People coming to visit LO?

lili_ana

Our boy was released Monday from the NICU at 12 days old (36w2d), and since then we've had family and friends asking when can they come visit us. I am telling them that right now we are not taking visits since the baby's immune system is still premature, and that once he reaches his original due date (3 weeks from now) they could come visit.

I really didn't want anyone to come except for close family members (so far my mom, DH's mom and dad, my brother and my cousin had come), and we made it clear that we would prefer them to get their seasonal flu vaccines before coming here, and wear masks, wash/sanitize hands and avoid touching the baby...I am really trying to keep the NICU's rules. Is this too much? How long did you wait until you let everyone visit your baby?

TIA!

lemen99

I think everyone's answer may be slightly different here - especially depending on the season in which their LO came home!

Andrew came home 3 weeks after his due date.  We allowed some visitors (limited) - flu shots required, hand washing required, no touching baby, no sick visitors or anyone knowingly exposed to someone sick, etc.  These results applied all summer and now we're even more careful than before.  We also avoided having people come over from some place like church, for example.

DS came home on April 24th.  If he had come home now (during flu and RSV season!) I'd be even more strict. 

I do not think you are being unreasonable at ALL!

MommyEB

I think you're being a wonderfully responsible parent! And let's face it, during the first months it's really hard to just survive with a new baby, much less entertain guests.

I've had to ask my friends/family not to visit me in the hospital for the very same reasons: I can't risk getting sick while carrying my babies. During my months here on bedrest, I've stayed in touch using email and phone calls. I plan to keep that up once the twins and I are home as well--at least until flu season is over. Best of luck to you!!

borc0080

Some people will think you're being unreasonable, but that's absolutely your prerogative.  You do what you feel is best for your child, and what you're doing sounds great.

We ask people to wash hands and encouraged our families to get flu shots, and they've all been fine with that.  We let people visit right away, but it was in August, not the middle of flu season.

kkh2002

DD is two weeks past her due date and not home yet because of the blasted flu.  She's been battling the after-effects for three weeks now so we're certainly not playing around once she does make it home.  We're having immediate family ONLY until at least the end of the year - that's four parents and four siblings.  Period.  No discussion.  And that's as long as they're healthy and have not been around anyone who is sick.  We've also asked everyone to get the flu vaccine as well as a pertussis booster if their tetanus shot was due.  We will have serious hand washing, hand sanitizing, rules about not being in the baby's face, not everyone visiting all at once, etc.  And I've already made it quite clear that if she gets sick, NO VISITORS at all.  I'm not here to make friends...I'm here to protect my daughter.

SBMBride406

Don't worry about what other people think and go with your gut. I can tell you from personal experience what can happen when you allow visitors, against your better judgement...I almost lost my son at 6 weeks from something he caught "from the community" (ie: people visiting our home). After a 14 days stay in the Pediatric ICU, we totally quarantined him until 4.5 months (only us and our parents could visit and we didn't take him out of the house except for walks outdoors). People definately said we were being neurotic but we didn't care. People will get over it...

franciscaz

We are in "lockdown" meaning limited visitors and we have limited public interaction.  We let non sick family visit w/o wearing masks but we are hand sanitizing Nazis.  This weekend is my baby shower and the twins won't be attending out of safety concerns.  Honestly I might not have non-immeadeate family visit until after RSV season ends in April.

(Keep in mind my twins were 32 wkrs and probably more at risk than your LO is)

Heather1979

I like your answer to limit visitors until his due date. Wish I had thought of that- I'm thinking of instilling that policy now.

We are handwashing nazis, hand sanitizing nazis, and we are not allowing anyone (but us parents) to touch or kiss her face or hands.

I have been avoiding questions about when extended family can come visit and no one is visiting who has small children that would come with them. (And Im not feeling parents of small children coming either to be honest).

 

Ali05

borc0080:

Some people will think you're being unreasonable, but that's absolutely your prerogative.  You do what you feel is best for your child, and what you're doing sounds great.

We ask people to wash hands and encouraged our families to get flu shots, and they've all been fine with that.  We let people visit right away, but it was in August, not the middle of flu season.

Ditto this.

We did this exactly once his due date had passed...and I did not let any kids come over especially those in day care.

 

redness4

We limited visitors and insisted that people were not sick when they did visit.  Did some get upset?  Yes.  Did I care?  Not one bit.  Unless someone has had to leave the hospital without their child and be told when they could hold them because they may have just had a bath and need to stay in the incubator to keep warm, they will just never completely get it.  Once I had my daughter home, I was going to do everything in my power to keep her there.  Trust your instincts.