During the summer, staffing the BB departments in Lund is a challenge and this year it has been extra difficult.
Between weeks 27 and 34, the family BB department is therefore merged with the regular BB department at Skåne University Hospital in Lund.
- This is partly due to the fact that some of our midwives are on sick leave and some of our nurses are pregnant and at home due to the pandemic, says Pia Teleman, operations manager for women's care at SUS, to SVT Nyheter Skåne.
Opens more BB locations
At Family BB, which is located at the patient hotel in the hospital area in Lund, there are ten places for new mothers who have about 60 percent occupancy.
Newly delivered mothers and their children will now instead have a place at the BB department in Lund.
- We are opening more places in the BB department.
Parents who have children in the neonatal ward will be allowed to live in the gynecology ward in Lund.
There, they get the closeness to the children in the neonatal ward that parents in that situation need, says Pia Teleman.
Difficult to staff
The business has, just like previous summers, offered incentive compensation to those who move holiday weeks or take extra work shifts.
Attempts have also been made to bring in staff from staffing companies, but without success.
- I am sorry that this will affect the possibility of staying at family BB during the summer.
We do not like to do this.
But we will open the family BB ward week 35 again then with new nurses, says the gynecology's operations manager.
The newborns are not affected
During the weeks when the family ward is closed, there will be fewer single rooms for the expectant mothers in Lund and two mothers may also need to share a room.
Just like at a family BB, a partner or a close relative can also be present in the BB department during the first 24 hours.
The maternity ward is not affected by the change.
How does this change affect babies?
- The babies are with their mothers in exactly the same way as usual, says Pia Teleman.