✓ Rooming-in at the time of Covid

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Rooming-in at the time of Covid

Il Coronavirus it does not stop rooming-in, the practice that allows mother and baby to stay together immediately after delivery, during their stay in hospital. , Director of the Department for Women, Mother and Newborn, of the ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, explains what precautions must be taken to be able to implement this so natural practice even at the time of the pandemic, and what changes compared to the presence of the father.

Rooming-in: what it is and why it's good for you

"The term rooming-in refers to the coexistence of the newborn in the mother's room in the days following the birth - recalls the Professor -. In this way the mother can latch on to the breast and take it in her arms at any time, regardless of set times. This practice serves to promote breastfeeding and physical contact, it is a natural and innate habit that helps the development of a healthy and solid bond between mother and child ".

Read also: Rooming in: what it is and what are the advantages

What changes in the time of Covid

"All the women we hospitalize in the non-Covid ward are first swabed at the entrance. This excludes most of the dangers, even if not in absolute terms: the virus could be incubating and show up a few days later, or the viral load low may not allow to detect it, even if it rarely happens. So, for greater safety, we always make the mother wear the mask, even during rooming-in, which in any case is a practice that continues without problems. When the baby is in the cradle we recommend to keep it two meters apart. The patients' beds are also spaced apart, since it often happens that there are two in the same room. In this case, when both mothers are holding the baby, we have them held on opposite sides of the bed. Taking all these precautions, rooming-in is always favored, in all circumstances, indeed, even more so in these difficult times ".

Read also: Births and Covid-19: only 2,9% of those born to a positive mother have contracted the virus

The presence of the father: how much and how it is allowed

"The decisions related to the presence of the father may vary from one hospital to another and from one region to another. In Lombardy it is always allowed. In this moment visitors are not allowed, in general, but the parents of a minor hospitalized can enter. So we interpreted the father's presence as a new parent. However, while before he could stay all the time, now the father has to respect more limited hours, which usually run around two hours a day. Of course, fathers must also always wear a mask and use the sanitizing gel. However, we do not swab dads: the negativity of the mother is somehow a guarantee ".

Advice against fears and loneliness

"It can happen to feel alone in the absence of strong affections, in this period. For example, the parents of the new mother cannot share the moment immediately following the birth, as they are not admitted to the hospital. We understand that all this can cause fears and thoughts, therefore we are very careful to reassure new parents, together with psychologists we wrote letters explaining how to behave, but above all that they can rest assured. We welcome them and ask them to rely peacefully on the staff, reassuring them that no one will ever be left alone. We have also set up gods remote childbirth preparation courses. I must say that the mothers and fathers have responded very positively. We get a lot of emails before giving birth, because they both need reassurance, but then once here I noticed that everyone feels supported. This is essential to overcome any fear ".

The interviewee

she is acting Director of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Luigi Sacco Hospital, Director of the Department for Women, Mother and Newborns of the ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Director of the UOC Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Vittore Buzzi Hospital. Full Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences L. Sacco - University of our city.

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