Rooming In

In this post I’ll discuss the concept of Rooming In. This is a new thing for most hospitals that has been rolled out in the past few years.

Previously, it was common practice for babies to spend large amounts of time in the nursery instead of in mom’s room with her. Now, the practice is that baby and mom’s separation is limited to almost none (less than 1 hour in a 24 hour period). This is called rooming in.

The Research Behind It: 

• Studies have shown that mother’s get better quality sleep when their baby is in their room and at their bedside instead of in the nursery.
  • This is hard for most mom’s to believe but they worry less, allowing them to sleep more.
• Especially for breastfeeding there are huge benefits! The more your baby is with you, the more you are familiar with their cues for when they need feeding.
• One of the most important and obvious reasons to keep your baby at your side is for bonding. The first few weeks are SO important.
  • Dad can bond now too! Most dads go back to work shortly after the baby is born, giving you plenty of time to bond with your baby but him not so much. Those first few days in the hospital can give him a head start while you rest.

How to do it: 

• Most hospitals still have a nursery and some things are unavoidable like circumcision or weighing on a designated scale. However, most things can be done at bedside. The nurses will still offer to do things in the nursery but you should always ask if they can be done in your room or that you can participate with it. These include:
  • Baths
  • Assessments
  • Hepatitis B vaccinations
  • Blood tests

 

*As tired as you are, it’s so important to bond with your baby during these few days. The hospital is there to support your plan and will work around your desire to rooming in*

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