Just. Say. NO.

If you deliver at a hospital, a nurse may come in and say your baby "needs" to go to the nursery. This is not the case. Tell them that you would prefer the baby stay with you in the room. Your baby does not need to be taken away from you, ever. This is YOUR baby. Hospitals can't make you do anything. Any baby care and tests can be done in the room with you, it's just more convenient for the nursing staff to have the babies in the nursery. But they can keep your baby for hours! If they insist that baby must go to the nursery for a procedure, then you can always insist that you or your partner go with the baby. Your little one was just brought into this world. Why send them off with complete strangers??

JUST. SAY. NO. –> You can’t take my baby……

http://obnurse35yrs.wordpress.com/2012/0...

JUST. SAY. NO. You CAN’T Take MY Baby to the Newborn Nursery! All too often, we as hospital staff in Labor and Delivery- Mother Baby units or the Newborn Nursery want to take YOUR baby away f...

To prepare for this situation, a good idea would be to tour the maternity ward at the hospital that you are planning to deliver at. Ask questions. Ask LOTS of questions. Not sure what to ask? Start with my Hospital Tour Questionnaire! If you're not happy with their responses, find a new hospital! I toured my hospital twice and realized I was not happy with them. At 32 weeks, I realized my OBGYN and I were not on the same page about me having a natural birth. She scoffed at me when I told her my plans for an unmedicated birth and was not encouraging at all. I toured 6 hospitals before I found one that I was comfortable with, was very family friendly and was in agreement with my wishes for baby staying in the room, lactation support, etc. I found an amazing practice with 3 midwives and 8 OBs - of which I chose to see a midwife - and I was more than willing to do the 45 minute drive from Fort Lauderdale to Boca Raton, (past 3 hospitals that would have been closer) just so I could go to this midwife and deliver at this hospital! It can be done!! You can do it too!

If you're in South Florida, I highly recommend:

- Terry DeFilippo, CNM at Women's Healthcare Partners
- Rachel DeVaney, CNM at Women's Healthcare Partners

and Boca Raton Regional Hospital. They will let the baby sleep with you in your room, all newborn procedures are done in the room and should baby need to go anywhere, dad can go with the baby to nursery and stay by baby's side the whole time.