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Original poster

OK......I get the 'infection' part of it.........

52 replies

QueenOfQuotes · 26/09/2005 23:49

but does anyone else think that this is just a little OTT??

OP posts:
SleepySuzy · 26/09/2005 23:52

What a load of b*?!!^&s!!!

aloha · 26/09/2005 23:53

Mad nonsense. If it's a medical issue, well, OK (sort of) but the human right of a baby not to be cooed at? What utter rubbish. They should feel embarassed to say such bilge.
When I had ds I was practically dragging strangers off the street to admire him I honestly couldn't understand why he wasn't being mobbed by armies of eager, baby-snatching admirers.

mummytosteven · 26/09/2005 23:54

i wonder if they had problems with visitors at the neonatal units lurking round other unrelated babies' incubators and maybe getting in the way of the nursing staff/or making insensitive comments to parents. surely there must be more to this than is in the story???

SleepySuzy · 26/09/2005 23:54

And dd still gets admired now by total strangers. I love it, and so does she!

vickitiredmum · 26/09/2005 23:54

Makes me mad that does.

When i was in hospital (wouldnt let me go home after DS was born for a few days) when my DD came up to visit one day she was asked to leave because they didnt want her "coughing over the babies". She was by my bed and she was no more likely to cough on babies than any adult person there. I hadnt seen her for 2 days prior to that visit.

I wouldnt mind but it was from a midwife seeing to a woman who later on that night had 7 visitors by her bed 3 hours after visiting was over.

What do they think happens when people take their babies home then? Whats the difference between hospital and home?

jabberwocky · 26/09/2005 23:55

Interesting. So are the babies not behind glass? That's the way it is in the US. I definitely wouldn't want a stranger to be able to touch my newborn.

colditz · 26/09/2005 23:56

Aloha, that reminded me, when ds was tiny, I refused to leave him in the room alone for even a second, because I honestly thought someone might break in through the window and steal him. To me, he was obviously that desirable, as a baby.

aloha · 26/09/2005 23:57

Behind glass? Like in a museum?

jabberwocky · 26/09/2005 23:57

Yes. Are they just out in the open in the UK?

jabberwocky · 26/09/2005 23:58

They also frequently pull the shades down in the nursery so the babies can have some privacy.

aloha · 27/09/2005 00:00

In the UK we stay with our babies! Unless they have to be in a specialist unit because they are ill in some way.

aloha · 27/09/2005 00:02

Colditz, it's pure insanity, isn't it? I remember thinking that just seeing my baby would make other people happy - and probably cure them of terminal illnesses to be frank.

colditz · 27/09/2005 00:02

In Uk new mothers are made to look after their newborns, whether they feel physically able to or not.

vickitiredmum · 27/09/2005 00:02

Wouldve been nice to have had nursery with my DS - he cried every 25 mins for the first 2 days and the staff refused to take him so i could sleep because i was b/feeding.

Skribble · 27/09/2005 00:03

I think there is a valid point to the story but it is reported to look like H&S gone mad.

I was lucky to have a single room but still felt like I was invaded with visitors, New mums should be protected and people discouraged to use maternity wards like a petting zoo. I haven't experienced this myself but if this was the case the open house policy should be revued. Security was fairly tight at out hospital so it was only relations and visitors anyway.

aloha · 27/09/2005 00:04

Look if they said that mothers had complained about being quizzed and hassled by total strangers, fine. But saying that being looked breaches a baby's human rights is just idiotic.

colditz · 27/09/2005 00:05

i found I judged the prettiness of other people's babies by how much they looked like mine! Talk about love is blind.....

yes, I fully expected people to want to steal my baby and yet was confidant that should this happen, he would come to no harm, as he was too adorable to hurt.

I was a little strange after he was born though.

Original poster
QueenOfQuotes · 27/09/2005 00:07

when I had DS1 they did take some of hte babies off to the 'nursery' if the mum's desperately need a short "respite" (the 'nursery' was actually the room where all the towels,bottle warming stuff, and baby baths were - which had enough space for a number of cots LOL).

I had a hellish long first night with DS1 first night (he never slept - at all!), so the 2nd night they said they'd take him through to let me have a bit of rest, then bring him back when he needed feeding.

They wheeled him off, I dragged myself out of the bed, went and made a cup of tea, got back to my bed and they suddenly appeared back with him.

"sorry we'll have to leave him in here with you, he's too loud and is disturbing the other babies"

I was in for 3 1/2days, and he was the only baby for who the 'nursery' door was closed while he was being bathed.....I know because from my bed I could see the door)

OP posts:
pixel · 27/09/2005 00:20

What planet are these people on?!

It's just a shame babies have to be born naked. It must be so degrading for them!

jabberwocky · 27/09/2005 00:21

Had to dash off for a moment. I am finding this thread really fascinating. Never knew there was a difference like this. Basically, in the US we have the option of rooming in with our babies or using the nursery. I had planned to room in, but had a very traumatic c-section so used the nursery for 2 out of the 3 nights and it was lovely. The nurse brings the baby to you when s/he needs to nurse but it was still a nice respite before coming home. I can't imagine having ds out there where just anyone could be around him. There are so many air-born bacteria. I mean, how do they do it? Is there just a room where people can wander in?

Original poster
QueenOfQuotes · 27/09/2005 00:23

lol pixel - I know - especially when the first thing anyone does when they're born is to stare at their nether regions

OP posts:
jabberwocky · 27/09/2005 00:23

There is also only a very short time period where the drapes are pulled open. I really don't think babies should be put on display like they are in a zoo or something.

aloha · 27/09/2005 00:27

In the UK everyone has their baby by their bed in a cot. Most rooms have 4 to 6 women in, with their babies.

jabberwocky · 27/09/2005 00:35

Really??? Wow, I've never known anyone who didn't have a private room. I knew some people had posted on having another mother in the room with them, but I didn't realize it was that common or that many.

pixel · 27/09/2005 00:36

Usually they are wards with about 6 or so beds in them. You have your baby in a perspex cot on wheels next to your bed and a curtain to pull round for 'privacy'. Not very restful as there is always one baby crying, one person snoring and the night staff chatting at the tops of their voices!

There are people wandering around but it's not as bad as it sounds because only fathers are allowed in outside visiting hours.