Which statement best explains why couplet care is recommended over the traditional nursery model?

Which statement best explains why couplet care is recommended over the traditional nursery model?

• A. It reduces costs
• B. It keeps baby isolated
• C. It optimizes family-centered care and facilitates extended contact
• D. It speeds discharge

Answer: (C)

Couplet care means the baby stays with the mother in the same room, enabling continuous contact, immediate skin-to-skin bonding, and parents’ active involvement in routine care. This arrangement supports family-centered care by treating the family as the unit and promoting bonding, breastfeeding, and parental confidence from the start. It also naturally extends opportunities for contact and feeding beyond what a separate nursery setup typically allows, helping parents recognize infant cues and respond quickly. That’s why it’s favored over the traditional nursery model, where separation can disrupt bonding, limit early breastfeeding support, and reduce parental involvement. The statement that best explains the recommendation is that it optimizes family-centered care and facilitates extended contact. (Reductions in cost aren’t guaranteed, keeping baby isolated is inaccurate, and discharge timing isn’t the primary rationale.)