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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Post-delivery Ward silly question!

47 replies

Jen306 · 11/04/2020 21:39

So if you have to be admitted to the ward after delivery Partners are no longer allowed to stay and absolutely no visitors at all.
So what do you do with the baby when you want the toilet or shower? It seems very strange to just leave them in their cot next to your bed with no one there with them! Not sure I’d feel comfortable doing that in hospital!

OP posts:
MrsPoll · 11/04/2020 21:47

I was thinking about this too!!

Youngatheart00 · 11/04/2020 21:47

Nurses will watch while you use the loo, or at a push another mother I guess. I can only imagine no one will be showering! Def not ideal

Diorissimo1985 · 11/04/2020 21:50

I had DD over 2 years ago and I just gathered up my wash things and went for a shower - I told the nurses and they said of course that’s fine, we’ll keep an eye on baby

DailyKegelReminder · 11/04/2020 21:51

Following as in same position.

woodencoffeetable · 11/04/2020 21:51

where I was we took the baby in their fish bowl with us.

Shelley54 · 11/04/2020 21:52

When I had my babies the cots were on wheels - I wheeled them into the loo with me. With DS2 I wasn't on long enough to have a shower (csection and out in 25hrs - had a shower at home).

ArnoldBee · 11/04/2020 21:54

I didn't find out until day 3 of my stay that the ward had a nursery you could where your baby into. I had been taking my baby into the loo with me!

Nomoreweeping · 11/04/2020 21:54

I'm ever so slightly anxious by nature (!!), so always wheeled my babies to the loo with me if there was nobody there to watch them for me.

With a shared ward with this virus, I'd 100% still be wheeling them with me, incase anyone went within 2m of my baby in my absence. Obviously midwives will need to sometimes, but I wouldn't want to risk other people going near them.

But as I say, I'm a worrier Grin

oncemorewithfeeling99 · 11/04/2020 21:54

I left baby to nip to the loo (within a 4bed bay) and for told off. I was told we had to wheel babies into the loo/shower (recent but not this year)..it was weird to be honest!

Tulio · 11/04/2020 21:55

I left my first in the cot to go to the loo etc, didn’t even cross my mind to take her with me 😬 don’t know if that makes me a terrible parent 😅

Toomuchtooyoung01 · 11/04/2020 21:55

When I had DS 10weeks ago, I was on my own as OH had to be at home with DD. I took DS into the bathroom with me in his wheel along hospital cot and had a quick shower.

keentohelp · 11/04/2020 21:55

You'll have to leave the baby in the cot by your bed and ask the midwifes to keep an eye out.

It's really horrible, I'm sorry 😞 I was in the postnatal ward for 5 days and don't know what I would have done without my DH there with me- due to complications I couldn't even sit up, so changing a nappy, feeding or holding my baby was completely out of the question! I will say that the midwives were generally brilliant though and I'm sure they'll be even more accommodating now.

mummymummymummummum · 11/04/2020 22:05

I was on post natal for 1 night and then 5 more due to neonatal jaundice. I just showered etc while baby slept, same as I would at home. My husband was at home with my eldest.

Original poster
Jen306 · 11/04/2020 22:12

Thanks for the replies.

At the moment with the virus it’s not just about ‘leaving the baby’ - is probably be slightly anxious about that but as a pp says, it’s who else might decide to try and comfort them if I wasn’t there even if only for a few moments in the loo! You just don’t know. And if a midwife or nurse wasn’t there to see or step in as I imagine they’ll be stretched.

I have everything crossed for a straight forward to delivery so we can go home together as a family straight from delivery suite.

OP posts:
Alsohuman · 11/04/2020 22:15

I’m a rubbish parent, I left mine to go to the loo and shower, the same as if I was at home.

bowchicawowwow · 11/04/2020 22:25

I also just left mine on the ward asleep in their cot. I would let one of the other mums know and I was super quick.

oncemorewithfeeling99 · 11/04/2020 22:35

They will have a separate area for covid symptomatic maternity patients (they do in our hospital anyway). It’s of course possible to spread it before having symptoms but if you’re in a bay with other women, then if one of them has it very likely you’ll all get it regardless. So better to hope for the best and not worry too much as it’s all out of your hands.

newbingepisodes · 11/04/2020 22:38

The hospital I was in had a "nursery" where you could leave baby for these reasons with the midwives.

harper30 · 11/04/2020 22:39

I can totally see why you're worried in the current climate but I'm sure when we were in the TCU for 5 days after DD was born I used to just say to a nurse/midwife that I was popping to the loo/shower while baby slept and they'd always just say that was fine and they'd keep an eye out, I don't think it was an issue. But I know on the postnatal ward it was busier with visitors and there were much fewer nurses/midwives around, and I was less comfortable doing that, because of all the visitors there, but with no visitors allowed you'll hopefully be ok.
Or like other PPs said wheel the cot in with you. Best of luck!!!

whatswithtodaytoday · 11/04/2020 22:41

You had to just leave them where I was. I asked a midwife to keep an eye on him but she said she was too busy. I had severe anxiety and hated it, but there was no other option.

Original poster
Jen306 · 11/04/2020 22:41

@oncemorewithfeeling99 I’m not sure that is the most helpful of responses! But yes the issue is people are often asymptomatic but still contagious. And yes via airborne particles possibly on open ward we’re all in danger of getting it, but it reduces the risk if no one else touches the baby and if you leave baby and someone else does touch them even with the best of intentions/ trying to help that risk has just increased massively.

OP posts:
oncemorewithfeeling99 · 11/04/2020 23:33

I don’t mean to cause extra anxiety. I’m sure there will be a solution and you won’t be the only one. Ring and ask your midwife if you don’t have an appointment soon.

goodnightsugarpop · 11/04/2020 23:54

I've packed a wrap sling in my hospital bag so I can carry the baby hands-free when going to the loo. Not sure about showering though, currently just hoping I won't be in there long enough to really need one!

ludicrouslemons · 12/04/2020 05:54

We had to wheel the baby around in their cot (a see through one on a trolley). Not allowed to leave your baby unattended at all and not allowed to carry them and walk around.

Had to take them to the loo, shower, to sterilise bottles, and weirdest was to the canteen thing for meals.

This was a year or more ago tho so maybe cv has changed the rules.

milkjetmum · 12/04/2020 05:58

Yes as pp have said the little cots are on wheels and we were expected to take them everywhere with us. Enough room in loos/showers to have cots in there.