roomingin

Rooming-in is a model of postnatal care in which the newborn stays in the mother's room 24 hours a day, rather than being cared for in a separate nursery. In hospitals and birth centers, rooming-in is often offered as the standard or optional option, and in many regions it is a core component of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. The arrangement aims to facilitate parent–infant bonding and make infant care more immediate and accessible to the mother, who can respond to feeding, soothing, and diaper changes without leaving the room.

Benefits: Increases opportunities for breastfeeding, supports on-demand feeding, and promotes early mother–infant contact, which can improve breastfeeding initiation and duration and parental confidence. Caregivers can observe and learn infant cues, and new parents may feel more competent when they practice routine care with real-time guidance from staff.

Considerations and challenges: Rooming-in requires adequate space, staffing, and energy; some mothers may experience fatigue after labor and delivery. Hospitals must balance infection control, privacy, and sleep safety, including adherence to safe sleep recommendations and avoiding bed sharing where not advised. There may be exceptions when the mother or infant requires specialized care in a separate unit.

Implementation and policy: Rooming-in is supported by patient education, lactation consulting, and hospital policies that encourage uninterrupted mother–infant contact while maintaining safety. It is commonly associated with initiatives to promote breastfeeding and family-centered care.