by Michelle Stein posted in Mom Stories

Where there's a hospital maternity ward, there's probably a nursery filled with tiny newborns nearby -- right"
Not exactly.
In a growing number of cities, including Boston, traditional nurseries are being phased out in favor of babies rooming in with their mothers around the clock, reports The Boston Globe. This change comes as part of a nationwide effort to promote breastfeeding, bonding and parenting skills.
Moms and babies sharing a room is also a key part of the "Baby-Friendly" initiative launched by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund to promote breastfeeding. Although U.S. hospitals have been slow to jump on board with the program, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also been stressing breastfeeding as a public health priority, in addition to other institutional pressures. Now, a total of 329 U.S. hospitals are pursuing the "Baby-Friendly" status, according to The Boston Globe. These medical centers must follow 10 key steps in order to earn this distinction, including: helping mothers breastfeed within one hour after birth, giving healthy newborns only breast milk to drink, providing education to mothers and practicing rooming in.

I'm actually torn on this no-nursery trend. For my first baby, I had already endured a day of labor at the hospital; I was exhausted and desperately needed some rest that first night. My husband didn't stay the n...