Prisoner!

[crazybutkind]

So I had a baby on Tuesday evening and I am still currently in hospital. We are ok baby's temp is just a little low but they have ruled out anything serious.

As you can imagine nobody wants to be in hospital on their own with a newborn at the minute but I have been in the same room now since 7:30pm on Tuesday. I'm not allowed to open the window because they don't want baby getting cold, I'm not allowed the fan on because of the same reason and I'm not allowed to go to leave the ward for some fresh air because of covid.

It's absolutely roasting outside, i am just stewing in my own sweat at the minute. All I want is 5 minutes of fresh air.

It's been 36 hours now and I feel ill.

I just want to go and stand at the entrance for 5 mins AIBU?

If baby is otherwise fit and well I’d consider discharging myself. To be honest if you tell them that they’ll probably find a way to cool you off rather than deal with the paperwork.

I know it's an emotional time op. And hospital wards are unbearable at the best of times, but it is for the baby that they are saying this whether you agree or not.
The baby's temperature is low, cooling down could hurt them. You going to the entrance could be exposed to CV, which could harm baby.

You won't be there long, you'll be home before you know it (special care mum here, I watched many, many happy new parents take their babies home while I couldn't even hold mine). It's not long, your partner can drop some snacks off for you, until then why not ask if one of the nurses can do you some more toast? Is there any other breakfast? When I was on the ward there was also a load of cereal and milk in the corridor you just helped yourself to.

she replied "well have you been told you can? I will have to raise this with the coordinator"

I'd just say "yes, so and so said I could nip out for 10 mins". Lie!
Every time they shut the window open it again.

Is there a reason they are keeping baby in? As in an actual medical need? I can see baby’s temp is a little low, but if there’s nothing seriously wrong, what’s stopping you from discharging yourself and baby?
^^This Op.
Congratulations on your baby - is it your first?
You have real, human needs. Don't be bullied by staff who are too busy to stop, think, and be aware of you.

I wouldn’t personally discharge myself but I would phone pals from my bed to ask for advice and let them know you are doing so. You may find all of a sudden they no longer object.

An actual prisoner in jail has more human rights than you atm, you are being held against your will in an airless room. Kick up a bloody fuss, get ward manager and PALS involved now.

Baby daddy? Where did this come from?

For some reason it’s all over mumsnet at the moment! Since it means the father of one or more of a woman's children, especially one who is not her husband or current partner. it’s a pretty rude choice of word when you don’t know whether the father of the baby is the partner / husband or not, imo.

I agree re pals.

If baby is in an incubator how on earth will opening a winow on a boiling hot day make them cold?

They shouldn’t be being rude to you (“I already told her no”) I’d complain about that. The lack of compassion in post natal care is astounding and more women need to complain.

Oh and dear God, babydaddy. It makes me want to punch things.

That sounds awful OP. I would definitely complain if I were you.
Then have a homebirth next time (if feasible).

Do you have access to water and a little hand towel? Get it really wet and just keep wiping it over your arms and face, it’ll help you feel less hot.

I hope you can take your baby home soon and get more comfortable.

I think that not allowing you to go to the entrance of the hospital is perfectly reasonable given that asymptomatic patients/visitors/staff with Covid-19 may be walking in/out.

On the face of it, it seems unreasonable not to allow you to open the window but, as your child has a low temperature, and they have explained why, then you should think of your child's health and put up with it. It isn't nice for you but better that your child is safe and properly cared for.

They aren't doing it to torture you. They are doing it for the benefit of your child.

How do people get medical degrees if they think opening a window when it high 20's outside will cause a baby to get cold?

We see temps 10°c lower this this usually. What do all the other June babies do?

My ds suffers low core body temp when unwell.
And really low like 35.2 and even 33 one night!
I've been told to keep him warm personally but putting heating on won't really make a difference. The same way they wrap hypothermic patients in a individual blanket. They don't whack up the hospital heating!

Can you wring out a flannel in cold water and put it on the back of your neck/forehead and waft yourself with a magazine/your hospital notes? Even if you have to stand in the bathroom?

They aren't doing it to torture you. They are doing it for the benefit of your child.

That may be so, but so they have to be such arses about it? This is what annoys me so much about HCP. I am one myself - having worked in mental health units I’ve seen patients treated terribly by staff who are supposed to be looking after them and offering compassion. Having had two babies myself and being pregnant again, I’ve also been treated with rudeness and downright distain by staff.

Kindness goes a long way. No HCP is ever too busy to be kind.

The OP had said she is distressed and in tears - would it kill them to explain what they are doing in a compassionate way?

It honestly makes my blood boil.

An actual prisoner in jail has more human rights than you atm

Dear god fancy them trying to keep your baby safe and alive

You wouldn’t be there if they didn’t think the baby needed it.

What if you go to the entrance and catch Covid from another patient or visitor and then pass it on to your baby? Maybe it’s a small risk but it’s an avoidable risk.

Maybe cooling the room won’t affect your baby. But maybe it will.

They aren’t doing this specifically to piss you off. They are trying to get your baby well enough to go home.

Keep opening the window, it's utterly ludicrous to suggest the baby will get cold.

Try to speak to a doctor and ask whether, given the weather, there is any real reason why you can't go home.

And contact PALS for the hospital urgently. This sounds utterly ridiculous.

Dear god fancy them trying to keep your baby safe and alive

'Nonsense. The suggestion that it going to kill a baby in an incubator to have the window open in 30 degree heat is just bizarre.

Opening a window in this heat will do your baby no harm. Next time a midwife tries to close the window ask her to provide the research that an open window in a heatwave will cool a baby in an temp controlled incubator.
Kindness costs nothing

Babydaddy was autocorrect! Sorry!

Are you on the Neonatal unit if your baby is in an incubator? If so, then this will be why you’re not allowed off the unit.

Body temperature does not correlate with air temperature. It only works that way at extremes, not within normal ranges. So if they were going to be concerned at all, it should be that they would get too hot, not too cold. In fact, that could be the issue, i.e. that they are too hot and trying to regulate that is dropping their core temperature lower than normal.

The body temperature of a newborn is best regulated by skin contact with you, not an incubator.

So they clearly have little useful knowledge of biology, on at least two counts.

I'm on the post natal ward with the incubator at my bedside in a private side room. I am really struggling mentally and physically. Baby's temp is 36.3 it needs to be 36.6 that's why she is in an incubator. They have ruled out hypothermia and sepsis

FFS - it's 34 degrees outside plus even higher if you're inside a window. Your baby in a confined incubator is not going to be affected by temperatures external to the fucking incubator. They're being arses. I'd just tootle off and let them try to stop you.

Just say that you're going to get some fresh air, that you're not a prisoner and that you want to buy some cold water from the shop as they're giving you luke warm water. Way to ensure a new Mum gets PND.