The Albany Herald
By: Jennifer Maddox Parks
ALBANY, Ga. -- Everyone needs a little extra shut-eye now and again, but the need seems especially great with a new baby in the house.
To accommodate new mothers, the maternity floor at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital has kicked off a “Nap Time” campaign allowing for an afternoon rest period for mothers and infants to get some sleep at the same time.
Since early September, the fifth-floor unit has had its lights turned down on a daily basis between 2 p.m.-4 p.m., and officials say they are endeavoring to keep the distractions during that time in that part of the hospital to a minimum.
“With a newborn, it is hard for mothers to get used to taking naps at the same time (as their babies),” said Tracy Morgan, vice president of women’s and children’s services at Phoebe. “We are trying to give them the opportunity to do that.”
Overall, Morgan said the initiative has been well-received. The only complaints that have come so far, she said, are from visitors who have been turned away.
“We ask patients if they are expecting visitors, and we will ask if they want (the visitors) to wait,” Morgan said. “Most say they want them to wait.”