Inova Fair Oaks has a nursery and it’s open. My baby went for both nights last month after my c/s. The first night I was interrupted a lot. But the second night I got 7 glorious hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

You're complaining because the nurses were doing what they are supposed to do in helping you?! Hospitals are not for rest and relaxation.

That you equate a woman needing to sleep after labor to "rest and relaxation" is everything that's wrong with maternal care in America.

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.

You're complaining because the nurses were doing what they are supposed to do in helping you?! Hospitals are not for rest and relaxation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Totally disagree. Once I did all that work pushing my babies out there was no way I was giving them away to someone else to take care of. DH held the baby for about two hours and I slept. Then the baby wanted to nurse so he woke me up and I nursed and DH napped. We just traded off like that until it was time to go home. The baby never left our sight once she came out of me.

That’s great when it’s your first kid and your dh is in the room all night to help you and the baby. But when kid #1 is at home and needs care, you’ll be alone in the hospital overnight with that newborn. Trust me, the nursery will be mightily appealing when there’s not another person in the room to “trade off” with.

I used the nursery at night with both of my babies at Inova Fairfax. It was great. I had both my kids early in the morning (4-6 am) after having been awake in labor all night, awake the entire day before, and 45 minutes of pushing. So by the time they were born I was already up about 24 hours. And labor is so physical so you’re extra exhausted on top of the being awake for 20+ hours straight.

I am not sure if they are still allowing it though with Covid. Might be you have to have a negative test first.

GW also has a nursery but I think it's not open with covid.

Holy cross Silver spring allows you to send babe to nursery and has Kaiser doctors. Not sure with covid if nurseries arenopen though :/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Totally disagree. Once I did all that work pushing my babies out there was no way I was giving them away to someone else to take care of. DH held the baby for about two hours and I slept. Then the baby wanted to nurse so he woke me up and I nursed and DH napped. We just traded off like that until it was time to go home. The baby never left our sight once she came out of me.

I’ll just add that I had so much adrenaline after labor that I didn’t really sleep much for days. And also was not at all interested in having my baby out of my sight (or arms). Everyone is different and you don’t really know until you’re in that position.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Totally disagree. Once I did all that work pushing my babies out there was no way I was giving them away to someone else to take care of. DH held the baby for about two hours and I slept. Then the baby wanted to nurse so he woke me up and I nursed and DH napped. We just traded off like that until it was time to go home. The baby never left our sight once she came out of me.

+1. Also, if you can, stay home and rest in early labor. Take warms baths or showers. Eat and drink when you want. Those things help conserve your energy tremendously. Sometimes you can take a sleep aid during labor, too, depending on what your doc/midwife recommends and if things are dragging on. Some women fall asleep between contractions. Take any bit of rest where you can get it! It all helps.

Anonymous wrote: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.

Totally disagree. Once I did all that work pushing my babies out there was no way I was giving them away to someone else to take care of. DH held the baby for about two hours and I slept. Then the baby wanted to nurse so he woke me up and I nursed and DH napped. We just traded off like that until it was time to go home. The baby never left our sight once she came out of me.