Hospital visitors?

Question

I've been reading up on how to handle hospital visitors. We are pregnant with the first grandchild on both sides of the family and to say our families are excited would be an understatement. I really don't want a bunch of people at the hospital waiting room while I'm in labor, I think I would rather call family several hours after the baby arrives and people can visit for short periods throughout the day. I really want the first day to be about our baby girl and my husband and I bonding with our new arrival.

I'm also debating whether or not to have friends visit while I'm at the hospital or wait until after we go home. One of my good friends did this and I didn't get to meet her newborn until he was a week old. My feelings were a little hurt at the time but now I see that she was genius in spacing out visits.

I'm curious how you other mamas are planning to handle this. Do you think your family and friends will be receptive to your wishes?

Answer

My hospital has restricting visiting during flu season (October-April). In Labor/Delivery/Postpartum you are only allowed 4 visitors for your entire stay. They give you 4 bracelets and if you don't have a bracelet, you can come in the unit. Makes our decision on who we want to visit pretty easy, both sets of grandparents and that's it.

Answer

Tell family and friends when they can visit. You control when you tell them so they don't all come at once. After the first day you have with her then tell family she has joined the family and they can visit at whatever room your in.

Answer

I work in postpartum and see rooms PACKED full of people ALL day and the visitors are just ignoring how worn out mom looks/is & we nurses sometimes have to make a call & kick the visitors out. I tell parents to focus on them first & get their rest and bonding time & basically set their own hours (if they want visitors, to tell them a time & for how long).

We plan on allowing only family to come visit. Friends can come visit us at home later on or our last day there (if I'm up for it). I already know my family will naturally not over-welcome their stay. My mom hates hospitals, so she won't stay long & my sister has a baby she will need to take home (he'll be almost a year old & I'm positive will be trying to get into everything!) My husband's family is out of state & more than likely won't be here until after we're discharged anyway.

Answer

I am due Christmas Eve with our first and extended family from both sides of the family will be in town leading up to and after my due date, some for the entire month of December. This will be my parents second granddaughter and my hubby's parents first granddaughter (they have two grandsons). We have already told family that only my parents and hubby's parents are going to be allowed at the hospital, regardless of who is in town and when they are leaving town. While we got some harsh feedback for it, I am not budging off that decision. Thankfully several cousins have stepped up to help make sure family stays busy and won't be ignoring us. Once we get home, family and friends will have to ask to come over as we won't answer the door if we aren't expecting anyone. I even got a cute sign off Etsy that politely tells everyone to go away unless we know they are coming which will hang on our front door for at least the first few weeks. Call it mean but we need to bond with our baby. My friends have told me they won't come for the first week at least and will only drop off food for us until we invite them over to really visit which I appreciate.

My advice, be upfront and honest. Stand by what you decide to do. Tell the nurses at the hospital and let them be the mean ones so you don't have to.

Answer

We have a packed hospital room up until I lush and I love it!!! Idk why but it feels like such a great binding time...... I grew up in a children's home and don't have a lot of family so I guess that's why my SO family is so special.... I was induced with my son we had to be there by 530  and by 630 his dad mom stepmom 2 brothers & 2 sisters were there and by 12 my nanny and sis were there and that evening my sis went and got her daughter and my daughter and they were all there and they stayed til like 7 that night and came back that morning and the next and not to mention our friends from town and the friends from work! We had lots if visitors and we r planning the same.this time!!

Answer

Tell them your wishes. If their feelings get hurt, so be it. This time is about you and your family.

Also, be sure to tell all your nurses you don't want any visitors. Or very limited visitors. They're excellent at running interference.

Answer

I literally did exactly all that. I phoned my family after my son was born, he was the first grandchild on both sides too. We decided to let my parents and my hubbies parents call that evening for an hour and then our brothers and sisters when we got home.everyone else we waited a week or two!  Babies are so vulnerable at that age it's not right to have heaps of people in on top of them with germs everywhere lol.you do whatever you feel is right you have every right to want time to bond before sharing with the world xxx

Answer

I'm having a c section. After delivery I will be in recovery for 45 minutes. After that they will bring me to a labor and delivery room for a while before heading up to my room. My plan is to only allow my husband and 2 older children in the labor and delivery room. I know I will be in the hospital for 3 days. I am hoping for short visits from friends and family. My husband will still be going to work during the day so my step mom will be sitting with me during the day and helping with my older two while they are home from school.

Answer

My family was very receptive to my plan for visitors..."grandparents and uncles only".  Sounds harsh but if we have vaginal birth were only there for 2 days and 4 with c-section...my parents come in from out of town and my husband's too so I do think they should come to the hospital, after baby is born! I want the birth to be for me and my hub and our new addition! Friends can wait a week! And so many visitors wanting to cuddle and coddle really isn't healthy for you or for baby so quickly! Friends will take it better perhaps if you give them and expected time period where visits would be welcome....say a week after you're released or something!

Hospital visitors?

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