In keeping with our philosophy of family-centered care, we encourage rooming in throughout your stay — your baby will even be bathed and examined in the room with you. Our skilled staff will be available to monitor and care for your newborn during those times that you prefer to rest. This is a special time when new parents can gain experience and feel comfortable caring for their new baby. Parents have the chance to ask their health care providers questions and receive any additional help, allowing them to feel more confident when it’s time to go home.
The benefits:
- When you and your partner have the baby with you in the hospital room, you’ll become more comfortable with your little one early on.
- You will learn to recognize your baby’s smell, noises, expressions and movements.
- You will learn how to handle and sooth your newborn.
- With the baby in your room at all times, you will more easily recognize feeding or hunger cues (whether breastfeeding or bottle feeding).
- Your baby will learn your touch and the touch of your partner, feeling more safe in your arms.
- Rooming-in is also helpful for breastfeeding mothers, as it encourages early and plentiful milk production, as well as infant-led feedings. Research has shown that babies who stay in their mother’s rooms are happier, cry less and develop more regular sleep-wake cycles earlier. These benefits probably happen because you are recognizing your baby’s hunger cues, and feeding your baby more often (about eight to 12 times during a 24-hour period for breastfeeding; six to eight times per 24 hours for bottle feeding).
- Mothers who “room-in” with their babies tend to get more rest.
While all of our staff wear picture IDs, we have additional security measures for your baby’s safety. Shortly after birth, you and your baby will be outfitted with matching ID bands that will allow you (and your little one) into our nursery. We will also outfit your baby’s ankle with a HUGS® infant security band for the duration of your hospital stay. This band will not slip off, but will rotate freely to ensure comfort. If your baby’s band is tampered with or he/she is taken out of our surveillance areas during your stay, alarms will be triggered on our birthing unit and hospital security office.
