Visit to the maternity hospital after childbirth. The Ministry of Health approved the rules for visiting maternity hospitals by fathers and close relatives
Perhaps, of all the myths associated with pregnancy or childbirth, it is precisely such “terrible” stories about the maternity hospital that are the most harmful. They negatively set expectant mothers in relation to medical staff, often causing distrust in the actions of doctors, and in the very stay in the maternity hospital. Let's talk about the most common myths on this topic.
Myth number 1. Terrible living conditions in the hospital
In fact, stories about wards for ten people, a non-working shower and one toilet for the entire floor have only historical value. Over the past decades, not only the level of medical services, but also the level of medical comfort has changed significantly. Most modern maternity hospitals meet European standards of medical comfort: small wards for two or three people with a shower and toilet, the opportunity to stay with children, cozy lounges with TV and video equipment, individual delivery boxes. In addition, future parents have the opportunity to conclude contracts for the conduct of childbirth, which provide for particularly comfortable conditions for mother and baby in the maternity hospital.
Myth number 2. There are endless queues for medical procedures in the maternity hospital.
This is also not true. Modern maternity hospitals are well provided with medical equipment, which practically eliminates the queues in front of the offices. For example, there is a device for ultrasound diagnostics in every department of a modern maternity hospital (including the emergency room), a cardiotocograph (a device that records uterine contractions and fetal heartbeat) - one for each woman in labor in the maternity ward, and several devices in the department of pathology of pregnant women. In many maternity hospitals, medical procedures such as a medical examination, CTG (fetal heart rate) recording, blood pressure measurement, administration of medications and postpartum stitches are performed directly in the ward.
Myth number 3. You can’t take personal items to the hospital
A woman arriving for childbirth is given a nightgown and gown or disposable blue sterile non-woven gowns in the admissions department. Bathrobe and washable slippers can be brought from home. In addition, you can take sterile anti-varicose stockings, a mobile phone, hygienic lipstick, facial spray, wet wipes, toilet paper, a bottle of water for rinsing your mouth into the rodblok. In some maternity hospitals, it is allowed to take a fitball (gymnastic ball) and an audio player for childbirth.
In the antenatal department, you can take clean home clothes: a bathrobe, pajamas or a nightgown, underwear, a bandage; if walks are provided - comfortable clothes and shoes for the street. In addition, it is allowed to take the necessary items of care and personal hygiene: toothbrush and paste, comb, hair dryer, towel, shower products, cosmetics. In the department of pathology of pregnant women, the sanitary regime is not as strict as in the maternity unit, and there is a lot of time free from medical procedures, so you can take a laptop, books, magazines, embroidery, knitting or board games with you.
For the postpartum department, you can take nursing and sleeping bras, bra pads, a breast pump, anti-cracked nipples cream, intimate pads for women in labor and a postpartum bandage. Walks in the postpartum ward are not provided due to a decrease in immunity in the first days after childbirth, so outerwear will be needed only for discharge. A young mother certainly has less free time than a pregnant woman - a laptop and needlework can be left at home. Requirements for other things do not differ from the requirements of the department of pathology of pregnant women. For a newborn, you can bring disposable diapers and wet wipes, and if the maternity hospital allows you to use “your” clothes, things will come in handy: bodysuits, overalls, hats and socks. Bed linen for mother and baby is provided by the maternity hospital.
Myth #4: You can only eat hospital food in the hospital.
This is completely wrong: in any modern maternity hospital, they accept transfers with products. At the same time, the employees of the maternity hospital do not control the content of “grocery orders”! Although, of course, there is a list of products that are not recommended for use during breastfeeding, as well as medical dietary restrictions for some complications of pregnancy.
Myth No. 5. Visitors are not allowed into the departments of the maternity hospital
This is not so: visitors are allowed to see the expectant mother, and in some maternity hospitals, in the absence of health contraindications, pregnant women are allowed daily walks with their relatives. In almost all modern maternity hospitals, partner births are allowed - which means that even in the most “strict” department of the maternity hospital, the patient can enlist the presence of a loved one. It is possible that in order to be present at the birth, the partner will need to take tests and provide a certificate of completion of courses for future parents.
