Did you restrict visitors when you babies came home?

Mrs.Babbsy · September 2009

I am going to restrict visitors, but I kind of feel bad for doing it. If you did it, how long did you do this? We are planning on doing it until they hit their due date, when they would be considered full term babies.

amramirez · September 2009

yes we are restricting visitors. this is our second preemie. our son was also preemie. with the flu and cold season i really dont want her to get sick. im not sure how long we are doing this. but anyone that is getting sick or just got over being sick isnt allowed at our house. just my mom and his mom and my best friend has visited. everyone else i have informed that i will let them know whens a good time to visit.

jlh123 · September 2009

I haven't even let my friends and extebded family begin visiting, we wouldn't know where to cut it off so we just are on hold for all of them. Only our babies grandparents, aunts, uncles. That's it. We only have one baby home so we are using that excuse to the fullest extent. Once our little girl gets home, we will then give it likely until she hits a full term baby weight. We are thinking the middle of Octobe or so. We've told people October because of wanting them to be full term babies (my singleton due date would've been Oct. 15 and like you, I think this is a good marker).

I don't care about offending anyone. These are our babies and we are their advocate. I already offended one of my uncles who wanted to smoke a cigar after we all had dinner then go straight to see our babies in the NICU (outside of my immediate family, him and his wife are the only one who have visited because we are so close). I don't care if he was offended, he got over it and so will the others.

Do what's best for you and your family. They'll be plenty of time for everyone to visit.

sejabernathy · September 2009

Most definitely! Dont feel bad, people WILL understand. We brought our DS home about a week before thanksgiving so we even had thanksgiving at home with me, dh, and ds rather than traveling to see family. My mil came over a lot because I needed the help and occasionally my mom would drive up from out of town and drop in. Other than that, we really didn't have visitors. We also kept about 10 of those 1/2 gallon hand sanitizers around the house and required hand washing and?sanitizing?after touching anything...it worked out fine. We did this until about christmas (which was about 1 1/2 weeks after ds's due date. Then we traveled to family but didn't visit as long as usual and still kept ds away from others.

?

Like I said EVERYONE understood and had no problems with our decision. I think that you are definitely doing the right thing.?

TripMomma · September 2009

We didn't allow anyone who was sick, feeling like they were getting sick, or just getting over being sick to visit. We did allow healthy visitors but everyone had to wash before touching. We didn't have people over every day....just a couple times a week. We also did not take the babies out to high traffic public places. This lasted all cold/flu/RSV season for us and we will do it again this year.

Mrs.Babbsy · September 2009

jlh123:

I haven't even let my friends and extebded family begin visiting, we wouldn't know where to cut it off so we just are on hold for all of them. Only our babies grandparents, aunts, uncles. That's it. We only have one baby home so we are using that excuse to the fullest extent. Once our little girl gets home, we will then give it likely until she hits a full term baby weight. We are thinking the middle of Octobe or so. We've told people October because of wanting them to be full term babies (my singleton due date would've been Oct. 15 and like you, I think this is a good marker).

I don't care about offending anyone. These are our babies and we are their advocate. I already offended one of my uncles who wanted to smoke a cigar after we all had dinner then go straight to see our babies in the NICU (outside of my immediate family, him and his wife are the only one who have visited because we are so close). I don't care if he was offended, he got over it and so will the others.

Do what's best for you and your family. They'll be plenty of time for everyone to visit.

I had to tell FIL if smoked one more time and showed up in NICU he would not be allowed in there and I would ban him. He has pissed me off a few times with her.

We also still have one of our DD's in NICU, it's killing me!

jlh123 · September 2009

Mrs.Babbsy:
jlh123:

I haven't even let my friends and extebded family begin visiting, we wouldn't know where to cut it off so we just are on hold for all of them. Only our babies grandparents, aunts, uncles. That's it. We only have one baby home so we are using that excuse to the fullest extent. Once our little girl gets home, we will then give it likely until she hits a full term baby weight. We are thinking the middle of Octobe or so. We've told people October because of wanting them to be full term babies (my singleton due date would've been Oct. 15 and like you, I think this is a good marker).

