Moms Share 'Rooming In' Experiences, Calls for Better Practice

A mom said that she had difficulty with the hospitals' rooming-in policy when she gave birth to her baby as she had no one to help with the baby. While the rooming-in ensures that the baby has ready access to the mom for breastfeeding and provides skin-to-skin contact, the policy is strenuous for moms who need rest after giving birth.

According to Today's Parents, while many moms commend the practice of making sure the baby learns to breastfeed, other moms have mixed experiences.

Rooming-in Policy

Rooming-in is one of the policies recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to meet breastfeeding goals worldwide. The recommendation is Step 7 in Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding (Ten Steps) by WHO and UNICEF, which stipulates "rooming-in" at hospitals for at least 24 hours to encourage mothers and newborns to remain together during their hospital stay. The practice is recommended for healthy, full-term infants receiving routing care regardless of the feeding method, as per the National Center for Library Information (NCBI).

The steps also include training staff to help mothers breastfeed, not giving the babies pacifiers, encouraging feeding on demand, and doing skin to skin after birth. Hospitals that follow the 10-steps are certified as "baby-friendly hospitals." Hospitals with baby-friendly certifications refuse money from formula companies, avoid advertising formula to patients, and cannot offer formula milk to babies unless medically necessary.

Read Also: Woman Pressured to Get C-Section Shares Ordeal While Giving Birth

Night two phenomenon

However, for some moms, the rooming-in policies were quite an ordeal.

Vanessa Milne said her first night with her baby was a breeze. She was induced and gave birth 15 hours after. Her baby latched and snuggled on her quickly. She thought things would be easy the next day.

However, she did not know about the "night two phenomenon" when the baby becomes more alert and is quite adjusting that he is out of the warm, snug womb. The baby would incessantly cry, seeking comfort and milk. However, in some cases, milk has not come in yet for moms making the babies more distracted.

Meanwhile, the mom is tired from less sleep and the birthing labor she went through.

Milne said she kept swaying after one to two hours and decided to walk to the nursing station to hand off the baby. However, she was sent back with a swaddle.

Mom not in good condition

Ally Glyndon had a c-section because her baby was breech. After birth, she had a violent reaction to the spinal block that doctors gave to her.

She said she had difficulty breastfeeding, and nurses encouraged her to walk up every two hours to express her colostrum. She later found out that the baby was tongue-tied, making nursing difficult. The mom had a low milk supply and Reynaud's syndrome, making nursing a painful experience.

She was stressed out as the baby was hungry, and she felt she had to beg for formula milk for the baby.

More relaxed practices and a nursery for babies

In 2016 JAMA Pediatrics publication wrote concerns raised by pediatrician Joel Bass about the unexpected consequences of rigidly enforced baby-friendly practices. Bass recommends that every hospital have a nursery for healthy babies so moms can rest. He also suggests offering a small amount of formula in the early days as it would not likely impact breastfeeding success.

Bass also argues that newer evidence shows that pacifiers do not interfere with breastfeeding and may even encourage it.

While breastfeeding is the best for babies, looking after the mom's mental and physical well-being is also essential, the Hiltrud Dawson, a nurse and lactation consultant, also cites.

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