visiting the hospital with 11 week old

[7costanza]

My dad just had surgery and I was planning on visiting him in the hospital on Saturday with my 11 week old. I just called and talked to his nurse, who said she would not bring a baby to the hospital (not specific to my dad, just in general). I don't really have anybody to watch him but might be able to ask my mom to come over for a few hours. Would you take the baby, or try to find someone to watch him at home/visit another day when H isn't working? If I take him I was planning on leaving him in his stroller or just wearing him. 

[countthestars]

I would take him, definitely. Can you call the pedi for a second opinion?

[Deleted]

I would not take a baby into a hospital.
I know it sucks, but hospitals are disgusting places. Flu season is starting and your baby can't get a vaccine.

[7costanza]

Oct 10, 2013 23:35:03 GMT -5 countthestars said:

I would take him, definitely. Can you call the pedi for a second opinion?

Good idea, I will call the pedi in the morning.

[Deleted]

Oct 11, 2013 0:21:02 GMT -5 dbsk8dance said:

I would not take a baby into a hospital.
I know it sucks, but hospitals are disgusting places. Flu season is starting and your baby can't get a vaccine.

I agree. I know too many adults who've gotten sick from being in the hospital for something else. My adult brother got pneumonia when he went in for a broken collar bone a few years ago. It's just not worth the risk.

[littlemisschatty]

Oct 11, 2013 4:17:28 GMT -5 @vicmo said:

Will your dad be in the hospital for a while, or can you just wait a few days and visit him at home? I would feel pretty uncomfortable with taking a baby to the hospital, and I bet your dad would feel awful if your baby got sick after visiting him.

I agree. I am SURE your dad would understand.

[Deleted]

I would absolutely not take a baby into the hospital. It's the easiest place to catch something really nasty. I would find childcare or visit your dad at home. Hope your dad is 100% soon !

[mrsg123]

I would never take a baby that age into a hospital unless they were the patient. GL.

[ilikedonuts]

No way would I take an infant that age to the hospital.

[twinkiemom]

I am a nurse and I would not take my 11 week old to the hospital, especially during flu season. In fact, I need to go in to work to get my flu shot and my coworkers wanted me to bring the babies with me for a visit but I won't bring them. Too many germs floating around this time of year.

[karinothing]

I would not take an infant to the hospital. I didn't even take my toddler to the hospital when we had a friend there recently. Flu+rampant staph = no bueno.

[dottyblue]

No way. It's flu season and your 11 week old is not vaccinated. My DS just got his first 1/2 of his flu shot and I wouldn't take him to the hospital right now either.

[Deleted]

I think walking through the hospital is different than bringing a child into a hospital wing where there are patients, nurses, doctors, etc., who are exposed to all kinds of nasty illnesses.

[Ashley&Scott]

I'll be the dissenter. I would go & did when I was in you shoes. 

My dad was in the hospital when M was born. (January so still cold/flu season) We took M over to visit my dad when we were discharged from the hospital when he was 2 days old. My dad remained in the hospital until M was 5.5 months old. We visited every 1-2 weeks. Just be smart about it. Don't let anyone touch or breath on the baby, wash your hands frequently, keep the baby covered when until you get to your dad's room. My pedi approved the visits. 

[ilikedonuts]

Oct 11, 2013 8:19:50 GMT -5 ste said:

This is interesting to me. My pedis and OBs office are both in the hospital, and we both have appts today. The pedi office has a seperate entrance, but we then have to walk through part of the hospital to get to my OB.

Plus I need to get my flu shot (I also work in the hospital), so need to walk elsewhere for that. I don't have a choice but to take DS, and he's been to the hospital multiple times in his 8 weeks because of my many follow up visits.

All my stuff (OB, pedi, MFM) is connected to the hospital as well, but we can enter through a separate entrance as long as its between 6am and 9pm. But you still aren't taking them into sick wings or separate hospital patient rooms.

[JayhawkGirl]

I would not take a baby into a hospital room. Too many really big germs. I also did not take DS to my grandpa's nursing home for the same reason.

[meltoine]

I'd take the baby. We spent Sunday afternoon on the ER with DS1.

I'm just sure to wash my hands frequently and definitely before touching the baby's face or hands.

[Mrs.Syntax]

I brought DD2 to visit my dad in the hospital several times, including 3 whole days of 12 hour visits while he was on life support. I was very careful to wash my hands before touching her. I knew there were risks (it was still cold/flu season at the time) but I'm very glad I did it because it was his only chance to meet her. I knew it was a strong possibility he wouldn't survive his condition so I based my assessment on that. DD was totally fine.

[7costanza]

He will be in there for two weeks, he had his esophagus removed due to cancer. I talked to the pedi, and she said as long as my dad doesn't have an infectious disease and doesn't have a roommate it's ok to take the baby. I think I'm going to take him, and just wear him and make anyone who wants to touch him wash their hands first. I imagine it will just be my dad in the room when I'm there though. I'll make a final decision in the morning.

[kdubs923]

Oct 11, 2013 8:25:31 GMT -5 Ashley&Scott said:

I'll be the dissenter. I would go & did when I was in you shoes. 

My dad was in the hospital when M was born. (January so still cold/flu season) We took M over to visit my dad when we were discharged from the hospital when he was 2 days old. My dad remained in the hospital until M was 5.5 months old. We visited every 1-2 weeks. Just be smart about it. Don't let anyone touch or breath on the baby, wash your hands frequently, keep the baby covered when until you get to your dad's room. My pedi approved the visits. 

This is where I'm at. My Dad is scheduled for surgery 4 days after my due date. If the baby is born & Im out of the hospital, I plan on visiting. My dad will not be sick and will be with other recovering surgical patients - who are separate from sick areas. The area is probably overly sanitized to prevent said surgical patients from getting sick/infections. I'll wear the baby & let no one touch him/her & go crazy with hand sanitizer.

1. I can't imagine not being around for my Dads surgery/recovery (he has early onset Alzheimer's so a large amount of his medical decisions fall to me) 2. My Dad meeting his first grandchild will do more for his recovery than any medicine 3. I plan to BF, so I can't imagine the logistics of leaving the baby with someone so soon if I haven't had time to build a stash.