[Women and post-natal care: analysis of a rooming-in facility.]

The practice of rooming-in (R-in) is widely but heterogeneously applied in Italian hospitals and consists in keeping babies in the same room with their mothers from the moment of birth through to the discharge.

Explore the perception and use of R-in among Italian mothers who gave birth in a context where R-in is offered 24h. We aimed at comparing differences among women who consistently use the R-in practice to those who do not.

Sixty-five women in good health (average age=33.8 years old; sd=4.2) were assigned to two different groups: mothers who always kept their baby in the room (n=35) and mothers who referred their babies more than once to the nursery care (n=30). Women completed a questionnaire about their pregnancy, delivery, hospitalization, and R-in. Medical records were also collected. The two groups were compared with regard to medical/obstetrician/socio-demographic factors, as well as their perception of R-in.

We observed no differences in terms of maternal age, education, and parity among the two groups. Women who had undergone Caesarean section were more likely to make use of the nursery care up to 72 hours after delivery (χ2=11,11, p<,001). A considerable proportion of the study population (42%) considered the level of information received about R-in unsatisfying; this percentage is higher (55%) among women who referred to the nursery.

Women differ in the degree of R-in application use depending on the type of delivery and the subsequent maternal physical condition. It is important to support women by offering them a flexible service that accounts for their possible physical difficulties. Besides, it is crucial to provide an adequate level of information about R-in, so that mothers can feel in control of the situation, especially if they underwent Caesarean section.