We've had this practice since 1990, a two hour period between lunch and the
evening meal during which we promise the mother she will be undisturbed
except by her baby and whatever family is staying with her in the hospital.
My hospital was the first one in Norway to institute it, and we copied it
from a hospital in Stockholm where some of our staff had taken a study trip.
I think it is practically universal here now, and it is generally known by
the Norwegian word (ha!) siesta.  Half of our rooms are designated 'family
rooms' and the mother can have a significant other stay with her.  This
person is of course encouraged to make use of the siesta as well.  Other
visitors are expected to let the new family rest at that time.  The
non-family rooms are mostly double rooms in which only mother's significant
other, and baby's siblings, are welcome.

At every point when we have asked mothers for feedback, the only thing they
all agree on is that the two hours of undisturbed time should be considered
sacred.  Housekeeping does not go in to empty the trash or wash, staff
doesn't go in to do routine observations, the phones into the rooms are
switched off for incoming calls (but everyone has their mobile phones with
them now, so it doesn't help as much as it used to) and visitors are gently
but firmly requested to come back later.  Peds, ob and lab rounds are
scheduled for morning, as are breastfeeding classes and physical therapy.
Of course staff are available as always if someone uses their call bell, but
we don't do noisy work nor chat loudly among ourselves at our station or in
the halls during that time.  There is nothing to stop a mother from
arranging to have a visit during siesta time, in the common visitors' room
on the ward, but we really try to encourage them to use the time to snuggle
with the baby and charge their batteries in anticipation of a busy night
instead.  Visitors who wheedle and ask if we can't just PLEASE open the door
a crack and see if the mother is actually sleeping, are informed that the
sound of the door opening is enough to wake her if she is asleep, and that's
why we won't do it.  We acknowledge that one of our roles is in fact to act
as visitor police, and telling about the siesta gives us an opportunity to
get some info across about other ways family and friends can support the
parents and baby in the early days.  I find that when visitors realize we
are trying to give the mothers and babies a babymoon, and not just
exercising power for the sake of power, they are happy to come back at a
better time.  After sixteen years most people know about the siesta and many
of them have enjoyed it themselves and it's easier than it was at the start.
Before, people seemed to treat the postpartum ward like the zoo, as in
'let's go look at the baby animals today!'  Very weird, IMO.

All our rooms are equipped with a 'do not disturb' sign that mothers can
hang on the outside of their doors, and if such a sign is in place, nobody
enters the room unless there is a compelling clinical reason to do so, not
even to serve meals.  The food is put aside and the mother can get it when
she emerges from her haven, hopefully well-rested.

I sympathize with Penny's view, that our determining when siesta is, is
controlling.  There are compromises we have had to make because we don't
have all single rooms.  We try to even the score with the 'do not disturb'
sign, so mothers can in effect have their own siestas, but we have to ask
that everyone respect the common siesta time by not inviting visitors into
their rooms if they are sharing, and not even inviting extended families,
gangs of friends, colleagues, or whatever, into the ward where the noise
they make carries easily into the rooms where people are trying to rest
quietly.  

The group we have to work hardest to protect from intrusions is hospital
staff, when they give birth.  They get totally overrun by all their
colleagues because they can come on a short break while at work.
Pediatricians are the group most likely to overstay their welcome on such
visits, and I suppose I should try to see it as a good thing that they are
so entranced by new babies that it makes them forget their manners and their
common sense.

Rachel Myr
Kristiansand, Norway

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