Having a baby? How about Room Service?
It was the wee hours of the morning and Tracey Mota had just given birth to a beautiful baby girl, Madalyn Michelle. Exhausted, elated and hungry she was “craving a hamburger.” Mindful of good nutrition, her sensible side won out. After looking over a menu with offerings ranging from oatmeal and seasonal fruit to garden salads and broiled salmon, Mota opted for eggs, cheese, fruit and juice. She simply dialed an extension, placed the order and within minutes her freshly prepared meal was delivered to her room.
“It was nice to have the choice of exactly what I wanted, and I got to call when I was hungry,” says Mota.
Accommodating the unpredictable schedule of new moms and their babies led to the complementary Room Service Meal program on the Mother and Baby Unit. Women can order from a restaurant-style menu anytime between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
“A mom who was in labour all night might feel like eating a hearty dinner at 10:30 in the morning instead of cereal from a breakfast tray,” says Nurse Manager Anna Marie Smith. “She might not want to wait until the lunch trays arrive at noon.”
When Mota’s son Miles was born at St. Joe’s three years ago he needed attention in the Special Care Nursery. After spending time with him, Tracey would often return to her room to find her meal tray had arrived. “The food came while I was gone and often sat there getting cold.”
Dietary restrictions are less common among new moms, making the Room Service Meal program at St. Joe’s ideal for women seeking flexibility in what they eat, and when they eat.