Sibley Memorial Hospital rolls out "Baby Chime"- thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You definitely cannot hear the chimes everywhere in the hospital. My father was in Sibley for 3 weeks and I never heard it once at the ICU or the med-surg wards evem though I was there daily.

i'm the previous pp who was in waiting area for 5+ hours there for dh shoulder surgery. no idea where l&d was in relation to where i was, but i heard the chimes loud and clear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The baby chime seems obnoxious. I'm not normally super sensitive but that would bug me.

+1. I don't get it.

[Anonymous]

I am so glad they did not have this when I delivered my stillborn child there a few years ago. It was already bad enough for my husband and family in the waiting area, seeing the other fetal heartbeats at the nursing station (next to my flat one). If I or him had heard that chime, there would have been hell.

[Anonymous]

They have this at Medstar in Olney; heard it constantly while I was in the ER for an illness. Was just puzzled until I asked a nurse what it was. Now that I have started to go through menopause and have no more hope for a child, this chime would depress me beyond belief. All those people having child after child like it is the easiest thing in the world...

[Anonymous]

L&D nurse here The hospital where I work plays a 5 second clip of "lullabye" after every birth. About 6 months ago someone wrote a letter expresSing many of the views posted here. Now the chime is only played if the mother is the only one on the Floor delivering a baby and if all the other mothers on the floor have had successful births.

I would write a letter simply stating what has been said here. I think those who come up with the idea of the bell aren't likely to think of how others may feel if things did not have such a happy outcome. It's not like a letter can hurt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's also a violation of privacy to the person who just gave birth!

Um, they don't announce WHO gave birth. Calm down

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:L&D nurse here The hospital where I work plays a 5 second clip of "lullabye" after every birth. About 6 months ago someone wrote a letter expresSing many of the views posted here. Now the chime is only played if the mother is the only one on the Floor delivering a baby and if all the other mothers on the floor have had successful births.

I would write a letter simply stating what has been said here. I think those who come up with the idea of the bell aren't likely to think of how others may feel if things did not have such a happy outcome. It's not like a letter can hurt.

This makes me a little sad. They're taking away 5 seconds of joy for those new parents all because of a few. You know damn well when their journey to parenthood is complete, they'd love to have those 5 seconds too. I know I'm going to get hammered on, but I don't care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:L&D nurse here The hospital where I work plays a 5 second clip of "lullabye" after every birth. About 6 months ago someone wrote a letter expresSing many of the views posted here. Now the chime is only played if the mother is the only one on the Floor delivering a baby and if all the other mothers on the floor have had successful births.

I would write a letter simply stating what has been said here. I think those who come up with the idea of the bell aren't likely to think of how others may feel if things did not have such a happy outcome. It's not like a letter can hurt.

This makes me a little sad. They're taking away 5 seconds of joy for those new parents all because of a few. You know damn well when their journey to parenthood is complete, they'd love to have those 5 seconds too. I know I'm going to get hammered on, but I don't care.

It's not just a few. 1 in 4 pregnancies do not end in successful full term live births. There are more stillbirths in america than SIDS deaths. Think of the number of infertility threads on this board alone. That doesn't even cover every one who struggles with it. The babies who are being born ARE being celebrated by the parents, their families, the staff. No one is losing out by not having a chime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:L&D nurse here The hospital where I work plays a 5 second clip of "lullabye" after every birth. About 6 months ago someone wrote a letter expresSing many of the views posted here. Now the chime is only played if the mother is the only one on the Floor delivering a baby and if all the other mothers on the floor have had successful births.

I would write a letter simply stating what has been said here. I think those who come up with the idea of the bell aren't likely to think of how others may feel if things did not have such a happy outcome. It's not like a letter can hurt.

This makes me a little sad. They're taking away 5 seconds of joy for those new parents all because of a few. You know damn well when their journey to parenthood is complete, they'd love to have those 5 seconds too. I know I'm going to get hammered on, but I don't care.

You seem ridiculous! Have you given birth? To think I would notice or care about some chime after my child is born is insane! As if new moms need some "ding" to congratulate them. I was so overjoyed and emotional and exhausted, the last thing on my mind is my special chime

[Anonymous]

This does seem insensitive, and not well thought out. The hospital I delivered at on the west coast has a "code Ryan" which was established after a mother who had a still birth had to share an elevator with a new mom and her baby being discharged. Now when mothers are being discharged after a still birth they call a code Ryan (after the stillborn) which assures newborns are not riding an elevator at that moment. I think this is a very thoughtful gesture to protect these moms- while they cannot avoid newborns out in public at least they can leave the hospital in peace

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:L&D nurse here The hospital where I work plays a 5 second clip of "lullabye" after every birth. About 6 months ago someone wrote a letter expresSing many of the views posted here. Now the chime is only played if the mother is the only one on the Floor delivering a baby and if all the other mothers on the floor have had successful births.

I would write a letter simply stating what has been said here. I think those who come up with the idea of the bell aren't likely to think of how others may feel if things did not have such a happy outcome. It's not like a letter can hurt.

This makes me a little sad. They're taking away 5 seconds of joy for those new parents all because of a few. You know damn well when their journey to parenthood is complete, they'd love to have those 5 seconds too. I know I'm going to get hammered on, but I don't care.

Not hammering but asking for a little perspective. I really don't think a bell chiming adds one bit of joy to the actual parents - they are already overjoyed. I think it adds a little cheer to the hospital generally and probably is good for PR, but at the expense of others. If you say you think that joy to other patients/visitors outweighs the annoyance caused to others and pain caused to a few, make that argument.

[Anonymous]

I'm not infertile and I think this is stupid, silly, invasive, insensitive and obnoxious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not infertile and I think this is stupid, silly, invasive, insensitive and obnoxious.

Then why are you on this board?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:L&D nurse here The hospital where I work plays a 5 second clip of "lullabye" after every birth. About 6 months ago someone wrote a letter expresSing many of the views posted here. Now the chime is only played if the mother is the only one on the Floor delivering a baby and if all the other mothers on the floor have had successful births.

I would write a letter simply stating what has been said here. I think those who come up with the idea of the bell aren't likely to think of how others may feel if things did not have such a happy outcome. It's not like a letter can hurt.

This makes me a little sad. They're taking away 5 seconds of joy for those new parents all because of a few. You know damn well when their journey to parenthood is complete, they'd love to have those 5 seconds too. I know I'm going to get hammered on, but I don't care.

Not hammering but asking for a little perspective. I really don't think a bell chiming adds one bit of joy to the actual parents - they are already overjoyed. I think it adds a little cheer to the hospital generally and probably is good for PR, but at the expense of others. If you say you think that joy to other patients/visitors outweighs the annoyance caused to others and pain caused to a few, make that argument.

Totally agree with this. And for what it's worth, I delivered at Sibley last summer and didn't even notice the chime, for me or for anyone else, the entire time I was there. Nor did anyone mention it. In the context of childbirth and caring for a newborn, whether or not a bell rang for us was totally inconsequential.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:L&D nurse here The hospital where I work plays a 5 second clip of "lullabye" after every birth. About 6 months ago someone wrote a letter expresSing many of the views posted here. Now the chime is only played if the mother is the only one on the Floor delivering a baby and if all the other mothers on the floor have had successful births.

I would write a letter simply stating what has been said here. I think those who come up with the idea of the bell aren't likely to think of how others may feel if things did not have such a happy outcome. It's not like a letter can hurt.

And according to OP, Shady Grove fertility has an office there where you can hear the chime. I'm not a fertility patient there, but if I was I probably would write a letter.