When did newborn nurseries stop being a thing?

[Al991]

Just a question stemming from a conversation with my mum, who said she slept all night after birthing my sister while she was cared for in a newborn nursery in hospital. I’ve only seen this on American TV shows.

I was in labour for 48 hours then had a 1.5L postpartum haemorrhage, a 3rd degree tear and moderately serious surgery but I had the baby with me the whole time and thereafter.

just curious as to when we stopped having newborn nurseries and what the history of this is! Was it part of the push for breastfeeding? My sister was born in 2000.

2008 when I had my first it seemed very established that mums had their babies with them all the time

Would be interested to hear from any midwives about the change though

My dd1 was born in 2003 and everyone had their own baby with them, the woman next to me had had a Caesarian and I had to get her baby when he cried. And when you went to the toilet you had to wheel the baby in its crib into the toilets.

I had my first in 1999 and there were no nurseries, you had your baby with you the whole time.

I think the evidence suggests that from a bonding point of view it's not a good idea to separate mother and baby so soon. Also makes it very hard to establish breastfeeding if that's what you want.
Personally I'd be terrified they mixed up the babies!
Not to mention that the NHS likely doesn't have the staff to do that. Bet you can have it at the Portland no problem 🤣

I had my first in 1991 and there were no nurseries then. Nurse/midwife might take charge of your baby for a short while for a particular reason. Like you needing to go for a scan etc.

When we realised it's barbaric to take a newborn from its mother and stick it in another room?

Newborn nurseries we're definitely a thing when I had my first son in 1991. I was in for 3 days too, even after a straightforward birth. They brought him to me for feeding at night.

I had my first in 1998 and it was exactly this.

I did read somewhere that mixing up the babies in the US is absolutely a thing 😂 I mean it would be wouldn’t it?

I got properly shouted at by a midwife when I had ds1. I went to go for a shower and the desk was opposite the bathroom she barked at me ‘no babies in the bathroom!’ So I said ‘can I leave him here by you?’ She shouted at me ‘NO! I have PAPERWORK to do! Put him by your bed’ I said o I’m not comfortable as it’s visiting hours and the bays are full I don’t know who those people are ??? She said well where’s your visitor ? They can hold baby while you shower but I wasn’t having any visitors while I was in hospital as DP eldest dd from previous relationship had c pox and had given it to DP!! I have no family so was literally on my own ! She just sighed at me and said ‘leave him by the bed’ again so I just went in to the bathroom with him while she was shouting at me not to break the rules ! It’s not very supportive at some hospitals I had ds2 at a different one and they were so lovely a HCA helped me so much

Yeah my mum was in for a week!! Consultant insisted on it apparently. And she slept for loads of it! She also said she didn’t feel like it impacting breastfeeding because they brought her to feed, though said they were a bit more relaxed in those days and offered to give her a bottle if she had wanted. I was in for 2 days, discharged way too soon and readmítted with sepsis 🫠🫠🫠

My mum had me in 1979 and never had me taken away. Was it ever a thing here?

Didn’t happen in 1994 when I had my first. Not that I would have let my PFB out of my sight anyway. We were in small wards of four max with an en-suite and were encouraged to keep an eye out for each other’s baby when we needed the loo or a shower.

Had 1st mid 90's and you could put baby in nursery if you wanted, when you had a shower or to eat, possibly also at night. Had 4th 14 years later and nursery's not even mentioned.

I doubt the child remembered it in later life and it probably was a lot less barbaric for the mother than the current set up.

I don’t think anyone was ever forced to have their baby taken away? What if you’ve had a section and can’t lift them or nearly died on an operating slab like I did? I totally get why you might have this opinion and you’re entitled to it but I don’t think it’s so cut and dry. My daughter is my best friend, I love her the absolute most and did the second she was born. But I was severely unwell and not really in a position to take care of her. Also a lot of my friends said they fell asleep while holding their baby in hospital which puts them at risk of SIDS. The best place for a baby is with their mum but I don’t think it’s barbaric to spend a few hours sleeping when you’ve just given birth tbh.

Is it not just a thing that happens on American TV.

Same as waters breaking, rush to hospital (along with all your relatives, friends and work colleagues) and give birth 5 minutes later.

i love that on TV labour is treated like an emergency. Like chill out my friend, you’ve got time 😂

I was born in 1987 and my mum had a week stay in hospital with a c section (she was stunned I went home the following day after mine!)

Whilst there was no nursery, my mum says the midwives often kept me with them so that she can get some rest as my mum had no family to help. So they were more hands on and helpful in the late 80s.

@MeowCatPleaseMeowBack just be careful with the language you're throwing around. Mother of 4DC here, all of whom were immediately taken to resus/NICU at birth for many weeks. Not all of us have a choice.

My mum says it was wonderful. In for a week.baby brought to you in the night for feeding. In the day they taught her how to bath baby, burp baby etc. mother and baby were looked after. So different to my experience… being bundled out of hospital when I could hardly walk after a c section. Made to feel guilty when I asked if I could stay the night…. Awful.

Happens all the time to premature babies.

I didn't even meet my second child till she was 3 days old.

Trauma and attachment actually doesn't have anything to do with whether you remember the event.

DM had her oldest in 1984 and had to stop them taking the baby to the nursery. They thought she was odd.

I had DD is 2016 and we ended up back in hospital at 5 days for a week. I was so tired after a few days, and they took her for one night so I could sleep. There were a few babies every night that were away from mums.