Dang, new hospital rules about siblings

[Moxie]

I'm so upset (not as upset as my kids will be when I tell them though). The hospital where I'm scheduled to deliver next week has a "no siblings" policy because of H1N1. It doesn't make any sense to me because a) hasn't Mom been hanging out with these kids before the baby was born and b) aren't Mom and new baby going to go home to these kids in 24 hours?? It is a really nice hospital with big private rooms so siblings really just walk down the hall and go into Mom's room; it isn't like they will have a chance to contaminate anyone else.

 

Think I can find a midwife for a home birth in a week (kidding, kidding)?

Edited October 6, 2009 by Moxie

[mommaduck]

There are a lot of things that don't make sense in hospitals...but then again there is the limiting the number of people in and out of the ward argument.

[patchfire]

IThink I can find a midwife for a home birth in a week (kidding, kidding)?

 

I know you're kidding, but yes, I suspect you could!

[ConnieB]

I'm so upset (not as upset as my kids will be when I tell them though). The hospital where I'm scheduled to deliver next week has a "no siblings" policy because of H1N1. It doesn't make any sense to me because a) hasn't Mom been hanging out with these kids before the baby was born and b) aren't Mom and new baby going to go home to these kids in 24 hours?? It is a really nice hospital with big private rooms so siblings really just walk down the hall and go into Mom's room; it isn't like they will have a chance to contaminate anyone else.

 

Think I can find a midwife for a home birth in a week (kidding, kidding)?

 

I doubt their policy has anything to do with the safety of your family only....it's more likely they're worried about the germies your kids might leave laying around the hospital, lol.

 

I'm sorry that your children won't be able to participate in the birth of their sibling.....I imagine that all hospitals have this policy now??? Suppose it's too late to consider a home birth?

[Lovedtodeath]

Oh my! I would not have survived our hospital stay if it weren't for my beautiful little girl. The only sleep I got for 5 days was when she visited us.

[IdahoHomeschooler]

I'm sorry that it has to be that way :( I work in healthcare, so I know how these things go, from the other side. It is too bad your other children won't be able to see the baby after birth. Unfortunately, there are just too many people who, um, do not exercise good common sense. If you saw the thread about the mother who brought her febrile 6 year old to play soccer and infect his team mates, you know how this might play out in a hospital setting. If I go into a room to care for a postpartum mom/baby, and dad or grandma has brought the febrile child to visit, (because people really do these things) I have now been exposed to whatever that child has. Good hand hygiene can't stop droplet infection if the child is coughing, or breathing, their germs into the air. I then go into the next room and bring those airborne germs with me, potentially infecting that mom/baby who otherwise would have not been exposed to the sick child.

 

Could you call the hospital mother/baby unit and find out if they have a nursery with a viewing window that the siblings could see the baby through? That is what we do in our neonatal ICU when the babies are stable enough to "travel" a bit off of a monitor system.

[Moxie]

I'm sorry that it has to be that way :( I work in healthcare, so I know how these things go, from the other side. It is too bad your other children won't be able to see the baby after birth. Unfortunately, there are just too many people who, um, do not exercise good common sense. If you saw the thread about the mother who brought her febrile 6 year old to play soccer and infect his team mates, you know how this might play out in a hospital setting. If I go into a room to care for a postpartum mom/baby, and dad or grandma has brought the febrile child to visit, (because people really do these things) I have now been exposed to whatever that child has. Good hand hygiene can't stop droplet infection if the child is coughing, or breathing, their germs into the air. I then go into the next room and bring those airborne germs with me, potentially infecting that mom/baby who otherwise would have not been exposed to the sick child.

 

Could you call the hospital mother/baby unit and find out if they have a nursery with a viewing window that the siblings could see the baby through? That is what we do in our neonatal ICU when the babies are stable enough to "travel" a bit off of a monitor system.

 

I have an appointment tomorrow so I'll ask. I doubt it since they only called me to tell me that the Big Brother/Sister hospital tour was cancelled.

[Nakia]

The hospital I work at implemented the same rules last week.

[Impish]

Yeah, betting its about the other Moms and babes on the floor.

[ElizabethB]

The hospital we go to has the same rules, just implemented a week or two ago...we actually violated them, but they never told us about them before our appointment! They weren't enforcing them yet, though, it had just started that week and they were still figuring it all out.

 

It's a pain, especially since we just moved here, so it's hard to find people nearby who we trust to watch our children--luckily my husband's work schedule is flexible here so he can probably stay home with our daughter if need be.

[Tammy]

what is the big deal? I wouldn't want to bring my kids into a hospital!!

 

.

