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.

Indeed and pain relief is just not available to woman as it natural to give birth....still fucking hurts

Invisible woman

I think we're talking nighttimes, to let the mother have some sleep. Babies were brought to the mum for breastfeeding. Not total separation!!!

This was pretty much what happened to me. It was bliss having 5 days to get used to having a baby with nurses helping you with what to do and you being looked after at the same time. It was a real shock to have the last one and be in for less than 24 hours and him with me all the time!

I had my first in 91. It wasnt a thing in Wales. I had my baby 24/7 and i was quite unwell

My MIL tells of having her babies forceably taken away from her both times in the 80s so she could rest. She couldn't sleep so went to check on her daughter who was in the newborn nursery screaming her little lungs out but they wouldn't let her go to her as 'babies need to learn to cry'. Gah. I'm glad that's not the case any more but do agree support should be on offer to give mums a break or to facilitate them recovering from a traumatic birth. You aren't allowed to drive a car for weeks after a c-section, how can you be expected to immediately care 24/7 for a baby with no help?

I'd assume because research shows it's best for baby being with its mother and father. Have you heard about the golden hour? I agree though, it would be good for the mother to have support in which case the father should be there (and the nurses for extra back up). I couldn't think of anything worse than having my baby taken away from me straight away and put in a different room to sleep. I was fortunate as I had my husband stay with me and we all (including the baby) had a good night's sleep

Not a thing in my area in 1993 when I had my first, and out the following day, second in 1995 out the same day.

I had mine at the Portland and yes there was a nursery. It is barbaric how on the NHS that you are expected to care for your baby after a C Section. It wouldn’t happen after any other major abdominal surgery. I did keep my baby with me but was able to buzz help anytime 24/7.

I had my second baby at 9pm...by 11.30pm, the midwife came back into the room and told me I could go home. She seemed to think I'd be thrilled to hear this. I just wanted to sleep ..

Babies used to go into the nursery to give mothers a rest. They were brought out for feeding, bathing, cuddle-time.
This was in the days of 7-10 day hospital stays post-partum, and when women who had a hysterectomy were in hospital for 10 days, then off to a convelescent home for another week.
Then money became tighter, so convalescence was binned, as were 'long' hospital stays (altho shorter stays mitigated some infections). and women largely wanted to walk out the door 2 minutes after giving birth (where possible)
But this has essentially thrown the baby out with the bathwater, as many new mothers are knackered and haven't got the hang of a bathing/feeding/sleeping routine for themselves or their baby

We had them in 1983 when I had my baby. Everyone sent their baby there overnight except me. I was convinced they would accidentally swap my baby for another one so my baby kept everyone awake 😂

@MikeRafone 'Indeed and pain relief is just not available to woman as it natural to give birth....still fucking hurts'

Since when is pain relief not available in a post natal ward?!

I'm going to hazard a guess when rhe baby was taken in 1990 it kind of changed a lot then maybe? I know it still can happen and has but I think that may have been the turning point. My first was 1997 and no nurseries then

Baby 1 NHS, Baby 2 Portland (thanks to insurance messing up). Totally different birth experiences! (Both c-sections)

Baby 1 with me the whole time, despite a difficult birth.

Baby 2 at The Portland (different world!). I had him with me the whole time by choice. However, I could've had him taken to the nursery from the moment he was born!! Instead I chose to have them help me by changing him and swaddling him for me whenever I called.

(Compared to how I was treated by the midwives the first time (dispicable bedside manner), I thought I'd gone to heaven when at the Portland).

Not sure if I've misunderstood, but of course you should mostly be with your baby 24/7 for the first week, they don't even know that they aren't part of you at this stage. Baby should be resting with mum and dad and using this time for bonding and lots of skin to skin

With my first two days in the hospital with a nursery then seven days in the old maternity home where baby was with me and I was taught how to breastfeed, bath, change nappies. They'd look after baby while you bathed, slept after lunch and at night if you needed it. It was lovely. 1980.

I spent a night in the private postnatal ward after having #2 and they had a newborn nursery with a terrifying old skool midwife who swaddled all the babies up firmly. She shook me awake when DC2 needed a feed in the night and then took him back again. It was lovely, I won't lie, and DC2 was successfully EBF.

(This was in 2018 and I assume continues.)

1992 def a thing. I went back on the ward about 5am. Baby to nursery, I was still sky high on pethidine, but I went home 6pm that day.

In Ireland so different but in recent years my babies were taken to a nursery 4/5 hours overnight so I could sleep. It allowed me get some much needed rest and didn’t affect bonding. It was wonderful. I was private though and I don’t think public patients are offered this in Ireland.

I am in north Wales it was definitely a thing with my two.

My twins were born in 2001 by CS, and they spent the first night away from me. I had lost a lot of blood, nearly needed a transfusion and they wanted me to rest.

I remember vaguely in a bit of drug induced haze thinking I didn't want them to go but couldn't really protest (DH had gone by then).

I also remember clearly later on that night, hearing lots of babies crying but somehow recognising my two, which I thought was amazing.

Didn't seem to do us any harm, we're all very close.

This was London by the way and NHS.

It must have depended on the hospital. DS was born in 1995 and there was no nursery. I don't think I'd have wanted him taking away. I was in for five nights.
I gave birth to DC2 (who was back to back) &3 only a few minutes after arriving. They broke my waters as the babies were born. From first twinge at home to birth was well under an hour. DC1 was a couple of hours. Everyone is different.

My daughters were born in 94 & 96 at St Mary’s.

I was a student nurse on maternity unit in 1987 - no newborn nursery then.