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After giving birth, visitors are allowed to visit the mother and baby, however, there are restrictions on the number of guests and the time of their stay in the maternity hospital. The restrictions are due to the protective regime necessary for the puerperal and the newborn to recover after childbirth. In the first days after childbirth, mother and baby are most vulnerable to infections, they quickly get tired; they need to rest and recharge. Based on this, the administration of the maternity hospital controls the duration and number of visits to their patients. Another reason for restricting visits may be quarantine associated with the SARS or flu epidemic. Finally, the possibility of visits depends on the living conditions of the maternity hospital: if there are many patients in the ward, visits from relatives may cause dissatisfaction with the neighbors in the ward (for religious, national reasons, out of superstition or fear of infection).
Myth #6
This myth has no real basis. In order to hospitalize a pregnant woman in the pathology department, the doctor must make a sufficiently serious diagnosis (not all pregnancy complications require inpatient treatment). For example, severe preeclampsia (late toxicosis), fetoplacental insufficiency or the threat of premature birth. For the treatment of each pathology of pregnancy on the terms of compulsory medical insurance (mandatory medical insurance), the law defines a fixed time in a day, longer than which the patient cannot stay in the hospital. So, even if we assume that the doctor for some reason specifically wants to detain future mother in the maternity hospital before childbirth, he will not be able to fulfill this intention in any way! When treating on the terms of VHI (contractual form), the patient pays for each additional day of stay in the hospital, therefore, the discharge time is as clearly regulated as with compulsory medical insurance, and the extension of hospitalization is possible only with the personal consent of the pregnant woman.
Myth number 7. If you go to the hospital in advance, they will artificially induce contractions.
Special measures for induction of labor (“causing” contractions) are taken only in case of overbearing of the fetus. Moreover, prolongation is not just a pregnancy lasting more than 40 weeks, as is commonly believed at the level of the same myths. Recall that pregnancy is considered full-term (and the baby is ready for birth) from 38 to 42 weeks. 40 weeks is the most likely, but not the exact date of birth. The term "prematurity" refers to the failure of the auxiliary organs of pregnancy - the placenta and fetal membranes, their "aging" and deterioration of functions. Aging of the placenta and membranes gradually leads to oxygen starvation of the fetus, reduced nutrition and metabolism. The intrauterine "habitat" of the baby is also undergoing changes - the amount of water decreases, they become viscous. The fetal membranes thicken and lose their elasticity, as a result, the walls of the uterus begin to put pressure on the fetus. These changes worsen the prognosis for childbirth and pose a danger to the health of the fetus.
For accurate diagnosis of postmaturity, ultrasound, doppler (placental blood flow control), CTG (fetal heart rate monitoring) and amnioscopy (transvaginal optical examination of the fetal bladder and waters) are used. If the pregnancy lasts more than 40 weeks, but there are no signs of overgestation, they only monitor the condition of the mother and baby without taking any additional interventions.
Myth number 8. If you go to the hospital on the eve of childbirth, they will inject drugs to open the cervix
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In fact, this is not so: doctors simply observe the condition of the mother and baby, preparing for childbirth, but do not interfere in this natural process. Special measures to prepare the cervix are taken only in case of biological immaturity of the birth canal. This term refers to the inconsistency of the state of the cervix and the walls of the vagina with the gestational age. Normally, before childbirth, the cervix gradually shortens and begins to open slightly, the tissues of the vagina and cervix become soft and elastic. Changes in the birth canal usually occur between 37 and 39 weeks of gestation. If, during a full-term pregnancy and a mature fetus (these data are confirmed by ultrasound), the cervix remains dense and long, as in the middle of pregnancy, and the cervical canal is closed, it is necessary to prescribe medication for the birth canal. None of the drugs that are used for these purposes has labor-stimulating properties, that is, does not lead directly to the onset of contractions. Medical preparation of tissues of the birth canal is never carried out without indications, and, of course, is not an obligatory element of planned prenatal hospitalization.
