Hospital Visitors

I didn’t have anyone visit at the hospital! I really enjoyed taking the time for me & my new family. And birth is hard! I didn’t want to have to entertain anyone or focus on them or share the baby. Totally up to you but I’d limit it as much as possible! You might also consider how many germs baby will be coming in contact with. Baby will be so fragile & has no immunity. 20+ people in a room will definitely introduce some big germs before they’re ready.

With my first we had lots of people! All 4 grandparents, siblings, and some close cousins and best friends. With my second none because of COVID.

Literally no one lol They must come for you the mother who went through this transformative exp. Not to hold or view the child

I had my mom and her boyfriend come but that was it. And if I could do it over again, I wouldn’t have anyone. Not going to have anyone this time, either. Waiting until we get home. Spending the precious first hours by ourselves.

I was in for 2 weeks with my son in Nicu, and this was 15 almost 16 years ago before everything and since we didn't know the outcome of how things will be with him i let everyone come in for a 5 minute visit they had to wash and stanitise their hands wear a mask and stay back a fair bit as he was still in a humidicrib. I loved it, I felt very supported as it's quite lonely and isolating in the hospital. My parents and inlaws visited every day and some friends visited on the weekend.

Our close friends and family came over. None stayed for an extended period of time so that was good. I liked having people other than myself, the baby, my husband and the hospital staffs. I’d say do whatever feels comfortable for you. If you start letting people come visit and you no longer feel comfortable with it, you are well within your rights to pause. I am 2 months PP and so far everyone we have allowed to come visit at home has come to help and not just visit. Either they are giving me a massage, folding laundry, meal prepping, holding baby while I and my husband sleep etc. Personally, I have no business with a visitor that isn’t helping. Postpartum is alot.

I didn't allow anyone in the hospital and told everyone they had to wait until we were home. I just felt too vulnerable in the hospital. Those gowns don't cover a ton, I wss trying to learn breastfeeding, bleeding, etc. I wanted that time to be just me and baby and husband (for my second, my son got to come visit and meet baby sister). I'm glad I didn't allow anyone to come, gave me time to focus on healing without worrying about other people.

Id say strictly parents but my Irish twin brother can definitely come in fact he was there during the start of my first labor we were at my mom's house visiting and everyone went out but we stayed to watch comedies and eat snacks and we were laughing and I went into labor it sucked so bad but he didn't skip a beat he got a hot pad for my back and chamomile tea and got to helping me rock through the contractions and called my husband to come from work my twin is amazing

I didn’t have anyone visit in the hospital it was just my husband and I. Everyone has their own preferences but that is what worked best for us🤍

All family and friends came to the hospital except my husband’s brother, wife, and baby because they didn’t allow children who weren’t siblings. I didn’t want the stress of hosting anyone after baby was born. I absolutely hated having people over after our first was born so I wanted everyone out of the way

No one but my husband and I. My sister was supposed to be there cause she’s a doula but we didn’t expect babygirl to come on her due date so she stayed with our son

I’m only having my parents there. His mom isn’t happy but I’m not having someone who doesn’t really speak to me in the room right after I birth a whole baby. Hospital visits are limited to people who don’t stress me out 🤷‍♀️

I had home birth, no visitors until the next day, and that was just our parents briefly. Everyone else respectfully waited at least a week or two

We had 6 visitors over the time we were there but they were all there very briefly (like 15-20 min) and most didn’t hold baby It would have been less but my parents are separated and remarried

Didn’t have anyone come visit in hospital. That was special sacred bonding time with my husband and babies 🩷

I didn’t have anyone visit at the hospital, or at my house until my baby was almost a month old, And honestly, I preferred it that way

No one. I had just had surgery and a baby and was hooked up to a catheter for two days because I had a shocked bladder after my c-section. I was in no mood to entertain anyone. I will say that the girl in the next bed on the ward had her entire family visit - wave after wave of visitors sitting for hours on the small ward, chatting loudly, eating pungent snacks and making the small, hot space very uncomfortable for everyone else. I’m sure it was a really special time for them, but it was the worst part of the whole experience for us. It was particularly fun to stagger past this group of strangers with my big bag of piss on my way to the bathroom.

No one visited! When i watched my friend be overwhelmed with people crammed into her hospital room eith her first i decided i didnt want anyone to visit at the hospital and it was so amazing. Didnt have to worry about feeling exposed in front of people and it was great having the bonding time with my babies

No one just my partner

I didn’t have anyone apart from my other half, I wasn’t in hospital long enough to have visitors (had LB at 20:07 and was discharged at 3:30am) but always said I didn’t want anyone up the hospital

I didnt have any visitors.

@Kat I just had to check your profile to see if you were from the Black Country the way you said “up the hospital” 😄 my grandparents were from Stourbridge, such a homely accent for me 🥹

We didn’t have anyone with my first as it was during Covid and we weren’t allowed visitors. It was nice to be in a little bubble for a few days. With my second baby, I had her at home, so my parents came over with my eldest as they’d been looking after her. My MIL came the following day.

