Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Scared of babies being swapped in hospital

42 replies

Fandangos · 09/06/2011 09:58

I had my DD at home and everything went really well and one of the things I really loved was the fact that nobody interfered with us and she was never out of my sight.

Now I'm 31 weeks pregnant with twins, there's little chance of a home birth (I don't think I'd want one, due to the risks) and I've had to come to terms with the fact that I'll probably have more intervention.

But the one thing that really scares me is the thought of the babies arriving early and needing to go away from me for special care, then them being mixed up with someone else's baby. They are non-identical twins and my husband is dark and Italian and I'm Scottish and fair, so there is a chance one could be dark and one could be fair! So I might not have 2 babies who look the same.

I know they will have tags put on, but they fall off sometimes! The only thing I can think of to do, if they don't have any birthmarks or anything, is to immediately put a hat on them, or maybe a little plaster if that would be allowed.

Any advice?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

BertieBotts · 09/06/2011 21:18

You should get a photo if they are taken to SCBU, as well. So you can cross reference :)

m1nn1em0u5e · 09/06/2011 21:24

I felt exactly the same with my first baby, infact, I hardly slept all night just incase!...With my 2nd son, I never left labour ward until it was time to go home, had him after breakfast & was home in time for tea!...So he never had to leave my sight, plus my Mum & husband were there when I went for a bath!....Its an understandable worry for a new Mum I feel. Im pregnant with no. 3 now & I will be exactly the same im sure :) Good Luck

m1nn1em0u5e · 09/06/2011 21:26

bagofholly! I am actually lost for words!

OddBoots · 09/06/2011 21:30

A friend of mine had the same worry, in the end her dh bought a sharpie pen and drew a little heart on the baby's palm as soon as he could after birth.

aethelfleda · 09/06/2011 22:45

Aw, that's sweet- like the idea of a heart or a smiley- if baby is likely to be in scbu pop it on a toe or a finger so the pen mark can't get scrubbed off if they need to take a blood sample or put in an iv line. Do you think it would help you? If so stash a marker in the hospital bag now!

LDNmummy · 09/06/2011 23:56

I thought about the permanent marker thing when I was going through this stage of worry, but then it brought about all sorts of worries over ink poisoning and whether that would be worth the risk

Beesok · 10/06/2011 00:00

I have the same worry, which I am not voicing out loud to DH for fear of sounding like a crazy woman but seems am "normal" :)

And yes, BagofHolly your story freaked me out!

vouvrey · 10/06/2011 00:07

baby swaps happen more often than people think and the effect is devastating

I think some kind of ink marking is a good idea

m1nn1em0u5e · 10/06/2011 00:22

I though the same about ink poisning LDNmummy!...I quickly identified an obvious birth mark on ds1, so that was my 'marker'!..

Beesok · 10/06/2011 01:20

Freaking out now :) ok going to check out house of fraser online baby sale to calm down:)))))))))))

VivaLeBeaver · 10/06/2011 07:11

How about nail varnish? Quickly paint their big toe nails. Different colours for different twins as well.

shonnomanom · 10/06/2011 09:24

When having my first I was slightly concerned about this. My mum told me that when she was having me and my siblings the mw put a plaster with her patient details on it on our backs as soon as we were born. This was including the ankle tag. Apparently this happened in a lot of hospitals in Scotland in the 70's and 80's.

Dd's ankle tags both fell off her repeatedly and I was the joke of the family for constantly checking her birthmark.

Hope everything goes well for you. And the suggestion of visiting the hospital prior is a good idea.

Original poster

Fandangos · 10/06/2011 16:25

@TheFowlAndThePussycat, I haven't been in to the hospital to meet the team, it may well help, I'm starting to get organised in that area, it's a good idea, thanks.
@BagofHolly, I'm so sorry you had this experience and that I made you think of it again. Look after yourself and your little boy.

@Naetha, this is just what I want to do! Though maybe the hospital staff would object...my babies though!

OP posts:

Original poster

Fandangos · 10/06/2011 16:32

Oops, I didn't see the next page of posts! I love the idea of a wee heart, but as an anxious pregnant woman, i am now worried about the ink poisoning thing too! So nail varnish or plasters are a good plan.

Thanks for all the words of wisdom x

OP posts:

MamaTwinkle · 10/06/2011 16:35

I agree the electronic tags sometimes fall off, but the name tags should be tight enough that they can only be cut off. Just make sure that when then first tag them, you or your OH check the name on the tag is correct. It is unusual, but a friend of mine noticed that her baby was tagged with the wrong surname. Luckily the baby hadn't been out of her sight. Just check the tags are tight and correct for peace of mind, before babies are taken away. Good Luck.

Georgimama · 10/06/2011 16:40

I did idly worry about this before going into hospital to have DS. In the event he never actually left my side - I'd have been glad of the rest but unless they go to SCBU you are expected to look after them 24/7. He had a plastic band on his ankle and his wrist and so did I. Every time a MW or doctor came near us they checked his against mine. And tbh I would have noticed! No one could possibly have brought me the wrong baby without me knowing instantly. I had always thought all newborn babies look like each other but they don't.

And no one could get a baby out of the maternity suite without the security guard checking the bands. Apart from through the delivery suite (where you have to be buzzed in and again, there is always someone on the desk) the only way into or out of the maternity suite at my local hospital was past the security guard. A switch simply could not be done.

Original poster

Fandangos · 10/06/2011 19:31

I guess I do worry about someone pinching my babies, but my main concern was a mistake by the staff; somehow my babies being mixed up with others through tags being mixed up or something. But the responses to my post have been very helpful, thanks all

OP posts:

Flip

1 2