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Our hospital had a nursery and we used it for a few hours on the second night there. The nurses encouraged it and BFing was going fine so I took them up on it. I fractured my tailbone during delivery and needed help to get out of bed so it was nice for DH to get an hour or two of uninterrupted sleep while the nurses brought DS to me to BF. I barely slept while he was gone bc I kept waking up thinking I could hear him crying. Anyway, I think it's a good option to have for lots of reasons previously mentioned and judgment over using a hospital resource to get a small amount of rest for two people (mom + partner) who are about to go home and get no sleep for possibly months on end is, quite frankly, ridiculous. Sure people can survive without it just fine, but I can also survive without a smartphone -- it's still a nice luxury that I won't turn down, you know?

@Mrs D: I don't think there is anything wrong with using a nursery. I certainly would not judge someone for using one or not using on. Who cares???

I guess I don't really see a lot of judgment in this thread?! I just see people saying what they are comfortable with or stating what their experience was like at their hospital.

We don't have a nursery at our local hospital. The baby sleeps in the room with mom. With my second, a nurse came in and asked if she could hold her for an hour or two so we could get sleep so she did (was a quiet night for them) and it was nice to get an hour or two of solid sleep.

It seems like the move away from nurseries goes along with other outmoded practices toward ones that foster bonding, breastfeeding, etc. Like many others in this thread said, I couldn't imagine being away from my baby when he was born. Whenever he was taken for a test one of us would follow along to keep an eye on him. When he was there for his heel prick, I was standing outside bawling like an idiot. The hospital where I delivered was converting much of its nursery when I delivered in 2013, but I don't know if they've eliminated it by now or if it's still an option.

@Littlebit: there's no judgment from me. I'm studying public health, and many of the measures such as nurseries vs rooming in are public health issues. People can talk about individual preferences, but ON THE WHOLE, if mom and baby are healthy, rooming in is preferable. Same with skin to skin, delayed cord clamping, no routine episiotomies, encouraging breastfeeding, putting to sleep on the back, discouraging smoking, etc. So my comment is from an overall perspective on general trends and best practices. And even if a hospital has no routine nursery option, I'm sure that there are still nurses trained, ready, and willing to help moms out.

My (Canadian) hospital doesn't offer a traditional nursery but there is a small "pod" behind the nurses station with space for up to 6 bassinets that the nurses use at their judgment. When I had my DD there were a couple babies who were under the lights there and we took my DD over one morning for about an hour because she needed a specific test but they couldn't bring that machine into my room.

All other tests and what not, including the bath, were done in our room.

@gingerbebe: That sounds terrible. It also sounds like more of an issue of a hospital pushing BFing beyond the normal safe limits and less of an issue of being a nursery or not.

So thankful that my hospital had a nursery.
After a near death experience I was no shape to care for a baby for the first day.

I think if I had my choice in an ideal world, there would be some kind of care for the extreme circumstances where the mom needed a break or where maybe a nurse could come help do diaper changes etc. But to just offer it as a babysitting service I can see how it could get abused.

When you say things like "it's weird to me that people would want that" or "one of the reasons I chose to deliver there was they don't have a nursery" or "why would I have a baby just to send it away" you are judging and being snarky. If you want to say that kind of stuff, own it.

No one on the other side is saying "no one should ever room in". you can do you, but more choices for moms is never a bad thing.

Just a FYI, you aren't sending your baby away for days at a nursery. Usually it's 1 - 2 hours so you can get some sleep. I don't think this is traumatizing to any relationship. Maybe the parents need a break? Maybe there is a medical reason? Personally, I would never say "I would never send my child away" or "my new baby would never leave my sight" because maybe you don't have a choice. DS was in the NICU for 11 days and yes, I was away from him so I could go home and sleep. We STILL had an amazing BF relationship. And no, he did not get switched at birth because he left my sight for a moment. Each child is given an ID band and strictly monitored, there is also a tag on them so they can not be removed from the hospital.

I delivered at a baby friendly certified hospital, but they were pretty relaxed about the nursery. my twins roomed in with me (even DS who was in his little "incubator" enclosed warming bed), but it wasn't a happy, warm cozy time. We all went through a traumatic birth (one twin delivered vaginally with vacuum and then an emergency c section for twin B), then we were separated for a couple hours due to complications. DD was an angry, alert baby with a lot of feelings and told us about it from minute 1. I didn't get to see an LC for about 30 hrs after they were born (thanks baby friendly hospital!) and girlfriend was hungry and nursing was just not working. She screamed all night the first night and her poor brother was just so dazed and confused that he had to be stuck sharing his food source with her. I begged the nurses to take her the 2nd night, but they brought her back after 10 min because they couldn't help her either. It was still a nice 10 min break. I'm extremely bonded to my kids. I loved them and felt attached from moment one (despite the screaming). I've nursed them both for 19 months and counting. But there have been times I've needed a mental health break in the last 19 months, and the first time occurred on night 2. I don't think there's anything wrong with saying I love my kids, but sometimes I need a break. Being able to admit that has made me a happier, healthier mom, I think.

The hospital that I delivered LO1 in encouraged rooming in but had a nursery. My induction started Saturday night and I had lo just before noon Monday. I just couldn't sleep during that time. The first night LO was with me, but the second afternoon, I appreciated the nurse offering to take her to the nursery for a few hours so I could nap. DH was with me, but he had been awake almost as much as I had.
While I don't plan on using the nursery for this LO due in April, if circumstances are similar, i will, especially since DH will need to be home with LO1 at least some of the time.

@Littlebit: @cookiemomster: two thumbs way, way up for your posts.

@coopsmama: because apparently now dissenting opinion = judgement and judgement = bad

@cookiemomster: totally disagree. Judging is saying you're a horrible mother and undeserving of Kids because you chose to send your baby to the nursery. Saying you aren't comfortable with it or don't understand it is not. People need to grow a pair if anything on this thread is considering judging.

@cookiemomster: yes I am saying that people are using health care professionals as baby sitters. And that's not appropriate. I have heard of and spoken with women who treat it as a week long vacation and try to avoid discharge. All at the cost of health care premiums.

Now I will agree that's not the majority but it does happen frequently enough that the economies of the business have deemed it not profitable or wise or healthy to offer to everyone unless there is a demonstrated need.

If you don't want to use the nursery, great. But I just think it's sad that as women we can't understand that there are many others who do not have the fortunate supports or birth experiences that making rooming in such a magical thing. It all sounds very entitled and unaware of others to say things like "I can't imagine why anyone would want that". Why can't we offer women what they feel they need during what is arguably one of the most life altering moments on their lives?

I used the nursery both times. No shame. Both kids had to do 3 hour car seat tests because of their size. And I made sure it was done at night lol. I didn't use the nursery as a babysitting service but certainly used it at night to get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. There nurse brought me my babies every 2-3 hours to nurse. I had plenty of skin to skin. All day every day. I'm still EBF my 12 month old. I love my kids fiercely and sending them to the nursery for a few hours doesn't take away from that.

Women used to give birth and have their moms and aunts and grandmas around to care for the baby and their other children while they healed. It used to take a village. That's not how it is anymore and instead there's very little help for us and instead judgment for leaning on medical professionals while we are in the hospital. Why can't we just give ourselves a break?!