At Terrebonne General, we believe strong family bonds start at birth. During
your hospital stay, your baby will remain in your room with you at all
times. This will allow you and your loved ones the opportunity to get
to know the newest addition to your family. It will also help reduce interruptions
of sleep and feedings.
Keeping families together during these early important days helps moms
and dads to adjust to parenthood and learn their new baby’s behaviors.
Please be assured that our staff is available 24/7, and you will be given
your nurse’s direct number if questions or needs arise. Our staff
will also visit your room to check on you frequently.
During your hospital stay, the safest place for your baby to sleep is in
the baby crib in your room. Your hospital bed is designed for adults,
not for babies, so there is a greater risk of falls when your baby sleeps
in bed with you. We encourage you to practice skin-to-skin as often as
possible during the early days; however, if you are feeling sleepy, are
taking strong pain medication, or feel that you are too impaired to respond
safely to your infant, please let the staff know so that they can safely
place your infant in the crib next to your bed. Many moms find it very
helpful to have another family member stay with them while in the hospital
to help with the baby so that they can nap frequently.
Research has shown that keeping mothers and babies together during their
hospital stay leads to better breastfeeding success and greatly improves
an infant’s transition to life outside the womb.
New mothers and babies need time to heal and recover from birth. “Cuddle
time” gives a new mother and her champion the special time they
need to be alone with their baby. It is a time to bond and become a family
and to catch up on needed rest.
Visitors in the Women’s Health Center are asked to honor this time
set aside for parents and their new baby daily from 2 pm to 4 pm. To help
create a soothing environment, the lights are dimmed, and staff will announce
the beginning of Cuddle Time.
We have a Neonatal Observation Unit where babies may be brought to be observed
by medical and nursing staff in the event of emergencies and certain medical
procedures that cannot be done at your bedside. All other routine procedures
will be done in your room.