I don't care about offending anyone. These are our babies and we are their advocate. I already offended one of my uncles who wanted to smoke a cigar after we all had dinner then go straight to see our babies in the NICU (outside of my immediate family, him and his wife are the only one who have visited because we are so close). I don't care if he was offended, he got over it and so will the others.

Do what's best for you and your family. They'll be plenty of time for everyone to visit.

I had to tell FIL if smoked one more time and showed up in NICU he would not be allowed in there and I would ban him. He has pissed me off a few times with her.

We also still have one of our DD's in NICU, it's killing me!

Good for you about FIL, you are such a great mommy. I've been following your story and you truly are one amazing, strong woman! It's killing me too about having our daughter still in the NICU. I used to spend hours there with both of them, now I just can't do it and I feel so bad since so much focus is on our son who's home with us. I keep saying that this too will pass!

*KatieH* · September 2009

We didn't have to because noone ever come to visit us, lol except my parents and that all stopped once B came home from the NICU. They all think 95 only works for our vehicle or something. Which I guess is lucky in our case. But if we had to we were ready. I used the blog to put up infor about RSV season, how important it was for Brendan not to get sick, there was to be no smoking near him, etc. We did take him home a couple weeks after his release and everyone was really careful and very respectful.

TriciaJoy · September 2009

Yes. We didn't allow more than 2 people at a time. They had to be in good health and not exposed to anyone who had been sick in the last 5 days. (Friends who were teachers just didn't come at all.)

We kept it up all the way through RSV season- so he was quarantined for damn near a full year. It sucked, but he never got sick, not even once.

3 weeks after quarantine ended, he was sick the first time. And at least once a month since.

preemieparent · September 2009

I would HIGHLY consider restricting visitors throughout RSV season (which is starting now and ends in April). No one who is sick, is getting over being sick, has kids who are sick and kids in general should come visit. And like Tricia said - no more than two at a time.

Some people will understand and some will not. At the end of the day the health of your preemie is most important. Trust me - I know it sucks. I spent July 2007 - May 2008 without having visitors beyond family and an occasional friend. I missed birthday parties, BBQs, etc. but we had to do it (my case is extreme since my daughter was severe lung disease). With our son we did it throughout RSV season for his first two winters.

jlc071903 · September 2009

TripMomma:
We didn't allow anyone who was sick, feeling like they were getting sick, or just getting over being sick to visit. We did allow healthy visitors but everyone had to wash before touching. We didn't have people over every day....just a couple times a week. We also did not take the babies out to high traffic public places. This lasted all cold/flu/RSV season for us and we will do it again this year.

This is what we did last year and will be doing the same. We also asked all of our parents/grandparents to get flu shots last season and this coming season. WE have HUGE things of hand sanitizer around our house and I stock up on Bath and Body works antibacterial soap for people to wash up with before touching.

franciscaz · September 2009

We will! It isn't worth the risk. Only family will see the babies when they come home and that will only be if they have washed up really well.

mel72 · September 2009

Yes, only grandparents and our siblings, but only if they hadn;t been around sick people for a few days. I'm very strict about handwashing and always keep sanitizer w/ us. I still will not bring him to grocery store or crowded places. They are adorable!!

gymrat · September 2009

Yes, we restricted. Some of my family didn't even meet my twins until their 1 yr old birthday party. I posted about it on my blog, that was the easiest way.

It will definitely be hard and it will be emotional to limit people but it's important. My DH & I would take turns going out with our friends so we had the opportunity not to go stir-crazy. When we would get home from an outing or work, we washed up entirely (or took a shower) and changed our clothes. Only a few close family and friends were allowed and they had to be healthy and have their flu shots.

In the end, it was all worth it. My babies didn't get their first cold until they were almost 11 mos old and it wasn't even that bad.

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