Myth #9. To keep labor short, they are always stimulated at the maternity hospital
Rhodostimulation is called measures to enhance labor activity, that is, contractions. The only indication for stimulating contractions is the weakness of labor forces - a complication of childbirth, in which the strength of contractions is not enough to open the cervix and move the fetus along the birth canal. You can judge the strength of contractions using cardiotocography, as well as the dynamics of labor activity: an increase in contractions, an increasing opening in the neck and the advancement of the fetus. The duration of labor is individual and is not a direct indicator of weak labor activity. In addition, measures to intensify contractions are never applied in advance, in the form of prevention of protracted labor - after all, as a result, another, no less dangerous complication may develop - rapid labor.
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Myth No. 10. A woman is alone in the maternity block, and it may happen that she has no one to turn to for help
In fact, the staff of the maternity hospital constantly monitors all women in labor. The antenatal midwife is in the ward all the time or comes into the ward every 15–20 minutes, depending on the “general” or “box” structure of the maternity ward. Her task is to monitor the general condition of the woman in labor, control the frequency and strength of contractions, call a doctor and perform medical appointments (an injection, pressure measurement). The doctor should appear in the ward every 40–60 minutes, listen to the fetal heartbeat with a stethoscope, a portable ultrasound sensor or CTG readings, assess the strength and dynamics of contractions, the location of the fetal head, and, if necessary, perform a vaginal examination. During attempts, the birth of the fetus and the discharge of the placenta, the doctor and midwife are constantly next to the woman in labor. If complications arise at any stage of childbirth, the doctor always stays with the patient, monitoring her condition. At the same time, the rest of the patients of the maternity unit are not left without medical supervision: the team on duty consists of several doctors and midwives.
Many modern delivery rooms are equipped with effective tool communication - by the personnel call button!
Myth number 11. In the hospital, they can mix up the baby
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This myth is probably the most persistent of all. It is impossible to confuse a child: even if a woman is in a common prenatal ward during contractions, the process of giving birth to a baby takes place in an individual delivery room. Immediately after birth, the baby is examined, weighed, height is measured and individual identification bracelets are put on the handles. On the bracelets, the last name, first name, patronymic and number of the mother's medical record, sex, weight and height of the child, date and time of birth are recorded. These bracelets are not removed from the newborn until discharge from the hospital under any circumstances, regardless of the joint or separate mode of stay of the mother and baby in the postpartum department.
In order not to be afraid of the maternity hospital, to navigate the requirements of the staff and trust the actions of doctors, it is worth knowing more about the structure and work of this medical institution in advance. You can find information in magazines and courses for future parents, on the website and in the insurance company of the maternity hospital. You can also call the help desk or drive to the emergency department of the maternity hospital and talk with the staff. Finally, you can go on an excursion to the maternity hospital - such an opportunity is available in many modern maternity hospitals. But you should not believe the myths - that's why they are myths!
A week ago, my close friend gave birth to a boy weighing 4.1 kilos in the maternity hospital at the Central District Hospital. During the day, the young mother came to her senses, the hero also had no reason to feel unwell. Everything was going great until the mother of the woman in labor decided to visit her daughter and grandson. The medical staff at once rose to protect the health of the patient and the baby: "We won't let them in - and that's it." But the girlfriend's mother is not born with a bast. By that time, she had already heard about the new order of the Ministry of Health, which allows relatives to visit women in labor. After long legal disputes and wranglings, the woman was nevertheless let in, however, everyone's mood was pretty spoiled. And how are things going with visiting young mothers in the capital's maternity hospitals? The correspondent of "Respublika" found out the details.
Getting to know the document
The new order of the Ministry of Health, which approved the rules for visiting maternity hospitals and obstetric departments, was signed a few weeks ago - on August 15. The document has already entered into force. The goal that he pursues is, first of all, "the formation of a positive image of the maternal and child health service according to WHO recommendations, as well as openness in the provision of obstetric and neonatal care." This is how the innovation was explained in the Ministry of Health.
According to the new regulation, the procedure for visiting mothers and babies in each maternity healthcare facility is determined by local documents. Relatives can visit a woman in labor and a baby not only in single wards, but also in general ones. The main thing is to comply with all the requirements of doctors. That is, you must come only at the hours established by the internal routine of the maternity hospital, be sure to leave outerwear in the wardrobe, use bathrobes and shoe covers, treat hands with an antiseptic. Of course, in no case will a relative with signs of an infectious disease or if he is a little tipsy be allowed to see the mother and child.