[Moxie]

what is the big deal? I wouldn't want to bring my kids into a hospital!!

 

.

 

Well, I would. They are very excited to come to the hospital where they were born to see their new sister.

[IdahoHomeschooler]

what is the big deal? I wouldn't want to bring my kids into a hospital!!

 

.

 

Even if it is a hospital, it is still a healthy, normal event occurring, and many families find it important and a "big deal" to introduce the siblings there. I can still remember "meeting" my sister and my brother in the hospital. The OP clearly feels this is also a "big deal".

 

BTW, when was the last time you were pregnant? I couldn't ever imagine asking a very pregnant (aka hormonal, emotional) woman "what is the big deal?" At least she can't slug you through the computer screen, lol:tongue_smilie:

[KarenNC]

In our hospital system, it's "no visitors under age 18" period in all units for the duration of H1N1 being a problem (excepting those children who are patients, of course), not just in maternity, so the viewing window wouldn't make a difference. They have said they will consider making exceptions in certain special circumstances (like visiting a dying relative to say goodbye), but that they would be very few and very specific.

Edited October 6, 2009 by KarenNC

[LibraryLover]

Have the baby and go home!

[Rhonda in TX]

A friend had a quick, trouble-free delivery and they let her go home the same day. I think she went in in the morning, gave birth early afternoon, and went home that night. She loved it! Maybe if you can go home quickly, it won't be such a problem for you and your kids.

 

:grouphug: I know this is hard and disappointing.

[Rhonda in TX]

Can the kids come in the hospital at all? Maybe the main lobby area? Could you take the baby down there for them to meet him/her? I know it's not the same, but at least they would see the baby in the hospital.

[fivetails]

So is there something magic that happens the morning of your 18th birthday, making you no longer able to infect others? :001_huh:

 

Yep, ban the healthy 12 year old - don't worry about the 35 year old who just sneezed in her hands and pushed the elevator buttons. After all, she's special and doesn't spread germs.

[OHGrandma]

what is the big deal? I wouldn't want to bring my kids into a hospital!!

 

.

 

Well, I'm with Tammy on this, and I'm not going to sugar coat it either.

 

OP, I'm sorry it's not working out the way you planned. But if you have a smooth delivery you'll be home the next day or possibly the same day. I'm assuming your children are healthy, so you don't want to expose them to any sick people in the common areas of the hospital and have them bring home illnesses for you and the new baby.

 

BTW, our daughter just had a baby 2 weeks ago. Her older girls are 6 & 8. Every one was disappointed the girls couldn't see the baby for 3 days(mild complications); but when she got home, all that disappointment was forgotten.

Edited October 6, 2009 by OHGrandma

[adams101]

So is there something magic that happens the morning of your 18th birthday, making you no longer able to infect others? :001_huh:

 

Yep, ban the healthy 12 year old - don't worry about the 35 year old who just sneezed in her hands and pushed the elevator buttons. After all, she's special and doesn't spread germs.

:iagree:My thoughts exactly. I know some IDIOT adults out there that think they are exempt from the same guidelines children are expected to follow. How many adults go to work, and everywhere else, while sick? But we keep our kids at home. Even if we aren't sick, do we have something on us from our sick kid, just as the nurse would spred it from room to room? I do understand your disappointment though. My favorite picture from dd being born is ds leaning over to see her.:)

[Rhonda in TX]

Diseases spread through schools much faster than they do the workplace? Kids are much less discriminate about what and who they touch.

[PineFarmMom]

what is the big deal? I wouldn't want to bring my kids into a hospital!!

 

.

 

I'm due to have a baby in a few months. That is part of the joy of it all is them getting to come see the baby in the hospital. I hope this won't apply to our hospital.

[amy g.]

I changed hospitals a week before Miss Beautiful was born. I was touring the hospital, and the nurse actually told me that they like every laboring mother on Pitocin and to have an epidural. That way they can control who delivers next by speeding up or slowing down each labor. She claimed that it saved money because fewer nurses were needed. Unmediated births are unpredictable, and you might need a separate nurse for every laboring mother.

 

That is said to say that changing locations might not be a bad idea.

 

Is there a birthing center in your area?

 

When my baby is born, my kids will be there, and the midwife, and my doula, and a student midwife, and Dh, and my dad and my sister.

 

That sounds like a whole lot of people, but those will be the only people in the entire building. Also, the midwife will not be going from room to room checking on other patients, and potentially causing some cross contamination.

 

To me, this seems like a safer, and cleaner solution than a hospital birth.

