How will you handle visitors that are sick:unvaccinated?

ladyteach0505 · March 2015

My sister-in-law is due this week and was complaining to me about her sick aunt coming to the hospital. This got me to thinking about how you handle visitors who have shown up after the warning of "please don't come if you're sick".

I'm also thinking about how my mom hasn't gotten the tdap vaccine but my mother in law, of all unhelpful people, has. I also have a few friends who want to babysit but that I know don't have the tdap. What's the etiquette for this stuff?

SmrBrd2012 · March 2015

I really don't know what I'll do. It depends on what kind of sickness they have. If it's a small head cold, I'd at least ask them to wash their hands if I knew they were sick and came over any way. I can see myself not allowing them to hold him though, if I know they're sick and he's still really young.

My mom has gotten the TDAP but my in laws haven't yet. I'm asked H to talk to them about it but I don't think we can force them and I'm not sure how much I should care about this. Doc suggested it but wasn't super opinionated about it. Since I received the TDAP a few weeks ago, it'll at least pass on some antibodies to baby. I'm not going to bring it up at all to friends, but I also don't expect them to babysit during the first few months nor will I ask them.

saric83 · March 2015

For TDAP, we emailed all of our parents and siblings just letting them know the doc said anyone who will be around the little human more than a few times a year should make sure they've gotten it. Most of them have responded saying they're good to go, and for the others, I have no plan to follow up or try to force them. But if they have even a hint of a cough or a cold when they try to come over, we'll kindly ask them to leave immediately.

One of my work friends came in for a visit with her little one, and she kept her in her baby-wear wrap, so people could see her, but no one asked to hold her or anything, and that kept any potential germs at bay a bit.

lola2bee · March 2015

A sick newborn is serious business. Saying no is no brainer in my book. They'll get over it.

MichelleKirkpatrick · March 2015

No vaccine, no access to baby. Sick? No access to baby. Period. Not something DH and I are willing to budge on. If family/friends are upset with this, I don't care in the least. However, everyone we've discussed our guidelines with are more than willing to comply and understand completely. As they should. As @lola2bee said "a sick newborn is serious business".

mrshall1027 · March 2015

We will not allow anyone that is sick to be around LO. I don't think that's unreasonable and I'd be really surprised if any of our family or friends wouldn't understand this. Throughout my pregnancy, they've all been kind enough to skip any events that I was at if they were even the least bit sick, so I'm sure they'll have the same outlook with the baby.

And as far as the TDAP goes, we are requesting immediate family to get it. Both my parents, H and his mom will be getting it/have gotten it.

marym94 · March 2015

no sick people around the baby - just not going to happen. i thought i would be intimidated to say that last time around and turns out when it came time to say something, i had NO problem!

sschwege · March 2015

When I was pregnant with my first we asked that Grandparents and our siblings get the TDAP vaccine. Which they all did.

As far as your friends babysitting, I'm guessing the babysitting would be taking place when the baby is a little older so I would be OK with not asking about their vaccine history. At two months your baby should be starting his/her first round of shots anyway.

MrsS728 · March 2015

I'm sick now and stayed home today from work. I said to my husband that if she were already here, she'd have to go to daycare or grandma's or something and that I couldn't take care of her at all. We are making a rule that anyone that is constantly around a lot of people need to have the booster and if you've been sick within a week, you can't come see the baby.

ryemo · March 2015

If you don't allow sick people around your baby at all, you can worry less about the TDAP. Nobody with any sort of cough, let alone one with a "whoop" to it, should be around your baby.

a316b · March 2015

My sister had a cold when my first was born- she voluntarily wore a mask and triple washed her hands before holding baby.

We made all grandparents get tdap and pneumonia shots (my parents already had them, but had to coerce mil with help of my sil who also just had baby)

TBsquared · March 2015

I'm not worrying about it, people are already very considerate and don't come around me if they are sick, so I assume they will show the same courtesy with my baby. As for vaccines I won't be forcing anyone to get one. They get vaxed at a month old anyways and if I'm not
Letting sick people around then she won't be catching whooping cough...I did the same with my first daughter and all is well.

DMEL · March 2015

I work in healthcare and will not be forcing my family to get the tdap vaccine. Just me and my husband will get it for sure. Unless someone is going to be s primary caregiver for the baby, it's not entirely necessary.
As far as being sick, I would expect people to have common sense but I like the idea of asking them to wear a mask when baby is brand new if they have s cold.

FTArmyM · April 2015

I wont be handling them because they wont be welcomed...ive already made this abundantly clear

mabelino · April 2015

If they're sick, I'd assume they'd have the common courtesy not to come around.

As far as vaccines, I actual request no one come around our entire family if recently vaxed as some are live(only a few, but a blanket request is easiest). We don't vaccinate and would never expect anyone to get them.

Sijustella · April 2015

I am not having people come to the hospital firstly. Secondly there will be no 'drop ins' for visits. I announced the birth on facebook last time and said we would be in touch when ready for visitors. Worked a treat.

marthaudani · April 2015

I honestly hope that people who are sick have the common sense and decency to stay away if they are sick. If they don't then I hope they expect to get their feelings hurt.

As for requesting that people get vaccinations - that's their decision. Whether or not they get to touch my child is my decision and depends on if they have the sense to stay current on their vaccinations. You can be sure that I will not be visiting the home of anyone who refuses to get vaccinations.

FTArmyM · April 2015

mabelino said:
If they're sick, I'd assume they'd have the common courtesy not to come around.

As far as vaccines, I actual request no one come around our entire family if recently vaxed as some are live(only a few, but a blanket request is easiest). We don't vaccinate and would never expect anyone to get them.

You are one of the reasons these deadly diseases that were once eradicated are resurfacing in the world. You should be ashamed that you are putting others at risk for your own selfish and uninformed reasons.

DMEL · April 2015

Not to mention that no common vaccines are "live". That's a common misconception arrived at when people use dr google instead of real research

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