It will be great for setting policy when Ione comprises her reference list
about keeping moms and babies together. IMHO, however, it will take more than
documentation to promote 24 hour rooming-in.

At our hospital, we went through a time of telling the families that it was
our policy to promote rooming-in. (It was always allowed, but not really
promoted.) Since the nurses care for dyads, the mom's nurse was also the
baby's nurse. Rooming-in saved a lot of time pushing cribs to-and-fro. This
allowed more time for direct care. We informed the parents how the babies
would be quieter with the family. Also, mom would be more likely to know what
questions to ask if she cared for the baby in a situation where the nurses
frequently checked and could help her before she went home. This worked out
OK, but it was a change and there were reasons for changing back to babies
staying in the nursery. I would not classify them as valid reasons, but...

As time goes on, the babies bagan to spend more and more time in the nursery.
Often, the mom asks for the baby to go back to the central nursery, but the
nurse may offer. The nursing staff wants to *let the mom rest*.

Maybe Ione has the authority to make limited mom and baby separation a
policy. It could be just a long, slow process of assisting the staff in
changing their practice. There are ways to be a change agent. There has to be
some reason to change; knowledge does not necessarily coincide with beliefs
and behaviors. If someone truly believes that it is better for the nurse to
observe a baby under a warmer, presenting contrary evidence will just make
that person hold to the beliefs more tightly.

This is a time to use all your diplomatic skills in addition to your
information. Good luck getting the baby with the mom at night.

Becky