Children allowed in labour ward??

[ashti]

Hi
My husband is in the forces and away a lot at the min and my parents live about 45 mins away. If I go into labour and my husband is hours away can I take my 4 year old with me to maternity ward until my parents arrive?

 

[MindUtopia]

My understanding in the UK is that children are allowed in the assessment rooms (like on the ward if you are admitted and waiting for an induction, but not in labour) during visiting hours and then again after baby has arrived, but not during labour if you've about been admitted to the labour ward itself (where you'd have your baby, not where you might be admitted before and after). Any chance your parents can just meet you at your house when you are in very early labour and then you could go in after? We have the same problem in that next time if I need to go into hospital (planning a home birth with my daughter there with us, but if I needed to transfer), we would have no one to watch our daughter so my husband would have to stay home. Our closest family is about 1.5 hours away and all our close friends nearby also have children, so unlikely to be able to meet us somewhere in the middle of the night or take off work if it's the middle of the day. But if it's not an emergency situation, and they could get there within an hour or two of the first sign of labour, more than likely you'd be fine staying at home and then having them drive you in.

 

[wamommy]

My DD was in the labor room when I delivered my second. She was only 18 months old and DH was holding her... We didn't have any other option, since my labor was SO short. I did have DH though. I don't know what I would have done if I'd gone into labor alone with DD! Can you call the hospital and ask one of the L&D nurses?

 

[Pearls18]

If you're in the UK and really stuck to the point you don't have local friends that could help you could contact SSAFA or welfare before hand to try and plan out possibilities, they may be able to have someone on call to help.

 

[Eleanor ace]

I asked about this when I was expecting my 2nd and was told that I could take DS to the hospital and he could be with me on the assessment room but couldn't go to L&D. If you're in the UK speak to your MW or HV about the situation, they should be able to advise on people who can sit with your LO in an emergency.