GW Nursery

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its unbelievably misogynistic that only postpartum mothers are expected to take care of themselves while also caring for a newborn.

A patient in any other part of the hospital is cared for by nurses. And not expected to care for an infant 24-7 while also recovering from a major medical procedure. I mean, come on!

But why doesn't anyone else see this?!! Why does it feel like moms are the only ones who notice?

And for those of you arguing the costs- I don't need an RN to staff the nursery. Hospital techs can do it or even LPNs. Or hell, just provide a room and the baby's grandparents can soothe the baby in there while the mom rests after surgery/labor.

My MIL was extremely upset she had to even see me after labor. She thought she could just go hang in the nursery with the baby like her parents did in the 80s. She didn't care about me and didn't want to see me in pain, just the new baby.

[Anonymous]

The hospital would lose its shit if a mom had an appendectomy shortly after childbirth then tried to care for her newborn in the hospital while recovering from that. They'd demand the baby be sent home while their patient recovered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No, we're talking about basic safety and fall prevention for very vulnerable patients (newborns). Fall prevention is a basic safety issue in hospitals. Leaving a newborn with a drugged/exhausted/post-surgery non-ambulatory mom is NOT safe. That's the whole point here. You're acting like nurses are babysitters; they're actually caring for TWO vulnerable patients. I mean, what would you think if the post-partum nurses were themselves on morphine, couldn't walk, had just gotten out of surgery, or hadn't slept for 4 days? Would you think they were fit to care for infants, or anyone?

This is such a great damn point.

No, it’s more hyperbole. You act like you were literally left alone after birth. Nurses at GW checked on me constantly. If you ask them to help you swaddle the baby or put the baby somewhere, they do it. My bassinet was RIGHT next to my bed. I didn’t have to hold the baby constantly. I guess the take-away is that people’s care needs vary because the anger about GW is not my experience at all.

And by your rationale, because you had a good experience others cannot have a bad one?

No, but just because people have bad experiences does not mean the hospital is bad. People have bad experiences everywhere, for all sorts of reasons, and adults know how to put that in perspective because life is not perfect.

nobody is saying "hospitals are bad". people are saying that postpartum care in many local hospitals could be much better.

and we have all put this in perspective. none of us, i bet, goes around muttering about postpartum care 24/7. this is a topic about postpartum care at local (and it seems nation-wide) hospitals. so discussing this issue here is putting in perspective. then we will move on with our lives and won't think bout this for who knows how long.

I don’t disagree with you, but a lot of the posters were pretty categorical about their negative assessment of GW and I don’t think that’s backed up by that hospital’s stats. I understand the people get emotional about their birth experiences, but by objective measures it’s a good hospital.

Really?? Let's see how those 5 dropped babies measure up in the stats. The issue is that NO hospitals collect stats for the quality of post-partum care: infants that have to be readmitted for jaundice/weightloss due to failure to feed them properly in the hospital or advise on the need to supplement; dropped infants; sudden neonatal collapse deaths; SIDS deaths; maternal morbidity and mortality caused by sleep deprivation.

[Anonymous]

Am I the only one who’s nervous about sending my baby to the nursery? It’s totally irrational but what if my baby gets swapped with another baby and I’m too out of it to notice! It has happened! I know they put the braclet on but still... I’m not sure I’d want DC out of my sight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who’s nervous about sending my baby to the nursery? It’s totally irrational but what if my baby gets swapped with another baby and I’m too out of it to notice! It has happened! I know they put the braclet on but still... I’m not sure I’d want DC out of my sight.

Are you a FTM? I'd know my baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No, we're talking about basic safety and fall prevention for very vulnerable patients (newborns). Fall prevention is a basic safety issue in hospitals. Leaving a newborn with a drugged/exhausted/post-surgery non-ambulatory mom is NOT safe. That's the whole point here. You're acting like nurses are babysitters; they're actually caring for TWO vulnerable patients. I mean, what would you think if the post-partum nurses were themselves on morphine, couldn't walk, had just gotten out of surgery, or hadn't slept for 4 days? Would you think they were fit to care for infants, or anyone?

This is such a great damn point.

No, it’s more hyperbole. You act like you were literally left alone after birth. Nurses at GW checked on me constantly. If you ask them to help you swaddle the baby or put the baby somewhere, they do it. My bassinet was RIGHT next to my bed. I didn’t have to hold the baby constantly. I guess the take-away is that people’s care needs vary because the anger about GW is not my experience at all.

