My kids can't come to the hospital...

BeachGirll · January 2014

I am having my baby on Wednesday and effective Monday, the hospital has limited visitors to immediate family over 18 only. I understand the reasoning during flu season, but I still feel sad about not seeing my 2 and 5 year old for that long (and selfishly I want the family pic in the hospital, etc.). Again, I recognize the hospital is trying to protect its patients...but I'm disappointed.

Did anyone else deal with this?

Unknown · January 2014

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MJOJwedding · January 2014

Ditto PP - our hospital says the only kids under 18 allowed are those that are immediate siblings. All other kids (cousins, friends, etc) aren't allowed. I hope it's just a misunderstanding and you can have your other children come visit!!!

BeachGirll · January 2014

Ditto PP - our hospital says the only kids under 18 allowed are those that are immediate siblings. All other kids (cousins, friends, etc) aren't allowed. I hope it's just a misunderstanding and you can have your other children come visit!!!

Unfortunately, it's not a misunderstanding.

It was on the news this morning that it's a temporary policy due to the flu, so I called and spoke to L&D. No friends, no kids, immediate fam only. I am more than fine with seeing our friends when we come home, but pretty broken hearted about my little girls.

MJOJwedding · January 2014

BeachGirll said:

Ditto PP - our hospital says the only kids under 18 allowed are those that are immediate siblings. All other kids (cousins, friends, etc) aren't allowed. I hope it's just a misunderstanding and you can have your other children come visit!!!
Unfortunately, it's not a misunderstanding. It was on the news this morning that it's a temporary policy due to the flu, so I called and spoke to L&D. No friends, no kids, immediate fam only. I am more than fine with seeing our friends when we come home, but pretty broken hearted about my little girls.

I'm so sorry :-(

umma4babes · January 2014

Yes, the policy was instituted a day before our c section. Our 3 year old wasn't allowed in maternity ward. My husband got to see him in the lobby, but I couldn't go out there so I didn't see him for 4 days. I was very sad, cried a few times, but what can you do? We did FaceTime a couple times... Let's just say that it was an emotional reunion when I got discharged from the hospital.

Sorry you have to go through this too.

MamaP19 · January 2014

That really sucks. I'm sorry

I was told as long as we bring proof that DD got her flu shot, she's allowed to visit. Hoping that doesn't change in the next week or two.

CeeJC121013 · January 2014

Same thing happened to me. DS couldn't visit us in the hospital because he was under 18 and hadn't had a flu shot. I hadn't even considered it because he was a sibling. We just tried to get out of the hospital ASAP! So sorry this is happening to you too.

ksonne · January 2014

I'm so sorry, that really stinks

ababymaybe · January 2014

I'm sorry! We are in the midst of a bad outbreak here too and I am worried they may have the same kind of policy in place. That sucks.

angiek1 · January 2014

Wow that sucks

dumb flu season!

peanutmuse · January 2014

@BeachGirll (and @wilburbud and @MJOJwedding, as an FYI) -- the hospitals in my city are doing the same thing, except it's kids under the age of 14 (not 18). Children are not allowed anywhere in the maternity center even if they are siblings. Also due to the flu outbreak. I actually posted about it in one of my updates so that some of the others in my area who hadn't had their babies yet would know ahead of time.

Not only that, but they limited the number of visitors to three for the entire stay. They don't seem to be strictly enforcing that one anymore, but in the first few days I was here, they had a list of my "permanent" visitors and other than my husband, mother, and one of my sisters, no one was technically allowed to see me. I also understand and respect the hospital's desire to keep its patients safe. My problem was that all of our immediate family had their flu shots. I think it's more important to limit exposure of unvaccinated people than to basically punish people who did the right thing (by getting flu shots) and not allowing them to see their grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, etc. Again, I understand the safety concern. But Joe Schmoe walking off the street can go in the room next to mine and I have no idea if he's been vaccinated -- but my father wasn't technically allowed to meet his first grandchild until 4 days after his birth, yet received a flu shot AND TDaP. That shit pisses me off.

We snuck people in though. ::Shrugs.::

KimberlyTX · January 2014

I'm sorry

Our hospital isn't doing that, and I know it would be really hard to not be able to see DD or have her meet her brother before we could check out.

Shannahbee · January 2014

I actually just saw on the news yesterday that the Children's Hospital for our region is also limiting visitors to parents of the child only because of a specific strain cough that is going around.

