Keeping mothers and newborns together after cesarean: how one hospital made the change.

Keeping mothers and newborns together during the time immediately following delivery has several benefits, including the promotion of maternal-infant bonding and breastfeeding, which are essential components of care. A new care delivery model was instituted at a large women's health hospital so that women who delivered by cesarean were able to recover with their infants. The change was the result of a multi-department collaborative effort, and the outcome has been very positive, with increased satisfaction reported by nurses, physicians and patients, as well as the observation of the promotion of breastfeeding and maternal-infant bonding.