mother-and-babyadj.
/ˌmʌðə(r)(ə)nˈbeɪbi/, U.S. /ˌməðərənˈbeɪbi/ That is designed or set aside for the use of mothers and their babies; (historical) designating a maternity home for single mothers, usually offering pre- and post-natal care.
ΚΠ
1965 M. P. Hall & I. V. Howes Church in Social Work v. 90 The county council was running its own mother and baby home.
1972 Guardian 14 July 11/2 Miss McM will not consider going into a mother and baby home and is against adoption.
1982 G. A. Cole Management (1993) (BNC) 311 A magazine aimed at mothers with young children will carry articles of interest to such mothers, and advertisements inserted by suppliers of mother-and-baby products.
1999 in A. Hadley Tough Choices 34 On my 16th birthday I left home and moved into a mother and baby unit. Being 16, pregnant and on my own was really scary.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1965