Of course, the conditions for visiting newborns in each individual maternity hospital will be different, because everything depends on the technical capabilities of the buildings, the staff of health workers and many other internal factors. However, each institution must ensure 100% sanitary and epidemic well-being of mothers and children.
Relatives are allowed in only upon presentation of an identity document. By the way, the circle of people who can look at the baby will be determined by the mother herself - for one visit there can be no more than two people. And one more important condition - visits are allowed only with the permission of the attending physician or the head of the department with a satisfactory condition of the woman in labor and the baby.
Passage along the "red" corridor
Doctors in maternity hospitals have already noticed: with the signing of a new order, maternity hospitals have become crowded. Newly made fathers are the most active to see their mothers and babies. I decided to find out what really happens behind the closed doors of maternity hospitals and whether it is really so easy to get into the room for a woman in labor now.
I hasten to test the innovation in the maternity hospitals of Minsk. I sit down at the phone and start calling them. First, the first maternity hospital. Without having to wait long, a woman with a loud voice picks up the phone.
- Hello. Tell me, can I visit my sister in the near future, she gave birth to you yesterday ...- I can feel shyness in my voice, that's what it means I don't know how to lie.
- Surname? Floor? the voice asks sternly.
- Ivanova, I don't know the floor, I quickly answer the first thing that comes to mind.
- You can visit us only in paid single and double rooms from 17 to 19 hours, and the woman in labor must indicate you in the list,- gives voice of interest.
- And what about those who lie in common?
There is only silence in response...
In the help desk of the second maternity hospital, they answer the question with a question: “Do you want to visit or give the package?” As a result, the situation is exactly the same as in the first case - a visit is possible only in paid individual wards. True, the time frame is slightly wider: from 12 to 15 and from 17 to 20 hours.
Finally, in the third maternity hospital, I was pleased: a visit is possible not only in individual, but also in general wards from 17 to 19 hours.
- Just call your sister in advance, agree that she is not opposed. Well, don't forget the bathrobe with shoe covers,- warned there.
In the fifth city maternity hospital, the relatives also did not interfere with the visit. The time is the same - from 17 to 19 hours. True, here I would have to meet with "sister" and "nephew" right in the hall. If the neighbors in the ward did not mind, they would let me inside.
As it turned out, the sixth maternity hospital was also already occupied with might and main by relatives of women in labor. Visiting rules are about the same as in other maternity hospitals. True, the time of the visit is limited - no more than a quarter of an hour. Here, the entrance to the general ward is prohibited, a special room is equipped for meetings with relatives.
- She gave birth to a boy three days ago. I already feel more or less normal, but the child is so-so. Upon admission, she signed a paper in the emergency room, which allowed close relatives to visit me and the baby after childbirth. Before giving birth, I even prepared a dressing gown with shoe covers for my husband,- smiles Alena Ivanova, a woman in labor from the "six". - True, you can visit us only with the written permission of the pediatrician, so for now you can’t visit us. I gave birth free of charge, on general terms, I am in a general ward. None of the relatives of my neighbors in the ward bothers us, a separate room is equipped for all meetings. 
Newly made fathers are the most active to see their mothers and babies. Roman and Anastasia VOLODKO with their daughter Anna, doctor Elena BOLBATOVSKAYA.
Questions internal
- Now the document has been received by all obstetric institutions of the city, and our main task for the near future is to thoroughly work it out, adapt it to each individual institution. Of course, here much depends on the material and technical base of each maternity hospital. Despite all the difficulties, the new order will help make obstetric and neonatal care more open and accessible to the population- this is the opinion of the head of the department of medical care for mothers and children of the health committee of the Minsk City Executive Committee Svetlana Manysheva. - It's good that the last word in the matter of visiting women in labor and children by relatives remains with the doctor, the mother's opinion takes second place. In general, such a novelty is a normal practice in many countries of the world. How earlier child meets healthy flora, the better for him.
