Choosing the right hospital

It has been six months since our baby was born. Time really flies. It was not too long ago, I can still remember it very clearly in my mind my wife was pregnant. And it was still fresh in my mind on the 26th February 2007, our baby boy was delivered. He was so tiny with eyes hardly opened. Sleeping most of the time. Cried only when he wanted milk. It was a vast difference compared to his sister. Our first baby girl was born seven years ago. She cried the loudest in the nursery. Her cries can be heard doors away. I believed the difference was due to breastfeeding. Our baby boy was encouraged to suck the breast the moment he was born. Our first baby did not have the privilege because as a first time parents, we did not know the importance of breastfeeding and did not know how. Breastfeeding baby feels more secured and will have less incidence of being colicky.

The hospital in which the baby was born made a lot of difference. It was the the main factor which determined the success rate in breastfeeding a baby. Our baby boy was born in a hospital that encouraged breastfeeding. There was a full time nurse specialised in breastfeeding going round teaching the new mothers how to breastfeed. The hospital in which our first baby was born did not take any initiative to encourage breastfeeding. So it is good to choose a hospital which encourages breastfeeding and baby friendly.

Baby friendly hospital encourages breastfeeding. The moment our baby boy was born, he was taken away for injection and given other necessary medical care. Immediately after all the medical care were given, he was brought back to his mother and was encouraged to suck the breast. The feeling of being held by the mother created a deep bonding between the mother and the baby. The baby felt secured in the arms of his mother. The baby was with the mother for as long as it needed to make the baby felt secured and comfortable. Then he was taken away to prepare him for his first bath. After the baby was cleaned, he was sent to the mother and remained with the mother unless he needed to change diapers. The bonding between the mother and the baby grew stronger by the hour.

The scenario in a non-baby friendly hospital is very much different. The moment the baby was born, she was taken away for the necessary medical care to be given. After that she was sent to the nursery and remained there until feeding time. If the mother decided not to breastfeed (and most of the time it is the case because of no encouragement from the hospital), the nurses will feed the baby at the nursery. The mother may not get to see the baby unless upon request. The bonding between the mother and the baby was not developed. The baby will feel less secured and tends to cry more.

So it is advisable to choose the right hospital. Plan in advance. Check with a few hospitals. Enquire on their services and baby care facilities before you decide. Don’t miss the chance to create the bonding between the mother and the baby. Once missed it, it is gone forever.

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