1974 Maternity Ward Pamphlet for New Mothers
While blog hopping I found this... thought it was rather ammusing...
This pamphlet was given to pregnant women at a hospital in Southern California in 1974.
We of the Maternity Services of _____ Hospital welcome you. We sincerely hope your time spent with us will be happy and rewarding. So that you will feel comfortable with the routines necessary to our department, we have outlined them for you. They have come about because of the need to protect you (and through you, your baby.) For example, all but your most essential contacts with “outsiders” must be eliminated so your baby receives the best possible chance during the first few days of life, since he has built up very little resistance, as yet. (Most of these regulations are based on the laws and regulations of the State Department of Health.)
WHILE YOU ARE IN THE LABOR AND DELIVERY AREAS—
- You may have one visitor at a time while you are in the labor-room wing.
- You should not get out of bed without the permission of the nurse.
- You should not eat or drink anything without the permission of the nurse.
- All ear-rings, pins and hair rollers should be removed from your hair before going into the delivery room as these may prove hazardous.
- Do not chew gum without the permission of the nurse.
- If you wear dentures, removable bridges or contact lenses be sure the nurse is aware of this before you go into the delivery room.
IN THE MATERNITY AREA (AFTER YOUR BABY IS BORN)—
- After you have washed your hands, in preparation for your baby at feeding time, do not smoke or use the telephone until your baby is taken back to the nursery.
- Do not walk in the halls while babies are out with the mothers. Again, the fewer contacts a baby has with people, the better he will be.
- Visitors may not sit on the beds whether they are occupied or not. Remember your baby is placed on your bed while he is with you.
- If you have had a saddle block anesthetic, stay flat in bed. Do not raise your head on your elbow. Stay flat until a nurse tells you it is all right to sit up.
- A nurse must assist you when you get out of bed for the first time. You may be weaker than you think!
Menus:
Someone will collect your menu, so do not leave it on your food tray.
Be sure you mark all desired food and condiments.
Mark size of portions desired.
Be sure your name is on all three sections of your menu.
Since your baby is especially wrapped so that he can safely be taken back into the nursery, it is requested that you not unwrap your baby when he is with you. If you desire to see him unwrapped, one of the nursery nurses will do it for you.
Do not sit on the side of the bed to feed your bay. You and the baby will be safer and more comfortable if you have a back rest.
The nursery nurses are available at any time to assist you with breast feeding or to answer any questions you may have.
When you are ready for your baby, be sure that the top sheet and spread are pulled up so that the baby can be placed on the spread.
It is suggested that, if you are nursing your baby, you gown opens in the front for convenience.
The schedule of activities for the mother must be planned around the baby’s visits to the mother.
Listed below are the approximate time that there activities are scheduled:
1) Awakened at 5 A.M. to prepare for baby’s first visit of the day. Coffee is available at this time.
2) The babies are brought out to the mothers at: 5:30 A.M. – 10:00 A.M. – 1:30 P.M. – 5:30 P.M. Babies are brought out at 10:00 P.M. and 2:00 A.M. only at the request of the mother or the pediatrician.
3) Meals are served at:
7:45 A.M. – 11:45 A.M. – 4:45 P.M.
Nourishments are served at:
10:30 – 11:00; 2:30 – 3:00; and 9:00 P.M.
4) Showers can be taken:
8:15 to 9:30 A.M. (and other times, if necessary)
5) “Peri-Care”: at 4:00 P.M.
Heat lamps – after shower, and at 4:00 P.M.
6) Visiting hours:
2:30 to 4:00 P.M. and 7:00 to 8:00 P.M.
7) Babies are shown (through Nursery Windows):
Immediately after birth, and 3:30 to 4:00 P.M.
and 7:30 to 8:00 P.M.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR HELPING US DO A BETTER JOB.
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That is terrible.
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