Anonymous wrote:You should probably get used to sleep deprivation now...

This is so unhelpful, please go away.

Anonymous wrote:I’m pro nursery but what surprised me about my first childbirth hospital stay was how the nurses come in every couple of hours through the night to press hard on your belly to help your uterus shrink. I think they also took my temperature multiple times in the night? My nights in the hospital were some of the least restful nights ever.

Agreed. My baby actually never woke me up. The nurses and hospital staff on the other hand... one nurse finally told me we could put a do not disturb sign out which stops the more random checkins and consolidates the visits. Highly recommend. Loved rooming in with my baby too and I was expecting to want to use the nursery.

Anonymous wrote:I’m pro nursery but what surprised me about my first childbirth hospital stay was how the nurses come in every couple of hours through the night to press hard on your belly to help your uterus shrink. I think they also took my temperature multiple times in the night? My nights in the hospital were some of the least restful nights ever.

Trust me , the nurses feel bad waking you up. But if they ever missed something because they let you sleep then it's bye bye job and career.

I’m pro nursery but what surprised me about my first childbirth hospital stay was how the nurses come in every couple of hours through the night to press hard on your belly to help your uterus shrink. I think they also took my temperature multiple times in the night? My nights in the hospital were some of the least restful nights ever.

Don't listen to these posters. Rooming in sucks. You've just been up for god knows how long PUSHING A BABY OUT and you deserve to rest. You know what hinders breastfeeding? Stress. The two worst nights with a newborn for me were the first in three hospital after being up in labor for 48 hours straight. Definitely send the baby to the nursery if you can. Going home on zero sleep is a recipe for disaster.

Expect to be interrupted throughout your hospital stay, probably multiple times by nurses and doctors, especially if it's a teaching hospital. Also, your baby may need to nurse during the night, you know? Rooming in isn't really bad unless you've had a c-section or some complication, or you have no partner there with you.

OP here: Thanks for everyone's replies! This info was surprisingly hard to find online so appreciate your input. I hadn't thought about the COVID impacts (duh), so thanks for that tip as well.

You should probably get used to sleep deprivation now...

I’m set to deliver at VHC this summer and my OB said, at the moment, the nursery is closed except for procedures. But she also said things may or may not change as time goes on.

Anonymous wrote:Not sure if nursery is currently open due to Covid, but INOVA Fairfax let's you send baby to the nursery too.

Just delivered here and I didn’t use it but they mentioned it’s an option so must be open.

Not sure if nursery is currently open due to Covid, but INOVA Fairfax let's you send baby to the nursery too.

Just a heads up that I've been told that nurseries are currently closed and the baby will be rooming in at the Kaiser hospitals by me given reduction in covid exposure (WHC, both HCs in MD - don't know about VA hospitals). This is obviously subject to change, but what the current policies are from my understanding. Talk to your OB, but this is what I was told by my Kaiser doc this Monday (6/15) as we started discussing birth plans for next month delivery. She said I can skip the nursery question as they're closed and will be when I deliver.

VHC: they let you send the baby to the nursery

Virginia Hospital Center.

Hello! Wondering if anyone has info/insight on to which, if any DC-area hospitals aren't "baby friendly" / do rooming in. While I'm sure I'll love my baby, I also think I'll be interested in sleeping uninterrupted if possible, so would love to know which hospitals have nurseries that are a good option. I have Kaiser insurance, so unfortunately Sibley isn't an option. Thank you!