To ignore the letter and go anyway? Toddler day case procedure

I think you should all go but feed baby when you get there then husband can look after baby while you go in with toddler? Then swap as needed? I don't think they mean no siblings on site in the hospital, just not at the appointment, so DH could wait with baby in the cafe?

^ this is your answer. Do not take the baby into the ward, it is not fair on either the staff or other patients on the ward, switch between you and your dh as necessary.

Or trust your dh to handle it.

I’ve taken my children for day case procedures under GA on my own about 5 times. Was never told I needed a second adult in the car. Just that we had to stay a certain distance from the hospital for the first night.

You should just send your DH. If you are anxious your toddler will pick up on this and be more frightened. For their sake you should stay at home with your worry.

Totally get where you're coming from but as someone who has recently seen healthy friends mown down by really nasty illnesses picked up from brief visits to relatives in hospital, I don't think you should expose yourself or your baby to this - just not worth it.

Lack of space could be one reason out of several more that they haven’t disclosed - perhaps the reason they mention lack of space is that it would cause the least offence or rule-breakers. It’s naive to think the noise, presence and care needs of siblings wouldn’t cross their minds.

They’ve specified in the letter that the reason is lack of space

God forbid a father actually parents their child without the mother hovering around.

They will tell you to wait outside with your baby.

Surely it increases risk of infection, for both dc. Stay home with baby or alternate who stays outside with baby so you can each spend time on the recovery ward.

Your toddler will be fine with his other parent - probably better than having you around if you’re that anxious. Your newborn may well not be fine if you take them into the germ tombola of a a paediatrics ward. Stay at home.

This. Please follow this advice, and ignore the poster who states ‘baby will be protected from bugs as you’re breast feeding.’ Breast feeding babies do get ill. Your son will be absolutely fine with Dad for the day and he’ll have some peace and quiet from a screaming baby while recovering from the procedure.

That makes sense but it doesn't mean the OP and the baby have to stay there the whole time. They can drop off then collect at the end of the day.

I have been in the exact same situation - we took youngest with us. You need to have a second adult in the car when taking a child home after a general anaesthetic, when it's a day case procedure ( I'm and RN and used to work in a Day Surgery unit.) and that was the only way we could do it. They still did the surgery.

They will send you away

My eldest never took a bottle, with EBM or forumula, so I would've sent DH with instruction to keep me posted at every step. Or I would've waited in the hospital cafe with the baby, although taking a newborn in to a hospital for no reason wouldn't be a very sensible thing to do anyway.
Stay and home and be updated, your toddler would probably pick up on your anxiety anyway.

I would take the baby. They won't send you away with a tiny babe in arms.

All go together and you go in with toddler and then swap with DH.

That’s not how it works though. If OP, her husband and their toddler, with developed immune systems, have had their jabs and are exposed to a child with measles, they’ll be fine. If an unvaccinated newborn with no immune system is, they will very much not be fine.

We also have a responsibility to our other patients, some of whom may be immunocompromised, to limit non-essential visitors where we can. This is more relaxed on the ward, where patients may be in for some time and therefore there’s a psychological benefit to the patient by allowing more visitors, but on day case where they are only there for the day and can just see people at home later, there’s just no need to allow additional visitors.

I think they probably want to avoid other children running around. I’d go with baby in a carrier and see what happens. But be prepared to be turned away and don’t get arsey about it.

But if the other members of the family are going to be in that environment all day surely they are at risk at bringing the bugs home anyway. I don't know 🤷‍♀️ best to have a chat with the nurses in the ward as to what they would like and what works best for the toddler & baby.

This is just crazy. Thank God no hospitals in my area have this rule. my child needed me and i needed my husband because ds didnt want to get off me for couple of hours, which was hard in a second trimester.

Also, do you have a sling for your newborn? Takes no space, more mobile and less risk of infection if snuggled next to you in a sling, rather than open to environment in a carrier.

Milk gives some immunity but it is not a fail safe and not an excuse to take a baby to places where there will be all sorts of bugs circulating

Ah, yes - follow the posters telling you that your four week old baby will be fine in the one place where you're most likely to come within breathing distance of children with severe cases of chickenpox, measles, RSV, influenza, scarlet fever and chest infections - or follow the ones that point out that he'll have his dad with him and you will be better off not exposing your newborn to things they aren't vaccinated against.

It's emotionally hard, yes, but you'll manage far better at home knowing the baby is safe and your DS is with Daddy than wondering whether the baby's coming down with something that could put them in hospital themselves.