Some things we take for granted, because “we have always done it this way.” But in the light of new and improved products and/or new procedures, sometimes the old way of doing things is not necessarily the best way to do them. The first Hospital beds were invented in England between 1815 and 1825, and featured an adjustable side rail. Some years later a mattress with a hinge at the head of the bed was the next design development and allowed the patient to sit up comfortably. More than a hundred years after that, the hospital bed reached the modern incarnation, with a remote control for raising and lowering the head, the feet, the height of the bed and a call button for the nurse. The adjustable bed favors both patients and health care professionals.
Over the years, maternity beds have advanced as well, aiding in labor and delivery. The modern day hospital stay and amenities include rooms made to look more like a hotel room and nothing like a birthing room… until it’s show time. Then the bed becomes a delivery bed complete with stirrups and in come the lights, and machines and any other delivery necessities. Babies and moms are in the delivery room until they move to the maternity ward. Many hospitals now even offer one room for all, where they will stay until discharge. Normally your baby will ideally be in a bassinet in the room with you as long as you wish. You can opt to have the baby taken to the nursery for the night for your last complete night’s sleep for a while. Some hospitals allow your baby to be in your bed with you, but this can be risky and, unfortunately, some babies have been smothered by mom rolling over. So, for the most part, safety advises that baby sleep in her own bed.
Inconvenient Mothers, who have delivered via C-section, may not be physically able to walk to the bassinet or lift her baby and this necessitates someone, the spouse for one, to bring the baby to and from the bed. This is especially troublesome for nursing mothers who need to have baby close at hand for feeding and having her brought from the nursery or even having to ask for baby to be brought to her bed from a bassinet in the hospital room.
Brilliant Bed Design What if you could have the best of both worlds? Having your baby nearby but in her bassinet once you go home is not a new idea. There are bassinets that have only three sides and actually attaches to your bed frame that is incredibly convenient but what if you could have your baby this close in the hospital? No more waiting for the nurse to come and bring the baby to you? A Dutch hospital is the first to introduce a bassinet that attaches to the side of the hospital bed, yet is separate, keeping baby safe and close at hand.
In addition, baby and mom can see and touch each other at will, which aids in bonding, lessens maternal anxiety, and aids nursing as well. Mothers everywhere can benefit from this setup and hopefully all hospitals will pick up this trend. These beds can revolutionize the hospital stay for mothers and babies everywhere, and, in the instance of an extended stay, it frees space in the nursery and keeps everyone together until discharge. What a great new idea and a step forward for maternity wards everywhere.
