To take 7 month old to hospital when toddler has op..

[amooomooo]

I'm really stressed about it and the hospital booking staff have advised us to ask when dc has the pre op meeting which is weeks away yet as they aren't sure.

Basically PIL have now booked a holiday for most of the month of the operation so likely no childcare for 7month old. The specific date hasn't come through yet though so may not be an issue but it's looking likely we'll be a bit stuck for childcare or just one of us will have to go.

I know I need to put my big girl pants on and it's probably best for one of us to just go but the last time dc had an op he was days old and I wasn't sure if he'd come out of it. I'm just so worried.

Do hospitals allow you to bring a baby sibling on the ward? It will hopefully be just for the day but we're not sure yet.

I would have just one of you going if you can’t find anyone else for the baby.

Space tends to be limited and you need to be able to focus on the child having the operation anyway.

They can always join you in the canteen while your waiting for him to come out of surgery.

When DD had her operation we were told no siblings and no visitors due to space limitations and so the children could rest as they'd all had surgery that day/were about to have surgery that day. Someone in the other bay did try to bring in another child and they were told one of them would have to leave with the other child while one stayed with the patient.

I'm normally really live and let live about kids in public spaces but it was a long, boring, tiring day for DD and for us with lots of waiting around, having to answer what felt like eight million pre-operative questions about allergies and medical history, then looking after a groggy post-operative child. It's not somewhere I would take a baby unless they were the one having the op.

The suggestion of one of you waiting in the canteen with the baby is a good one then you can swap out if needed, the baby isn't disturbing patients and can taken home once your toddler is out of theatre.

Just wondering, as those with experience have mentioned they haven't been allowed to take a sibling, what happens if you don't have a partner and you don't have anyone else to have the other child?

Having done this with similar aged children i would say don't do it, just one parent go with child to hospital.

Its a long day and incredibly boring for the baby ( who gets cranky and loud etc) and 1 adult ends up trying to entertain the baby either by walking them around to find the play spaces or some other distraction, so kind of defeats the object of both parents being there for the child having op.

All very good points thank you.

Great idea sirzy. I'll take DS to the op on my own and get DH to meet me with our baby during the op. We've been told it might take a while and I can imagine I'll be climbing the walls!

If you really don't have anyone Mummyto then sometimes your child (the non hospital one) may have to go to short term foster care if you have to stay with your child at hospital (or you are in hospital yourself).
As for the OP. If you are staying overnight then only one parent can usually stay so you would have to decide who to stay home with baby. If it is day surgery having baby with you would be ok (it may take your mind off things) but you really need two of you there to take baby out if you need too - but whoever is looking after baby doesn't have to go far. Just for a walk around the hospital grounds.
Oh another thought. If you are having to travel a long distance to the hospital from your home and maybe staying for a while you may be able to stay in parents accommodation (eg Ronald Mcdonald House) which is usually on/close to the hospital grounds so one of you can stay there with the baby as a more 'at home' environment but then you are not far away from your older child.
Hope all goes well.