Hi everyone and congrats to those with new little ones!
I’m a nurse who recently transferred to a mother/baby floor. I think I’ve gotten a handle on the medical aspect of things – postpartum assessments, newborn testing, etc. However, I really want to ensure my patients have the best possible experience beyond just the medical care.
For all the new moms and dads out there, what did your postpartum nurse do that made you feel happy, comfortable, and well-cared for? Any small touches, extra support, or specific actions that stood out to you?
They were all quite pleasant, caring, and responsive to my needs, but one stands out: after delivering via c-section. My parents and in-laws wanted to come in the room after an hour of being released from surgery, and I was on magnesium. All of the nurses were telling me not to allow the visitors remain for too long, and one asked whether I was okay with them and how long I wanted them to stay. She then replied “well, you pick a time you want them gone by and I’ll make sure they’re gone when you’re ready.” I don’t know, it was just great to know someone was advocating for me and caring.
I had barely received a few hours of sleep since the baby’s birth, so my night nurse volunteered to take the child to the nursery across the hall so my husband and I could have a longer stretch of sleep. She basically told that the nurses would be pleased to look after the baby (who we were feeding with formula) and that I needed as much sleep as I could get. Simply put, it was helpful to have someone see that I was clearly not sleeping and assist in devising a strategy that would allow us to get some rest without upsetting the baby’s feeding schedule.
After laboring all day, the nurse helped me breastfeed at around two in the morning, and I’m extremely appreciative. I was also grateful to the nurse who patiently and without passing judgment showed my husband how to change a diaper.
I appreciate you asking and doing what you do. One of my nurses truly stood out for cleaning the components of my pump.
My baby was getting thinner quickly, and they gave me a hospital-grade pump to use every three hours to encourage nursing. While my partner slept, my partner cleaned them throughout the day, but at night, she was very useless. The nurse saw me struggling with the baby, so without saying anything, she walked to the sink and washed every area. It meant a lot to me and was really sweet of her
