Mother Baby Time

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital - New Braunfels designates Mother-Baby Time each day from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. to support new mothers as they rest and recover before returning home. Birthing Center visiting hours are designed to help meet the needs of new mothers. Many hospitals in the United States and around the world recognize the importance of nurturing newborns and postpartum mothers and observe a rest/nap time after the mid-day meal.

One of the goals of Mother-Baby Time is to give mothers and babies the opportunity to develop breastfeeding practices in the hospital. The Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months, and continue to be breastfed, with the addition of other appropriate foods, until at least one year of age. Mothers are encouraged to offer a minimum of eight feedings at the breast every 24 hours and to breastfeed whenever the newborn shows early signs of hunger.

The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine (ABM) cites six references to support the statement "Hospital policies and routines greatly influence breastfeeding success." The ABM states that early discharge from the hospital (less than 48 hours) of mothers and babies mandates that risks to successful breastfeeding be identified quickly so that the time spent in the hospital is used to maximal benefit. During Mother-Baby Time, a board-certified lactation consultant and nurses have the opportunity to educate moms on the importance of breastfeeding and discuss breastfeeding strategies.

Mother-Baby Time is one of several initiatives at the CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital - New Braunfels Birthing Center, which has been recognized for its innovative and supportive programs for new mothers and babies.