Wanted to let you all know what we do in our little hospital
(one birthing room- about 2-3 births per month).  We don't
even have a nursery.  If the baby is not with mom or other
family member (such as when mom is in the shower), the nurse
will stay in the room with the baby.  Anything *done* to the
baby is at the bedside.  I think that our hospital births
are as close as you can get to a "home birth away from
home!"  Our moms and babies stay, on average, 36 hours.
I'll have to ask our billing office if they charge for
nursery services-- I think that it would be considered
insurance fraud if the hospital does actually charge for
this if the baby is indeed rooming in.  Those of you who
mentioned being charged for these services might call the
insurance company first instead of the hospital billing
department.  I know insurance companies don't like to pay
for services not rendered.

On length of hospital stays and keeping costs down-- I
remember that my mother, when she had her last child (I'm
the oldest of 7 kids), decided to leave the hospital after
one or two nights stay(insurance compay wouldn't pay for
more) and went to a nearby motel for about 4 more days.  We
all got to visit her and our new sister frequently (not even
allowed at the hospital), and brought her special meals.
She had lots of time alone with the new baby without the
interruptions of 6 kids at home--- and it was a lot cheaper
than the hospital.  As I recall, my dad stayed with her at
night and we had a relative staying with the rest of the
kids.

Julie Jarvis  RPA-C
from Kansas, where it's threatening snow today
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