Melbourne hospital apologises for newborn mix up

A Melbourne hospital has apologised for a mix-up that led to a mother being given the wrong newborn baby.

The mistake happened in January this year at St Vincent's Private Hospital, a day after the baby in question was born.

It's believed that the baby wasn't settling during the night, so a nurse moved the newborn into the mother's room for 45 minutes.

The nurse then realised the baby had been placed in the wrong cot, and removed the infant from the room.

St Vincent's Private Hospital chief executive Ian Grisold said he felt for both families involved.

"We are very sympathetic to the distress we have caused and take full responsibility," Mr Grisold told 9NEWS.

"We unreservedly apologise to both families."

Protocols at the hospital have now changed, and no child can be signed out of the nursery without two nurses checking it's identification bands.

The nurse involved is still working at the hospital.