Kbrittonhart · January 2014

Siblings were allowed to visit during visiting hours... They were also allowed in NICU if shots were current and you had shot records but I didnt want to risk DD1 disturbing the ither babies or gettibg them sick with something she got from daycare.

last14real · January 2014

Wow this really sucks! Now don't get me wrong I obviously would not want any of the babies exposed to sickness, but I am going to be so sad if DS can't come to the hospital. He of course is up on all his shots and I could provide a shot record if they want one. It will be especially heartbreaking if DH is out of town! DS will be staying with dh's mother or my bro and SIL but the thought of not seeing him for 3 days is very upsetting. I have never been away from him for that long and don't really want to start when he's already dealing with daddy's long term absence:( at the same time don't want to expose DS to anything either. This just sucks...I'm really glad you ladies posted this though bc I will definitely be calling our hospital tomorrow to find out current restrictions.

Unknown · January 2014

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BeachGirll · January 2014

wilburbud said:

Wow..I would have been throwing a fit for sure if my kids couldn't come see me/ especially my 11 year old. She's old enough to get what's going on. I completely agree with you @peanutmuse - I care far more about knowing if you've been vaccinated. I'm even willing to to my doctor for proof my kids have been vaccinated if that means they can come see me. Our hospital had signs at all entrances that said if you hAve a fever or cough please refrain from visiting; however it's not like anyone was walking around with a thermometer checking people

Agreed. Even the immediate family thing bugs me. Are you really going to check family trees? Of course not. So the only people they're really keeping out are my vaccinated, healthy babies.

brideandbreve · January 2014

peanutmuse said:

@BeachGirll (and @wilburbud and @MJOJwedding, as an FYI) -- the hospitals in my city are doing the same thing, except it's kids under the age of 14 (not 18). Children are not allowed anywhere in the maternity center even if they are siblings. Also due to the flu outbreak. I actually posted about it in one of my updates so that some of the others in my area who hadn't had their babies yet would know ahead of time.

Not only that, but they limited the number of visitors to three for the entire stay. They don't seem to be strictly enforcing that one anymore, but in the first few days I was here, they had a list of my "permanent" visitors and other than my husband, mother, and one of my sisters, no one was technically allowed to see me. I also understand and respect the hospital's desire to keep its patients safe. My problem was that all of our immediate family had their flu shots. I think it's more important to limit exposure of unvaccinated people than to basically punish people who did the right thing (by getting flu shots) and not allowing them to see their grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, etc. Again, I understand the safety concern. But Joe Schmoe walking off the street can go in the room next to mine and I have no idea if he's been vaccinated -- but my father wasn't technically allowed to meet his first grandchild until 4 days after his birth, yet received a flu shot AND TDaP. That shit pisses me off.

We snuck people in though. ::Shrugs.::

That pisses me off, too.

I have no idea if our hospital has set up a policy like this and I've tried Googling, checking their website, and emailing the head of L&D, but no word yet. DS has his flu shot, and it would suck not to be able to see him for days, or if we had to limit visitors. (I'd rather people see me in the hospital than come see me when the house is a wreck and I haven't showered all day.)

Also, I'm constantly amazed by how secure-but-not-really L&D units are. I used to work at the hospital where I'll deliver, and co-workers would crack jokes about how anyone could slip into the L&D unit by piggybacking on someone going in ahead of you if that person had a passcode for the door panel or if they were granted access by calling into the nurses' station. When I had DS, my best friend strolled right in and said, "Hey, you know they've got the double-doors to the L&D just wide open, right?"

missimone · January 2014

@peanutmuse, what's worse is they have unvaccinated staff on the floor that use masks and other staff have a "flu" sticker indicating they've been vaccinated. Yet, MH & I have to decide on only 2 others (beside him) to visit throughout our entire stay! BS!!

Don't get me wrong, I don't want a whole bunch of visitors, but both sets of grands shouldn't be too much to ask. Guess well have to set a sneak-in plan too.

emmasue18 · January 2014

I am in the exact same boat, even if I end up with another c-section, our plan is to wheel me (not the baby) to the lobby to see our boys. They are two and four and there is absolutely no way I could go 1-4 days without seeing them! I have shed so many tears about this!! I understand the policy but if the children clearly are not sick, what the heck is the big deal? They are coming to one room, mine, to see their brother! It just sucks....

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