Phyllis wrote:   There are a lot of doctors who are vocal about their dislike
of the
Transition Nsy, but the ones with the Power, the Neos, and the Nursery
RN-Mgr, think it's a grand plan.

Oh, this whole story is so disturbing to me. It makes me cringe. It's so
different from
what happens where I work. It sounds inhumane to keep a mother and baby
separated
like this. Most mothers wouldn't think to ask beforehand how they or their
babies are moved from a delivery room to postpartum. So by the time you figure
out that your baby's not right there with you going to the same place it's
already too late. Hospitals tend to disenpower people. Folks aren't in their
comfort zone and find it more difficult to communicate well. Once this does happens
and you fret about your baby (it happened
to us in 1977 and after 20 minutes separation my husband stormed out to look
for our
baby who was being brought down the hall at that very minute) you're not so
apt to let
it happen a second time.

I chose a birthing venue for our next two that didn't involve separation. But
I don't want
to accept that the docs that are bothered by this transitional nursery cave
in and
allow these disturbing practices for normal full term babies (or even near
term)
with no signs of problems. i do know that change takes time, but someone has
to present
some good evidence to counter the neonatoloigst and it's out there. If I were
the mother
 I'd insist that I keep the baby in my arms or I'd keep hold of that plastic
crib on wheels while I was being wheeled (or I'd stand and walk if possible),
ask to sign something about doing this against medical advise if necessary so
my baby remained with me.

I'd write letters to the hospital telling them how dissatisfied I was to have
been
separated from my baby, include the Ten Steps, and tell them that if anyone
were
 to ask me about recommending their hospital that I would tell them to find
different
one. (We have some mothers in labor traveling close to an hour to come
deliver in our hospital passing other hospitals on the way.) I'd ask for a committee
made up of the
docs who dislike this practice, the neonatologists, nurses, and PARENTS to
take a
second look at these policies with the idea of revamping them.

I'd also contact Molly Pessl at Evergreen Hospital in the state of Washington
who
spoke a the New Mexico Task Force Bfg cf for input on family centered
practice where they keep families together -- even those of preemies.

Oh, we have such along way to go in the USA to normalize childbirth practices.

I work at a Baby Friendly Hospital where we have mothers laboring and deliver
and then staying in the same room. If the mother has a C-section a nurse can
stay with the baby and mother and help the baby latch while waiting for the
effects of the epidural to wear off. As an LC I've even been down there in
recovery and helped with latch. The father has in the past walked (it's a two
minute walk at most) with the baby to our area where the baby is weighed and
measured (now due to security reasons has to wheel him in that plastic crib) and
then they either go back to be with mom or she is ready and comes to her room.

Mardrey Swenson spoiled in New Hampshire

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