Don't Think This Idea is Appropriate, What's your take?

A newborn's immune system isn't ready for outside germs and viruses. There is no telling what the children have come in contact with and what they can pass on to the baby. If they hug the baby's mother, they can pass the virus and germs by that way. If the children cough or sneeze they can spread germs and viruses that way too. Usually hospitals don't allow small children to visit newborns. It just isn't very smart. About 99% of the colds or flu I have caught from a friend who can't pass a child without hugging it. That wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that she was riding with me and she would cough or sneeze and not cover her mouth and nose. Plus she always wanted a hug when I dropped her off at home. So, 9 times out of 10 I would catch what she had been exposed to. I have had two cases of pneumonia and several cases of the flu. Being an asthmatic myself it isn't smart to be exposed to ailments that are passed on by children. I finally have stopped giving her rides in the winter when viruses are at their best and are easily transmitted from one person to another. I also don't go to town too much and schedule online classes to avoid anyone who might be contagious. The woman who was visiting your daughter wasn't using her head for anything more than to hold her hair on. One sniffle, sneeze, or cough could land the newborn in the hospital for days, weeks and even months because of the fact that the immune system isn't fully developed. I would ask the friend to please leave the children at home.

It is better not to take other little kids to visit a new born.The newborn is very vulnerable at this s tage and no one should be allowed to touch it.Little kids can go after some time.If it is one's own siblings, the mother or father would ensure that his/her hands are all well washed, hygienic and allow them to watch from a distance. Eevn they cannot and must not touch the little one.

I don't see it as a big deal, but then I'm not a parent.

congratulations on your new grandbaby! I don't think that a hospital with newborns is exactly the place to bring other kids....with their runny noses etc....on the other hand the kids themselves might pick up something as there is so much going around right now and that's a good place to get sick...so many others there who have something medical.

The only times that I've ever taken my children to visit with a mother and new baby at the hospital has been either when my son was born and my in-laws brought Kathryn with them so that she could meet her baby brother. Then when my sister-in-law had her second daughter, I took my kids to the hospital to meet their cousin. I really thought of this as being quite the same as meeting their own siblings because we did live together at the time.

It's fine. It's been proven the ideas of yesterday do not hold true.

I agree with you hon. I think that children shouldn't be brought in to see a newborn, let alone anyone else in a hospital. It's not a good setting, and it can compromise the baby's health if the children are dealing with something as minor as the sniffles.

Hopefully they'll just look thru the window. Kids can be such germ factories. Until the baby builds up enough immunity from Mother's milk or something, probably not a good idea.

Hi there carolbee, Well, here's my thoughts on the subject. They say that it's perfectly fine today to do such things, and that the baby's immune system is stronger than we think. I, on the other hand, don't really agree with everything that has changed over the years. I remember when children couldn't visit unless they were 14 years old and over, because they carry so many germs, etc. I would have waited with the children until the baby came home and when the new mom felt comfortable enough to have children visit, but that's me. I would not want to be the one to have been the cause of the baby getting sick...I would just crawl in a hole and never forgive myself. I guess it's just a matter of choice today....but my choice would definitely be NO.

Hi Carolbee, I am with you on that one, I don't think you kids should be there as the new mother needs peace and quiet, also the new born baby, kids will make a lot of noise and other patients don't need it too. Tamara

I think its fine to take other peoples kids to the hospital. A lot of peoples friends kids are like your own and its good to share in the excitement of sharing a new life. You have not right to tell your own daughter who she can and can't come see her in the hospital. I had my husband siblings come and they are all form the age of 18 at the time down to 7 years old. I wouldn't have mind my 3 year old nephew coming either. I had told them before hand who could and could hold the baby but they where all welcome to come and see and touch the baby. Its new for a lot of little kids seeing a baby. Nothing wrong with it. If my friends wanted to bring there kids I would be more then okay with it. Depending on the age they might get to hold the baby or they just might get to touch the baby while they sit down next to an adult. Long as everyone washes there hands for the first few day of my baby's life I'm cool with that.