital delivery for my first that I chose maternity center delivery for my 2nd and home water-birth for my 3rd. No strangers, no weird roommates. Low lights, low music, solid sleep between feedings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work as a nurse. We wake people up multiple times in the night to check their vital signs, give meds, and draw blood. Those post-surgery patients are not getting a restful night of sleep.

those patients should have their sleep protected too. not to mention that a woman with an uncomplicated vaginal birth does not need vitals checked.

disrupted sleep in the hospital was absolutely nightmarish for me post-partum. like, I actually almost felt delusional the second night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I left in less than 24 hours from GW with both deliveries, the first one, every single nurse was sick, and made sure we all knew it. The second delivery, I was doubled up in a room with the baby mamma and her twins and their fighting families coming in and out of the room unannounced. WTF?

at GW?

[Anonymous]

U.S. maternity & postpartum care isn’t exactly the envy of the world.

[Anonymous]

Because there is a hungry baby and mom is the best one to feed it? (If she wants to try nursing)

This isn’t a corporate trick. It’s biology.

[Anonymous]

With my first I asked to sleep and they said it was my husband's job to make sure I got some sleep since I was lucky enough to have him there on the couch. I didn't get much sleep listening to my completely clueless husband try to soothe the newborn baby that he knew nothing about caring for. I actually think I went psychotic during that hospital stay.
With the second my husband was at home with the first and they were completely sympathetic and took the baby for the night so I could sleep. Night and day.