No visitors under 14 years old in Maternity wing of hospital????

[Woodland]

Perhaps I am the last person to find this out, but at 24 weeks I just found out that my local hospital doesnt allow visitors under 14 years of age to visit the birth center wing. This is a newer policy they have put in place because of h1n1. I was totally shocked when a pregnant mama mentioned this to me the other day. I did not expect my 3 year old to be able to spend too much time with me while I am in labor at the hospital but I was expecting my mom or someone to bring him in as soon as the baby is born. For me this is a total deal breaker so I am going to making the 40 min+ drive to a nearby town who has an excellent birth center and also a great natural birth friendly OB. Unfortunatly that means a lot of driving late in my pregnanacy when the prenatal appointments become more regular. I am just looking at it as a sign that I didnt want to birth their anyway, but still I am just in shock! Just imagining all the little toddlers that cant visit their mama for the 1-2+days or heaven forbid 5 days that mama is birthing their sibling. So sad! I even called to make sure this policy was still in effect and they said yes and that it is indefinite.

[Pinoikoi]

So what would they do with a not yet 14yo father?

[lifeguard]

It's pretty standard here but usually it doesn't apply to siblings of the new baby.

[Burnindinner]

That is a harsh policy. I was in the antenatal wing overnight at ours, and they let my 17 mo DS visit. They have a no visitors under 13 policy, but either it doesn't apply to the patient's children or it doesn't apply to nursing babes, I was unsure. Either way, he came to visit.

[HaikuMommy]

I am also 24 weeks and just found out this is true for the hospital I plan to give birth at! I am mortified because I want my 22-m-o dd to be able to meet her sister ASAP. It has made me start thinking about other options, including birthing at home... but unless I want to give birth unattended, which I don't, I'm not sure I can afford it.

Very bummed...

[curvyred]

Our local L&D department has always had a "no kids under 14 EXCEPT siblings" policy. They did have a restriction on all children under 12 during the height of the H1N1 cases, but that has been lifted.

My best friend died from complication from H1N1 and they finally let her daughter (11) come in to see her in the ICU after several weeks.

[klocke]

Most hospitals have similar policies. It generally refers to non sibling children though, such as a friend of the family. I know even back when I had my first son my brother, who was 10 at the time was not allowed in the maternity ward. Almost all hospitals will allow siblings to come see the mother / baby unless there is a current outbreak of something, such as during the peak of the H1N1 virus. You might want to check an dmake sure that the policy is or isn't refering to siblings.

[prothyraia]

Our hospital just (in the past two weeks) recinded the restricted visitation policy they had for h1n1 because it seems to have died down for now. It couldn't hurt to call and ask if yours is planning on doing anything similar.

[chely7425]

Our hospital has a nobody under 12 except siblings rule... I would call and double check that there isn't an exception for siblings.

[PapayaMom]

yes our local hospitals had a no one under 18 in the hospital rule. Now that h1n1 has lessened they have all backed away from this. If you really don't want to birth there then don't worry about it otherwise it would be worth a call to ask. I also know that even just before the policy was lifted they were turning a blind eye to child visitors.

[staceychev]

Our hospital had two rules: no visitors under 12, except siblings, at all times, and no visitors under 17, including siblings, during h1n1. Our daughter was due 3/8, but came on 3/15, a day after the hospital rescinded the h1n1 restrictions. I joked that she waited so her sister could visit her in the hospital.

Honestly, it's pretty late for flu restrictions to be in place. I'd call your hospital to see if they're lifted yet.

[sostinkinhappy]

I had a similar experience at my local hospital when we took the tour at 28 weeks. I was beside myself at all of the archaic policies and even talked with administration to get an exception or some kind of leeway. They were not willing to budge, even on allowing dad to accompany baby to the nursery (moms aren't allowed in there either!) or having pediatric exams done in our room or the number of visitors. (They limit it to 2 at a time, a slight issue since I have 2 other children who have to be accompanied at all times. So basically I could have one of them in to visit at a time w/ another adult!

I simply could not imagine spending 4/5 days in the hospital without seeing my boys, without my husband being able to accompany our daughter to the nursery, and all of the other policies the hospital has in place so I started looking around. I found an AMAZING ObGyn who is 1 hr. 15 m. from our place. The hospital is an hour drive in good traffic BUT I am so very very very glad we changed plans.

Our new doctor is simply amazing and the hospital's policies are so much more in line with our desire for a family, mother & baby-centered c/section. Sure, it's a pain in the butt to drive that far for my appointments, but we are getting the birth that we want! I am just grateful we had options, even if we have to drive for them.

[OrchideZ]

This is the policy where I am birthing.
I am just going to hope for the best and request an early release.
I will use my 18 month old and the fact that he has never been away from me for longer than 4 hours as leverage to go home.

[Kellyh_01]

Our hospital has this policy too, except for siblings of the baby. I would call and clarify.

[porcelina]

Same true for hospital where I was originally thinking of delivering. For ALL children, not just non-siblings. However, a friend just birthed there, and they do informally make exceptions for children -- they are just "supposed" to wear a face mask. We unknowingly brought our 2 year old with us for a scheduled u/s at that hospital, and we weren't even told about the policy, just given a face mask.

Same was also true for the back-up hospital at my birth center (all children), but they have just rescinded the rule.

Definitely call to check out what happens in practice!!