NP. Well I DID have to hold my baby constantly. She wasn't the sleepy newborn you all got. She cried and cried nonstop and wouldn't sleep more than 15 minutes straight. I needed help and I didn't get any and it did lead to PPD, mostly the lack of sleep. I was frustrated and couldn't get her to stop crying. The nurse told me (very rudely) that I needed to hold her more and that was the problem.

How was your newborn when you got home?

You're missing the main point - that the woman JUST gave birth and possibly had a csection. They are supposed to be recovering at he hospital. This isn't happening due to lack of nurseries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No, we're talking about basic safety and fall prevention for very vulnerable patients (newborns). Fall prevention is a basic safety issue in hospitals. Leaving a newborn with a drugged/exhausted/post-surgery non-ambulatory mom is NOT safe. That's the whole point here. You're acting like nurses are babysitters; they're actually caring for TWO vulnerable patients. I mean, what would you think if the post-partum nurses were themselves on morphine, couldn't walk, had just gotten out of surgery, or hadn't slept for 4 days? Would you think they were fit to care for infants, or anyone?

This is such a great damn point.

No, it’s more hyperbole. You act like you were literally left alone after birth. Nurses at GW checked on me constantly. If you ask them to help you swaddle the baby or put the baby somewhere, they do it. My bassinet was RIGHT next to my bed. I didn’t have to hold the baby constantly. I guess the take-away is that people’s care needs vary because the anger about GW is not my experience at all.

I'm guessing you didn't have a csection? I had a csection and wasn't able to reach over for my baby as I couldn't twist. I had to fully get out of the bed to go and pick her up countless times. However the nurses offered no help. I was in tears one night as I was in so much pain getting up that the nurse offered to take my baby for two hours. An entire two hours! The nurse acted like this was a huge deal and a unusual gift.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No, we're talking about basic safety and fall prevention for very vulnerable patients (newborns). Fall prevention is a basic safety issue in hospitals. Leaving a newborn with a drugged/exhausted/post-surgery non-ambulatory mom is NOT safe. That's the whole point here. You're acting like nurses are babysitters; they're actually caring for TWO vulnerable patients. I mean, what would you think if the post-partum nurses were themselves on morphine, couldn't walk, had just gotten out of surgery, or hadn't slept for 4 days? Would you think they were fit to care for infants, or anyone?

This is such a great damn point.

No, it’s more hyperbole. You act like you were literally left alone after birth. Nurses at GW checked on me constantly. If you ask them to help you swaddle the baby or put the baby somewhere, they do it. My bassinet was RIGHT next to my bed. I didn’t have to hold the baby constantly. I guess the take-away is that people’s care needs vary because the anger about GW is not my experience at all.

NP. Well I DID have to hold my baby constantly. She wasn't the sleepy newborn you all got. She cried and cried nonstop and wouldn't sleep more than 15 minutes straight. I needed help and I didn't get any and it did lead to PPD, mostly the lack of sleep. I was frustrated and couldn't get her to stop crying. The nurse told me (very rudely) that I needed to hold her more and that was the problem.

How was your newborn when you got home?

You're missing the main point - that the woman JUST gave birth and possibly had a csection. They are supposed to be recovering at he hospital. This isn't happening due to lack of nurseries.

That poster actually replied that she just had one bad night in the hospital but things were “bliss” when she got home. So apparently she’s equating her one bad night with “PPD,” which is a ridiculous exaggeration and insulting to women who actually suffer from PPD. I don’t know anyone who’s delivered at any hospital who emerged well-rested, nursery or not. It helps to have realistic expectations going into child birth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who’s nervous about sending my baby to the nursery? It’s totally irrational but what if my baby gets swapped with another baby and I’m too out of it to notice! It has happened! I know they put the braclet on but still... I’m not sure I’d want DC out of my sight.

Are you a FTM? I'd know my baby.

I’m actually expecting my second. Yeah, I’d assume I’d know my baby, but then how do these rare baby mix-ups ever happen? Kinda crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No, we're talking about basic safety and fall prevention for very vulnerable patients (newborns). Fall prevention is a basic safety issue in hospitals. Leaving a newborn with a drugged/exhausted/post-surgery non-ambulatory mom is NOT safe. That's the whole point here. You're acting like nurses are babysitters; they're actually caring for TWO vulnerable patients. I mean, what would you think if the post-partum nurses were themselves on morphine, couldn't walk, had just gotten out of surgery, or hadn't slept for 4 days? Would you think they were fit to care for infants, or anyone?

This is such a great damn point.

