Cuddles Mother–Baby Match to Prevent Confusion

Babies switched at birth - the story strikes fear into the heart of every parent. In December 2012 in Minneapolis, new mother Tammy Van Dyke’s day-old baby was accidentally placed in the incorrect bassinet on the morning they were to be sent home together. He was given to the wrong mother and breastfed before the nursing staff realized the mistake and were able to identify both babies correctly. The other mother had to wait twenty minutes until her baby was located and confirmed.

No lasting harm was done, but both mothers experienced the overwhelming fear of losing their newborn child and were very upset with the hospital. Van Dyke told ABC News in Minneapolis "She was just as distraught as me that this happened to her, and in the meantime, also didn't know where her baby was. She has twins."

The hospital released a statement from the Chief Clinical Officer (and Obstetrician) saying "I have personally seen verification of the infant's identifying name band matched correctly with the mother's on hundreds of occasions. It is extremely unfortunate that was not the case this time. We sincerely apologize to the involved families and will make certain we understand why our procedures were not appropriately followed in this case."

This case illustrates a fundamental truth - that even well-trained, vigilant and committed staff in a world-class healthcare facility can make mistakes. Cuddles Infant Protection System from Accutech Security offers a mother-baby match feature that ensures a procedural oversight like this does not lead to mishap. Our RFID-enabled, non-allergenic Infant Tags let you know that every infant under your care is safe. Each tag is uniquely identifiable, giving you the ability to instantly match mother and baby - electronically. The mother-baby match is just one important feature offered with the Cuddles Infant Protection System to ensure the security of infants in your care while meeting the unique needs of nurses and the concerns of new parents.

"You put your baby in the nursery, not even 48-hours old, and you think they're safe," Van Dyke said. "I'm holding it together. I'm just in disbelief, and it was like I was in a dream, a bad dream, and I couldn't get it to stop." RFID-enabled security products from Accutech Security ensure the safety and security of patients in your facility - leading to satisfied customers and protection from liability.