[PineFarmMom]

Even if it is a hospital, it is still a healthy, normal event occurring, and many families find it important and a "big deal" to introduce the siblings there. I can still remember "meeting" my sister and my brother in the hospital. The OP clearly feels this is also a "big deal".

 

BTW, when was the last time you were pregnant? I couldn't ever imagine asking a very pregnant (aka hormonal, emotional) woman "what is the big deal?" At least she can't slug you through the computer screen, lol:tongue_smilie:

 

 

:iagree:She feels it's a big deal because it IS a big deal!!! Bringing a baby into the world and all of the steps that go with it ARE a big deal, to the mother, the father, AND the siblings!!

[babysparkler]

That must be very disappointing.

 

Look at the bright side... at least you know that you and the baby won't be exposed to anything from children visiting other new babies in the maternity ward...

[KarenNC]

So is there something magic that happens the morning of your 18th birthday, making you no longer able to infect others? :001_huh:

 

Yep, ban the healthy 12 year old - don't worry about the 35 year old who just sneezed in her hands and pushed the elevator buttons. After all, she's special and doesn't spread germs.

 

With this particular virus, children and adolescents are disproportionately infected, contagious before they show symptoms and newborns, pregnant women and those with suppressed immune systems are particularly vulnerable to it. Here are some of the quotes from the news article:

 

"Even though it's early in the season, health officials say they're seeing flu numbers typical of wintertime peaks.....it is important to make this change effective now to limit the spread and impact of flu....Many patients, particularly newborns, pregnant women and patients with suppressed immune systems, are particularly vulnerable.

 

Experience with the new H1N1 influenza shows that children and adolescents have a higher incidence of infection than adults, and they can be contagious before they exhibit symptoms....Both hospital systems are also asking adults not to visit if they have flu-like symptoms, such as sore throat, coughing, body ache or fever greater than 100 degrees.

 

Both hospital systems are encouraging employees to get flu vaccinations. Zweng said Presbyterian employees who decline will be required to wear masks in patient areas."

 

(Note that this isn't a case of religious discrimination against Presbyterians ;)----Presbyterian Hospital is the name of one of the sets of hospitals involved).

 

The CDC is also advising very strong measures to keep pregnant women and newborns away from potential infection

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance/obstetric.htm

Edited October 6, 2009 by KarenNC

[unsinkable]

Even if it is a hospital, it is still a healthy, normal event occurring, and many families find it important and a "big deal" to introduce the siblings there. I can still remember "meeting" my sister and my brother in the hospital. The OP clearly feels this is also a "big deal".

 

BTW, when was the last time you were pregnant? I couldn't ever imagine asking a very pregnant (aka hormonal, emotional) woman "what is the big deal?" At least she can't slug you through the computer screen, lol:tongue_smilie:

 

:lol::lol::lol:

[Tammyla]

The hospital my sister was in has the same policy because they (the staff) and a high number of patients have 250+ confirmed cases of H1N1.

 

She could not wait to get out of there.

 

:grouphug: Hugs to you.

[Emmy]

I'm expecting twins in December and I know I'll be SO disappointed if my 4 boys can't come meet them at the hospital. It'll really seem like a long wait too because I'm guaranteed to be in the hospital 2 days (I'm strep B+) and possibly as long as 4 days (if I end up having to have a c section). I completely understand your feelings.:grouphug:

[Supertechmom]

I doubt their policy has anything to do with the safety of your family only....it's more likely they're worried about the germies your kids might leave laying around the hospital, lol.

 

I'm sorry that your children won't be able to participate in the birth of their sibling.....I imagine that all hospitals have this policy now??? Suppose it's too late to consider a home birth?

 

 

 

Can the kids come in the hospital at all? Maybe the main lobby area? Could you take the baby down there for them to meet him/her? I know it's not the same, but at least they would see the baby in the hospital.

(my hospital won't allow babies off the floor for security. The babies have alarm bands that go off if they go past certain points on the floor. And they are really really loud alarms. A newbie nurse forgot with our last one and went past the point - it was shorter path back to the nursery since we were on the very end- and tripped the alarm. Security was on her along with several nurse and two drs before she could even register what happened)

We just had our first pregnant fatality due to swine flu. She has signs of flu, went down quickly after delivery. The hospitals now have signs everywhere asking you not to visit AT ALL. That a phone call would be better. Siblings aren't allowed, extra visitors aren't allowed (so nix the idea that mom, sister, and anyone beyond dad and doula are going to be there or in the waiting room)and the maternity ward they said is going to be akin to a HAZMat area. At any given time, the hospital is treating 100's of flu cases in the er, everyone around seems to infected. Masks are all over the hospitals with big giant signs listing that if you must enter the hospital and have fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, teeth pain, and something else to put on a mask. Sanitizers are everywhere along with signs informing you to use it before you enter, on the elevators, in the offices and then upon leaving those places. The computer screens have screen savers that have big bold words that say "wash Hands'" They aren't even stocking ear, nose cones in the rooms but are removing them from the packages on a need to use basis. I had my check up yesterday and we had to wait for a nurse to bring a cone for the dr to peep into my ears. janitors are everywehre wiping , wiping, wiping, I hope they aren't just spreading the germs to more places.