The specialists of the Clinical Maternity Hospital of the Minsk Region also thoroughly familiarized themselves with the order of the Ministry of Health. Now the institution is creating conditions for visiting women in childbirth.
- The document provides for the arrangement of separate rooms for visiting women in childbirth, wardrobes for visitors' outerwear. But most importantly, women themselves should be ready for such a novelty,- Tatyana Basalai, Deputy Chief Physician for the Medical Department of the Clinical Maternity Hospital of the Minsk Region, expresses her opinion. - Imagine the state of mothers who have just given birth. Often they do not want to see anyone at all, depression occurs. Therefore, we need to start from the question - is it necessary for a particular mother to have crowds of relatives go to her? And, of course, if so, then for this we, healthcare institutions, must comply with all safe conditions.
But in the Republican Scientific and Practical Center "Mother and Child" they are developing their own internal document that determines the rules of visits.
- Women in labor come to us from all over the country, only 10-15 percent of Minskers are here, so the number of women who want to visit women is not very large compared to other institutions in the capital. We are by no means against such an initiative, but everything should be within reasonable limits. Not every dad or relative should rush to his wife. We think we should start with partner births, where the father passed the appropriate examination, was trained in everything,- Svetlana Nagibovich, Deputy Director for Obstetrics and Gynecology, talks about the internal "kitchen" of her institution. - We are preparing an internal document that will allow visits only for dads who have completed partner birth courses. We intend to allow visits only in single rooms. But if necessary, we will allow you to enter the intensive care unit and the intensive care unit.
As you can see, the issue of visiting women in labor with babies is still controversial and not fully worked out. In fact, only three out of seven maternity hospitals located in Minsk have arranged visits of relatives to general wards. And even then, provided that it does not interfere with the neighbors. Whether this is right or not is not for us to decide, we can only follow the further development of events ...
The ample opportunities that are provided to today's women in labor make childbirth more individual, comfortable and, of course, less painful.
Freedom for a woman!
Every year the popularity of free behavior in childbirth is growing. More and more medical centers and maternity hospitals are opening departments of “soft” or “home” births, and family stay wards are appearing. All these innovations help a pregnant woman feel more comfortable in this process and contribute to a more active participation of her husband in childbirth. For 5 years now, the presence of a husband or any other family member at the birth has been legally allowed (if there are individual birth rooms in the maternity hospital). This institution should not charge any money. A certificate of the absence of infectious diseases among relatives is required.
Once upon a time, obstetricians strictly forced women in labor who were going through contractions to lie down without getting up from the couch. Fortunately, such repressions are no longer used today. A woman in labor can simply walk around, lie down, and in some places soak in the jacuzzi - the water soothes, relaxes and anesthetizes. True, water births themselves are not yet officially practiced in our country.
Let me get up!
Vertical childbirth is in fashion today. They are considered more physiological and favorable for women and children. Here are their benefits.
1. Improve uteroplacental circulation and oxygen supply. After all, with a vertical posture of a woman in labor, the pressure of the uterus on large vessels decreases.
2. Reduces pain and the risk of perineal tears. The baby is protected from injuries of the cervical spine. After all, moving vertically, the fetus moves down more slowly and smoothly.
3. Reduce the risk of postpartum hemorrhage - the placenta in a woman in a sitting position is separated faster.
4. They speed up and facilitate childbirth due to the fact that a woman has the opportunity to participate more actively in the process.
Transformers are coming
In addition to the classics - Rakhmanov's bed, which has been in every maternity hospital since the end of the 19th century, there are other devices. For vertical births, a stool with a hole in the seat or a chair that looks like a toilet can be used. Or a transforming bed that allows a woman in labor to take any comfortable position. So far, there are only expensive foreign transformers, but today, on the basis of one of the Moscow maternity hospitals, a similar bed of Russian production is being tested. It is based on a classic example of a couch with footrests, but with the possibility of transforming the main part by 90 degrees. Testing will take place before the end of this year. When the experiment is over, the design will receive a patent. And then, perhaps, such models will appear in all maternity hospitals.
