The Catharina hospital has set up a maternity hotel where brand-new mothers can stay with their babies. The hotel has been set up out of sheer necessity, because too many maternity nurses go on vacation during the summer months.
A hotel in a hospital, in other words. Not literally, of course, but it should have that appearance. “It’s on the fourth floor of the hospital and we’ve tried to lend it a living room setting. Last year it was really in a hotel, but when it’s here in our building we can keep a better eye on things”, coordinator Lauri Winkel says.
“It’s really a stopgap measure. We’re doing this because we don’t have enough maternity nurses who can nurse at home. We do want to give brand-new mothers the proper attention. And this help doesn’t just apply to the mothers who give birth here. It is there for all of Southeast Brabant.”
Maternity care
Normally every family with a newborn baby gets about 24 hours of maternity care at home. At the hotel, the staff is used a lot more efficiently: one or two attendants walk around to help all the mothers. However, they do try to create a home atmosphere. “We find that very important. We also want the partner to stay here for the first few days as well. It is really important for the child to get attached to his or her parents. If the partner cannot, another adult can stay here overnight. An older sister, other mother, friend or girlfriend”, Winkel explains.
In addition to the maternity nurses, there is other assistance at the maternity hotel. “I am there to relieve the maternity nurses. I ask if the mothers would like something to eat or drink, or anything else that can relieve the staff. After all, it should feel just like home”, hostess Jinaan Ajouaou explains.
The maternity hotel will remain open until enough maternity nurses are back from vacation to provide home-based care again.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Bob
