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2nd Trimester
Our hospital's visitor policy is hardcore - Question (long).
I found out today that we are changing our visiting policies in our Birthplace (I work where I am delivering) because of swine flu & RSV season coming on, as well as overcrowding.
For the labor side they will only let you choose three people who get wristbands and are allowed to visit you before the baby is born and you can't trade off. Once the baby is born you can only have two visitors at a time and that includes the father...which means everyone else gets to come back one at a time! Plus, absolutley no kids...geez! That is strict!!!
Doesn't that seem a little hardcore? I think we are just going to have to tell everyone to not even bother coming to the hospital other than our parents I guess. I mean, if they can't even come back or have to come one at a time, why bother right? DH's family all lives here, but mine lives about 9 hours away so they won't be here (other than my parents) right away.
I am worried about the three wristbands thing though b/c of course DH will get one, but if my mom and youngest sister both get here while I'm still in labor I will want them both to be back there - particularly my sister b/c she is a photographer and I want her to take all those great pictures right after the baby's born. However, this means DH's mom does not get to come back. I don't really care, but I know she will feel slighted and that's not a time for anyone to have hard feelings. WWYD?
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Re: Our hospital's visitor policy is hardcore - Question (long).
EDD: 03/01/13; DD: 10/26/13
Mourning the loss of Amarine Stella, born at 21 weeks, 6 days.
We will always love you, our little angel.
No, I don't really think it's hardcore considering flu/RSV/H1N1 season. You're in the hospital for what, 2 days - there's plenty of time for visitors after. Personally, aside from immediate family - i.e. siblings of the new baby, I don't think the maternity ward is any place for children. The new baby will be home soon enough.
Looking at it from the flip side, how would you feel if this policy wasn't in place and your newborn baby contracted H1N1 or RSV?
That does seem strict, but I understand where they're coming from with that policy. It makes me realize I don't even know the policy for our hospital on visitors!
I would just explain to your MIL. I'm sure she would understand that your mom and sister will need to be there with you. She can see the baby once it's born.
At my hospital, the policy is only 3 people in the delivery room (it will only be DH and my doula besides the hospital staff), and there are no kids allowed in the post-partum room unless they are siblings. I can see why there would be all of those precautions.
If the hospital limits the # of people you can have in the delivery room, I would just state it as that. When DD#1 was born, I had my mom in the room, along with my doula and DH. Having my mom in there was a complete disaster - she made me more stressed than anything. I didn't want her in there with DD#2, and she already knows that this time, she's out too. If you really want your mom and sister in the room along with you and DH, your MIL is just going to have to deal.
This is me exactly. Plus, I think limiting visitors is a good way to hopefully keep from spreading crap around even more. Winter is the peak season for that stuff so it makes sense they'd tighten the rules around that time.
DD1: allergic to eggs & dairy
c/p 4/1/11
DD2: milk and soy protein intolerant, allergic to eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, bananas
MSPI Moms Check-In Blog
These were the policies at the hospital when I delivered my son over a year ago, except for only two visitors after the baby is born. I think there was a limit, but they didn't really enforce it. Your family should still come, even if they can only visit one at a time. Prior to the birth, it will only be my husband and I in the delivery room, but we could have up to three people.
I'm with you! It will be my DH and mom with me during delivery, but if means it will limit the amount of time FIL and MIL can come visit then I think this is fantastic. I know there's a bigger issue here (swine flu) but this will solve my problem!!
I think it's probably a pretty normal policy, but I agree that everyone is overly uptight. Goodness, women delivered in their homes for thousands of years and now, even in a controlled/clean environment, we say it's no place for kids or for more than 2 people at a time. Why does everyone want to keep kids out of LIFE these days? (I get it regarding the germs thing, but geez, it's not like visitors are going to swap bodily fluids with the baby.) At very least, it's absurd that Grandma & Grandpa can't visit together unless Dad leaves the room.
However, I think many/most hospitals have a posted policy and then they have reality...meaning that it's probably a little more relaxed at the discretion of the nursing staff and whatever wishes you have communicated about limiting visitors.
I only want DH there for the delivery, so that policy wouldn't bother me at all. Our hospital doesn't allow kids in the Labor and Delivery unit except siblings AFTER the baby has been born. Before, they are not allowed.
I'd be THRILLED if my hospital had such a strict visiting policy for post-partum! That would mean limited visitors and limited time. It'd also help us keep DH's aunt away if she's sick. She's made our other kids sick when they were just a few weeks old, so I don't really want her coming to the hospital. Only siblings are allowed in the post-partum unit as well. No other kids.
I think if everyone keeps their visits short (15-20 minutes) they would all get in to see the baby at some point.