I am hoping to mine the rich depths of creativity and knowledge on this list for a project I've been given.  We are working on couplet care on our unit and trying to keep mothers and babies together more, looking at reasons for separation and addressing those.  One of the oft-heard comments from
staff is that moms bring their babies to the nursery wanting the staff to keep them for a while.  I actually see this all the time when I'm charting in there.   I have worked on a unit where we rarely had babies in the nursery.  Our moms seldom did that and so I asked the question "Are the mothers
at X hospital different than our mothers here?"  Of course, the answer was 'no', there was no identifiable difference.  I contend that it is how we present the nursery to families.  If the baby's first stop when they get to the postpartum unit is the nursery, and it is taken there for every little
heel stick or set of vital signs, what messages does that send to families?  I think it sends the subtle message that baby's "real" home is the nursery and it only comes out to mom's room when it is convenient or we don't need it for anything at the moment.  I think that's a very important message.
So, now I'm commissioned to come up with a list to be laminated and placed in all patient rooms.  This will be called "10 Steps to successful Bonding" or some such -that is just a working title.  I'm gathering suggestions from staff and I'd love the input of this creative group!   We've already
talked about breastfeeding being on the list, of course in a non-threatening manner, just in case someone doesn't know, like studies have shown that hormones associated with breastfeeding produce mothering types of feelings and behaviors.  I am just starting to actually work on this list (boy, it's
been hectic so far this week!  Full moon and thunderstorms over the weekend have us busting at the seams.) and I would love to hear your ideas.  I think this could be a great teaching tool for moms -and families- who live in that room for a couple of days.  Please email me privately as well as to
the list.  I don't want to miss anyone's suggestions!  I'll let you know what we come up with if anyone's interested, and if anyone already has such a list, I'd love to see it!
TIA!
Marsha

Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future generations as all other earthly causes combined.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~John S. C. Abbot~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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