Educational Resources 

How often and long are parents allowed to be with the baby?

It is important for the parents to have contact with the hospitalized baby. Even if they can only visit once a day or less, baby benefits from hearing the mother’s and father’s voices and feeling their touch. It may be difficult to visit as often as the parents would like if the mother is recuperating from the birth or if the family has other children whose needs must be taken into consideration. Some hospitals have accommodations for parents either in the hospital or nearby. Parents will need to check with their insurance company to see if these arrangements are covered.

Many hospitals and medical professionals are increasingly supportive of the parents’ need to form an attachment to their baby and encourage closeness with the baby by regular visits where parents can touch and stroke baby, talk to him using his name, and sometimes help with baby’s care.

BACK TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES MAIN PAGE