After giving birth, it’s natural for a mother to want to be close to her newborn, but this task isn’t always as simple as it seems. Since hospital cribs tend to be positioned several feet away from a patient’s bed, pain and exhaustion often prevent a mom from getting up to retrieve her child. This can make breastfeeding difficult and it can also take its toll on nurses who have to constantly transport babies back and forth between their cribs and mothers’ beds.
In the Netherlands, mothers at Gelderse Vallei Hospital can bond with their babies from the comfort of their bed. For moms who just delivered and need to stay at the hospital for an extended period of time, clip-on bassinets are attached to their cots. “Mother and child are thus close together and can touch each other without the intervention of a nurse,” the hospital explains. “Breastfeeding is easier because the baby is nearby. Especially after a cesarean delivery, if the mother is not very mobile for a few days, the manger has great advantages.”
Although these new crib attachments can make a mother’s hospital stay more comfortable, precautions must be taken. While she’s sleeping, a mother could potentially roll over onto her child, which is why the baby should be watched or put in a separate crib while the mom is resting. It’s also important for a mother to move around after giving birth, so that blood clots don’t form in her legs. That’s why this type of crib shouldn’t be fully relied on, even though it can be beneficial.
Gelderse Vallei Hospital: Website | Facebook
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Image via Gelderse Vallei Hospital.