Nurses

Last night, on a great adoption family blog They Grow In Our Hearts, I read about some bad hospitals and their handling of adoptive families.  These hospitals, and nurses??!? especially, treated the adoptive families like dirt, delaying access to babies, giving them a lot attitude around feedings.

In two cases, all the adoption paperwork was perfect, all the caseworkers, lawyers and mothers agreed. Yet the hospitals put off discharging babies to adoptive parents for seven hours in one case, nine hours in another case. Some baloney about administration. In one case, the Board of the hospital had to be contacted before the adoptive parents were allowed to go home with their baby. I am sure emotions are running so high, so much waiting, hoping it all clicks into place. Heartbreaking.  To have your right to your child questioned right off the bat.  

Of course, these experiences are not representative! Tons of adoptive parents had warm, welcoming experiences at their hospitals.  Let's hope that all adoptive parents and birthparents have nurturing, respectful experiences at hospitals. Us too.