It won't hurt
Today, various methods of anesthesia are actively used in childbirth. In the early stages of labor - intramuscular and intravenous analgesics with sedatives. During the opening of the cervix, a paracervical blockade can be used, that is, an injection of an anesthetic into the submucosal layer of the vagina. At any stage of childbirth - inhalation anesthesia, the so-called laughing gas (nitrous oxide). It is safe for the child, it is excreted instantly, but when inhaled, it blocks the transmission of the pain impulse.
And of course, one cannot fail to mention epidural and spinal anesthesia. "Epidural" is used for natural childbirth, the second method - for caesarean section. With spinal anesthesia, one injection is made in the lower back, which turns off the sensitivity of the body below the waist for about three hours. At the same time, the patient remains fully conscious and calmly gives birth with the help of a surgeon.
In epidural anesthesia, pain medication is delivered through the catheter in small doses continuously. At any moment this influence can be suspended. Both types of anesthesia are considered safe for babies, because the most gentle drugs are selected and injected into the intershell space of the spinal cord, so their concentration in the mother's blood is low. But there are also disadvantages: for example, the “epidural” worsens uterine contractions, so by the time of attempts it is turned off. This type of anesthesia can be done at the request of the patient, and for medical reasons. For example, it is necessary if, despite intense uterine contractions, the cervix does not open, which can lead to acute hypoxia in the child. Epidural anesthesia is also used during childbirth in patients with high blood pressure, as it reduces pressure.
Important
These innovations are ideal for uncomplicated childbirth. In the event of any complications (signs of chronic hypoxia, premature birth, anomalies in labor, etc.), more careful monitoring of the condition of the woman in labor and the fetus is required, which may interfere with the implementation of the chosen birth management plan. Therefore, unfortunately, it does not always work out as planned by the woman in advance.
Moms-to-be are looking forward to X-day when their baby is born. And it’s understandable why - because you really want to see the one who lived for nine months and gently kicked in your tummy. - a great joy, and not only for his parents, but also for other relatives who certainly want to look at the baby in the hospital. However, this is not so simple. Most maternity hospitals in Ukraine have rather strict requirements for visitors.
To begin with, it is worth saying that visiting mother and baby is possible only at certain times. As a rule, the maternity hospital opens for visitors at 7 am and closes at 7 pm. In some cases, exceptions are possible - for example, if a pregnant woman and her spouse have paid for a joint stay ward, in which parents and the baby can be all together at any time of the day. That is, the baby's father can spend the night in this ward with his wife, a newly-made mother, and a recently born child. True, for this, the baby's father must be dressed in a change of clothes and shoes. A T-shirt, pants and slippers are best suited for this. In addition, the newly-born daddy should have the results of fluorography on his hands, as well as a certificate from the pediatrician, which will indicate that the man is healthy and can be in the maternity hospital.
However, all these rules apply not only to the father of a newly born baby. Absolutely all visitors to the maternity hospital, without exception, must take off their outdoor outerwear and change into changeable shoes even before they enter the department where the mother and her child lie. Already in the ward, relatives should change into clean home clothes, or simply put on a sterile medical gown. Before approaching the baby and even more so taking him in his arms, dad and other visitors need to wash their hands. Therefore, the future mother should make sure that she has soap and towels in the ward.
Some maternity hospitals also have other rules for visitors. For example, it is considered that there should not be more than three adults in a ward in the neonatal unit. In addition, in many maternity hospitals, children under the age of 14 cannot visit their mother and child, as they may be carriers of some kind of infection that is so dangerous for the baby in the first days after its birth. In general, relatives of a newly-made mother and a newborn baby should not run to the hospital at any opportunity. It is better to pay a visit after discharge, when mom and baby have a rest and gain strength.
Republican congress "Mom Pro", which was held in Brest over the weekend, became a sensation.
- The Ministry of Health has made a decision in all maternity hospitals, maternity wards, obstetric and gynecological departments to allow visiting women after childbirth. So that they would not go downstairs, as before, but dad or other family members could visit mom and child in the ward. In our opinion, this will contribute to a positive atmosphere in the family, increase trust between parents and the doctor, - said the chief obstetrician-gynecologist of the Ministry of Health of Belarus Yulia Savochkina, BelTA quotes her.
The news literally blew up the Internet, causing a flurry of reactions "for" and "against".