No, it’s more hyperbole. You act like you were literally left alone after birth. Nurses at GW checked on me constantly. If you ask them to help you swaddle the baby or put the baby somewhere, they do it. My bassinet was RIGHT next to my bed. I didn’t have to hold the baby constantly. I guess the take-away is that people’s care needs vary because the anger about GW is not my experience at all.

I'm guessing you didn't have a csection? I had a csection and wasn't able to reach over for my baby as I couldn't twist. I had to fully get out of the bed to go and pick her up countless times. However the nurses offered no help. I was in tears one night as I was in so much pain getting up that the nurse offered to take my baby for two hours. An entire two hours! The nurse acted like this was a huge deal and a unusual gift.

The nurse helped you.

[Anonymous]

^^^ meant to add, 2 hours is about the interval for feeding a newborn so if you were trying to breastfeed at all, two hours seems about right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who’s nervous about sending my baby to the nursery? It’s totally irrational but what if my baby gets swapped with another baby and I’m too out of it to notice! It has happened! I know they put the braclet on but still... I’m not sure I’d want DC out of my sight.

Are you a FTM? I'd know my baby.

I’m actually expecting my second. Yeah, I’d assume I’d know my baby, but then how do these rare baby mix-ups ever happen? Kinda crazy.

I heard a podcast once where one of the moms totally did know but didn’t tell the other family. They never said hey but it seemsd like it was because her husband was abusive and she sorta let her one kid be raised in safety.

Anyway. With all the bracelets plus seeing your kid for several hours before sending it off (not straight uterus to nursery) I’m confident you’d know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^ meant to add, 2 hours is about the interval for feeding a newborn so if you were trying to breastfeed at all, two hours seems about right.

How about this “would you like the baby back to nurse in 2 hrs or do you need more sleep than that?”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who’s nervous about sending my baby to the nursery? It’s totally irrational but what if my baby gets swapped with another baby and I’m too out of it to notice! It has happened! I know they put the braclet on but still... I’m not sure I’d want DC out of my sight.

Are you a FTM? I'd know my baby.

I’m actually expecting my second. Yeah, I’d assume I’d know my baby, but then how do these rare baby mix-ups ever happen? Kinda crazy.

I heard a podcast once where one of the moms totally did know but didn’t tell the other family. They never said hey but it seemsd like it was because her husband was abusive and she sorta let her one kid be raised in safety.

Anyway. With all the bracelets plus seeing your kid for several hours before sending it off (not straight uterus to nursery) I’m confident you’d know.

Wow! Crazy story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

No, we're talking about basic safety and fall prevention for very vulnerable patients (newborns). Fall prevention is a basic safety issue in hospitals. Leaving a newborn with a drugged/exhausted/post-surgery non-ambulatory mom is NOT safe. That's the whole point here. You're acting like nurses are babysitters; they're actually caring for TWO vulnerable patients. I mean, what would you think if the post-partum nurses were themselves on morphine, couldn't walk, had just gotten out of surgery, or hadn't slept for 4 days? Would you think they were fit to care for infants, or anyone?

This is such a great damn point.

No, it’s more hyperbole. You act like you were literally left alone after birth. Nurses at GW checked on me constantly. If you ask them to help you swaddle the baby or put the baby somewhere, they do it. My bassinet was RIGHT next to my bed. I didn’t have to hold the baby constantly. I guess the take-away is that people’s care needs vary because the anger about GW is not my experience at all.

NP. Well I DID have to hold my baby constantly. She wasn't the sleepy newborn you all got. She cried and cried nonstop and wouldn't sleep more than 15 minutes straight. I needed help and I didn't get any and it did lead to PPD, mostly the lack of sleep. I was frustrated and couldn't get her to stop crying. The nurse told me (very rudely) that I needed to hold her more and that was the problem.

How was your newborn when you got home?

You're missing the main point - that the woman JUST gave birth and possibly had a csection. They are supposed to be recovering at he hospital. This isn't happening due to lack of nurseries.

That poster actually replied that she just had one bad night in the hospital but things were “bliss” when she got home. So apparently she’s equating her one bad night with “PPD,” which is a ridiculous exaggeration and insulting to women who actually suffer from PPD. I don’t know anyone who’s delivered at any hospital who emerged well-rested, nursery or not. It helps to have realistic expectations going into child birth.

while one terrible night does not equal PPD you are (once again) ridiculous in demanding that women should not expect to get rest in the hospital, following childbirth. They should absolutely expect that and hospitals charging 10k a night should absolutely make that possible. this is a very minimal expectation that is a rule in a civilized world. I am immigrant (from Europe) and people laugh when I tell them how American mothers are forced to room with babies non-stop, leave the hospital on two days and get no (free!) home care from medical staff.