My parents asked to come to the hospital and we said no! We had to go back in for observations around feeding when our LG was 4 days old we let them come then. Everyone else we waited until we were settled at home. Think she was almost a week old when everyone else came round.

Nobody. You literally are let out the next day anyway so there's really no need

I had my husband's parents and brother the day she was born (at 4am and they came around 3pm.) the following day I had my mum, my in laws again and my husband's nan and to be honest I found that utterly exhausting even though it was lovely

I didn’t have anyone other than my husband and my daughter! My mum and sister tried to visit but I didn’t feel up to it (PPH) and I specifically told them I didn’t want any visitors at the hospital they could visit when we came home

@Penny no way! Yeah Black Country through and through, how am ya 🤣🩷

I had only parents/ grandparents then a rule that no one for 2 weeks first time round and it was definitely needed This time having a little one already il probably just be more flexible as we will need more help and support with our toddler x

Nobody. Just had me and my fiancé both times

I didn’t have visitors at the hospital . Didn’t want them. The only reason we had anyone at home in that first week was because my father in law was looking after our 4yo and then my mum came to stay for a few days to help as I had a C-section for twins

For us, nobody 🤣 I like my privacy/space especially when I may be feeling quite vulnerable and not upto seeing people and having to act normal

I had no visitors. I also only allowed my mom and grandmother to visit at home during the first 40 days. I practiced confinement, it was great 😌

My mum came to visit me. I would’ve had my husbands mother come too but she doesn’t live in the country. Other than that, no people whatsoever.

My son was born during COVID so it was strictly the father and 1 visitor after the baby was born.. I actually had 2 visitors though. My aunt was working the next morning so she got to pop by and my mom was the 1 outside visitor. My sister and brother all 3 kids waited for me outside the hospital the day of discharge.. I made everyone else wait 2 weeks. This time around I would like my sister and my now boyfriend (pregnant with #2) in the room with me but my number 1 rule nobody gets to meet the baby until my first born meets their sibling.

I let any and everyone visit in the hospital. The more the merrier! My only request was bring food or coffee lol

My husband was the only one because I was overwhelmed and exhausted so we waited a few days before having anyone visit us

No need for this, you are literally there less then 24hrs if all is well with you & baby. Hospital isn’t a nice setting also and they are busy enough don’t think the staff would appreciate a tonne of people visiting?? I only allowed my mum & sil visit and that was because my baby needed extra care and we was in for 9 days other times no one because we was in and out

@Sammi 💖 might sound bitchy but idc if they don't "appreciate" visitors, it's their job to accommodate you so that's the least of my worries tbh. In the US from what I hear you're in there 2 days or 3-4 if you have slight complications and then obv more than that if complications are severe. My husband and I discussed it and we would rather have visitors in the hospital to get it over with rather than being home and having them all ask to come over when we're trying to get a routine set up. Thank you all for your opinions!

Noone, it was COVID restrictions anyway but I still wouldn't have if the rules weren't around, and we were kept on for 3days. I couldn't think of anything worse than being uncomfortable in hospital and having a load of visitors

The hospital I'll be at wont allow children other then mine, im allowed 2 visitors at a time and my partner at all times. I wont be allowing anybody to come see baby until my daughters have been to visit. I will allow my partners parents to video call to say hi but thats it until my girls have been, after that his parents can visit. Nobody else will be visiting whilst in hospital apart from my mum (who is my 2nd birth partner) i want to take that time to rest and sleep while i can before going home and starting life with a newborn

We did only my parents

I had both our mothers visit very very soon after the birth, OH had messaged his mum when we were due to go into theatre without me knowing, so she was there waiting around... and I wanted my mum to meet her at the same time. Our siblings don't live near otherwise I would have let them as well. Same as you thinking it would be easier than having people try and fit in my flat to meet her. I also liked the idea you can move them along easier when visiting hours finish rather than having people in your house and navigating asking them to leave when you've had enough people time and want to be alone again 😂

I would’ve picked strictly parents but I am SUPER close with my sisters so they are allowed too

Only husband and doula, which I loved!!!! 🙌🏼

Who ever wanted to come visit could🤷‍♀️ you will be in the hospital for 2-3 days at least so it’s good for you too

Had my brother visit, then parents later, then my inlaws opted to wait till the day after we got home. Glad we spaced it out because just that was overwhelming. Your hospital may have a visitor limit policy as well

Nobody, partly because I was in a small room and I thought visits were not allowed, which didn’t make sense because I heard singing happy birthday in another room. My brain wasn’t on that at the time.

I didn't allow any visit for the first 6 weeks. Best decision ever.

No one. Though with my second it was COVID time so no one could visit anyway. But I would not want anyone to visit hospital.