Of course, the women immediately imagined the perfect picture, almost like in American films: “She gave birth to a child, he, on the wings of love, immediately ended up in her ward, and now they are both kissing a beautiful baby on fluffy ruddy cheeks.”
What do doctors think about this?
“Not all maternity hospitals are ready for such a decision”
“At the moment, there has been no order from the Ministry of Health on this matter,” says Natalya Odintsova, deputy head physician for obstetric and gynecological care at the 6th City Clinical Hospital of Minsk. The chief obstetrician-gynecologist of the country made an oral statement. I think that not all maternity hospitals in our country are ready for such a decision. After all, most often a woman with a baby is in the ward with several more of the same puerperas. Each has its own emotional and physical state. Now imagine a situation when relatives of one of the women enter the ward. Firstly, it will interfere with the rest of the puerperas. And if relatives of several women come at the same time? Do not leave the same the rest of the corridor. But that's not all. It must be understood that such visits will disrupt the work of the medical institution, and, what is there to hide, there may be problems associated with the theft of personal property. After all, as far as I understand, we are talking about the free access of strangers to the wards, in which several women lie at once.
We understand perfectly well that a maternity hospital is not a prison. All women go out for a while to their husbands, communicate. If one of the relatives certainly wants to get into the ward to the puerperal, we let them into the ward, accompanied by our health worker.
- There is an opinion that thanks to such visits, paternal instinct wakes up faster in dads.
“We already have the conditions for the awakening of the paternal instinct. If desired, men can attend partner births, because no one forbids. Dad can cut the umbilical cord and stay with mom and baby after giving birth for several hours.
Yes, but it's a nice idea.
- Of course, but in our realities, in order to implement such a decision, it is necessary to resolve technical issues, including logistics issues, and without fail coordinate the decision with the sanitary supervision authorities.
- In what conditions, in your opinion, can this idea be promoted without prejudice to all parties?
— Ideally, these should be chambers family type. Such wards for providing a complex of obstetric services were opened in our maternity hospital in September 2016. The chambers are located in a separate block, have a separate entrance from the street. In this department, the logistics are built perfectly, - says Natalya Alexandrovna. “Visitors that a woman wants to see change clothes and shoes in special lockers and can spend as much time in the ward as they want. Perhaps something similar is real in other maternity hospitals, including maternity hospitals in regional centers, where there are few births and women in labor.
AND AT THIS TIME
We got through to one of the maternity hospitals in the capital to find out if the newly-made fathers were already trying to visit their mothers and babies in the ward?
“There haven’t been such people yet, and we imagine this picture with horror: crowds of strangers in the maternity hospital ... Perhaps drunk, possibly unhealthy,” admitted the staff of one metropolitan maternity hospital. But if there is a decree, it will have to be carried out.
OPINION OF THE PSYCHOLOGIST
“The sooner dad sees the baby, the sooner the necessary connections will arise”
“I support the initiative of the Ministry of Health,” says family psychologist Natalya Olifirovich. - But the words "maternal and paternal instincts" I would not use. The word "instinct" to people in general is very weakly applicable. We have neither maternal nor paternal instincts. Psychologists tend to use the word attachment. It is formed during the interaction of the child and the one who cares for him. It doesn't matter if it's mom, grandma or dad. Healthy quality attachment does not occur overnight, but over time. Often a woman, having given birth to a child, feels horror, confusion and falls into depression. So is the man. The sooner dad sees the baby and can contact him, the sooner the necessary connections will arise between them.
There are other benefits to this solution as well. When a man sees his woman in bed - vulnerable, to some extent helpless, he feels how she needs him - strong, responsible, able to support. Previously, people gave birth right at home, the newborn was swaddled and taken out to the father. The proud father almost immediately felt involved in the process. Even if during childbirth he was kicked out of the house, he could hear the moans of the woman in labor, see the fuss, feel anxiety ... In our country, men are practically alienated from childbirth. And after giving birth, a woman needs to restore the spent resources, she needs emotional support. The presence of a husband who will regret, kiss and say: “What a fine fellow you are,” “What a beautiful baby” is an ideal option for this moment.
