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Ill relative wants to meet new baby wwyd?

11 replies

airborne · 25/10/2011 09:28

My gran is in hospital, she has been in and out of isolation ward with an infection which has apparantly cleared now and she is back on a large ward with lots of other old people. I have a 2 month old and I would love for her to meet him, as I think she is pretty close to the end of her life and doctors say she won't come out of hospital. I want to take baby in, I know there are risks but I would not touch/ let gran touch baby etc and would be careful. Relatives don't think I should. I live about 300 miles from hospital so it's an arranged visit. Theres no restrictions on who an go and visit her but when she was in isolation i as a breast feeding mum was not allowed in but as i said this infection has ow passed. Am I mad to take baby in?

OP posts:
Pancakeflipper · 25/10/2011 09:30

No. I would take baby in.

SquishyCinnamonSwirls · 25/10/2011 09:31

If she's on a general ward then go and see her for a visit with the baby. She'll love it.

MrsDreadfullyMorbidMausoleum · 25/10/2011 09:33

I'd take your baby in.

I did the same when my ds was tiny. My gran rallied that time but died when he was 18months old.

She will want to touch him though - you realise that? Take some of that antibac gel with you.

NotQuiteCockney · 25/10/2011 09:36

As long as you're breastfeeding, if you run into any bugs there, your body will produce antibodies and give them to your DS.

littleducks · 25/10/2011 09:44

I would talk the hospital about this, the may be able to arrange for your Gran to use a visitors room or something like that if she is not bed bound, as you are travelling such a distance.

I have some all natural hand sanitizer that I wouldnt have an issue putting on a baby and some alcohol based one for your Gran as I agree she will want to touch him

screamqueenrollo · 25/10/2011 10:01

i'd go. My Gran was hopsitalised when DS was 2 months old and she'd not met him yet. I did go. She was too weak to hold him (and I still find that upsetting) but I'm so glad i went, because she passed away a couple of weeks after and I know I would have regretted it if I hadn't gone.

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 25/10/2011 10:04

I wouldn't even think twice.

And I would want my gran to hold him too, if she was capable.

I had no grand parents left by the time I had children, I can only imagine how thrilled they would have been to meet their great grand children.

airborne · 25/10/2011 10:53

Great that's what I want to hear! All my relatives are trying to talk me out of it, all I've been hearing is germs germs germs. I try to explain that babies are more robust than we think, he hasn't picked up the cold the whole house has had. I think the 'risk' is minimal, but when I say that my family say 'but it's still a risk'. Well thankyou ladies - i will go in. She is too weak to hold him and is really bed bound . Swollen arms etc. so not possible to touch but she will love it.

OP posts:
MackerelOfFact · 25/10/2011 11:23

Sounds lovely, I'd definitely take him. Provided you gel your hands coming in and out and don't let anyone but yourselves breathe over him too much, the risk is no greater than taking him on the bus IMO. It's not like babies go round touching surfaces and this is one of the main ways germs and viruses are spread.

LesserOfTwoWeevils · 26/10/2011 03:09

It will be fine, and it's a lovely thing to do for your gran.

Thzumbazombiewitch · 26/10/2011 03:21

DEfinitely take him in - and even if she can't really hold him, you can let him touch her hand or something - the skin to skin contact will mean the world to her, to feel the new baby, feel that she's still part of the family and not a pariah because of her illness. So glad you want to do it - your family are being overprotective and a bit mean to the old lady.

Agree with using the gels - I'd suggest you get this one as it has no alcohol in it and can be sprayed on your baby's hands as well, before and after you've seen your gran. Hope you get to see her in time - you sound very caring and lovely, I'm sure she'll be thrilled to see you and your baby. :)

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