 

But this is all because of irresponsible people who despite it all will still show up sick in a hospital to visit people. And that one sick kid, one sick adult who isn't all "that sick" has contaminated everything in that room and thus anyone personal who enter that room. And remember how many people enter your room?? The janitor for trash pickup, the food lady with your tray, the lactation consultation, the nurse, the meds nurse, the nurse who does clean up, housekeeping who changes the sheets........Not to mention the drs who come in on rounds to check you and the baby. Plus, despite rooming in , the baby has always been removed for a couple of hours for nursery checks and for the drs on rounds to do a full check in the nursery. If even one crazy grandparent shows up with "it's only a cough" and they have been keeping the grandkids who now have that cough or are processing those germs, then the whole floor could be exposed before a few hours have passed. And our peds aren't just performing rounds on newborns. They also check their sick patients, though it would probably be a good idea to assign drs to handle certain floors to minimize the spreading of germs.

 

I'm due in Dec and I'll be lucky if we can even enter the hospital without a badge and special idea by the time it rolls around at this rate. I don't even want to continue using my dr who is located on hospital campus anymore. Much less step foot in the hospital. But I'm hearing it's the same in dr's offices. I HATE IT! I'm angry right next to you because my 3 won't get to meet their new baby brother. I won't get to see my kids for two or three days. But, hospitals are running scared right now and it's only the first of October. When hospitals get jittery and get scared, then I take it that is a sign that things are far worse than we know for that area. When your dr friends are telling you to be careful because things are really bad right now, it's scary.

 

But it still stinks!!!!:grouphug:

[amy g.]

Wow!

 

I had no idea that the situation in hospitals was so bad right now. It really does sound like a home birth or other non hospital birth would be safer.

[smrtmama]

Wow!

 

I had no idea that the situation in hospitals was so bad right now. It really does sound like a home birth or other non hospital birth would be safer.

 

I agree. Hospitals-borne infections are just one more reason why I would never consider giving birth in a hospital for anything but the most dire of reasons necessitating a transfer. *shudder* Horrible places.

[TxMama]

The NICU that I work for has the policy of visitation for mom and 1 significant other for the infant's whole stay. Noone exposed to the flu or have flu like symptoms can visit....including mom. Stinks and it's unfortunate but we are really trying hard to keep H1N1 out of of nurseries.

 

Unfortunately there are a lot of stupid people in the world who visit newborns while sick. The rule isn't in place to protect your newborn from his siblings but to protect your newborn from other people's kids.

[Rebecca VA]

I had outpatient gallbladder surgery last Friday and was surprised at how strict -- almost paranoid -- the staff was about letting my son come back into my room on the surgical unit to pick me up. They insisted he wear a face mask and almost made him show an ID to prove he was 18.

 

What's next, I wonder?

[farmmom4him]

I have to say that last year when this happened to us, it was a HUGE blessing. Our baby was born and hten by 2 hrs old transferred to NICU. My children cry when they see pictures of her in the NICU, because of all the tubes, iv in her head, etc. Had they not had a no visiting policy, I would have had them there, as their grandparents would have brought them.

 

I even had a nursing toddler who was not able to come, and I was trying to get my milk supply re-established as the stress of the birth, and nicu etc caused it to drop. I wanted to try nursing him, but they wouldn't let him in, nor could I leave yet as I had not been dismissed.

 

But, yes, it is a good thing as if others are not able to have their other children, then you are also protected. ;)

 

I wanted to add that I did not get to see my other 5 children for 10 whole days. It s*cked, but in the end it was what was best. My toddler went right back to nursing too, and still is. ;o)

Edited October 6, 2009 by farmmom4him

[keptwoman]

Have the baby and go home!

That's exactly what I'd do. As soon as I could shower I'd be out of there! Both because my bed is more comfy and we enjoy those precious first hours as a family in our own environment, but also because being in the hospital with all those bugs floating around....ick!

 

:iagree:She feels it's a big deal because it IS a big deal!!! Bringing a baby into the world and all of the steps that go with it ARE a big deal, to the mother, the father, AND the siblings!!

Yes! I agree.