Many suggestions have been given to get the babies out of the nursery and back with mom.  While this is good, I think we need to go back a step and ask why the moms are "too tired to nurse" in the first place.  Simply demanding that baby stay with mom doesn't address the real issues.  A number of studies have been reported about the number of times a new mom is interrupted during the day while in the hospital.  It is good that we seem to have stopped considering birth as a medical condition, but in the process we seem to have also given the message that a new mom doesn't need the same kind of rest as, for example, a surgical patient.  I think we need to address the "open door" policies for visitors as a start.  I understand some hospitals have gone back to at least having a couple "quite times" where there are no visitors and staff interruptions except when absolutely unavoidable such as for giving critically timed meds.  Of course, this only
 addresses giving mom a chance to rest.  It doesn't consider her infant's "schedule".  The other side of the coin is that some moms just are not comfortable nursing with visitors present, especially when they are first learning.  Thus she is not only tired due to lack of rest, but baby needs to make up for the delayed feedings secondary to a room full of people.
We need to attack the problem on all levels, starting with general expectations in the community at large.  We need people to understand that while new parents love to "show off" their babies, they need that "babymoon" time much more.
Winnie Mading IBCLC

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