Did you let your toddler visit??

[Rickles]

I'm having a c-section this time and I've been told I'll probably be in for 2 nights. Our plan is for DD to attend nursery as usual and OH will do the bedtime routine etc. She will be 2y and 4 months when baby arrives.

It will kill me not to see her, but I am worried that if she comes to hospital and then has to leave without me she will find that really traumatic (we're very close - her Daddy travels quite a bit with work). So I am thinking she shouldn't come in...

My Mum says I'm over-thinking it, she'll be fine and it's better she sees me for an hour or so rather than not - what did you all do??

 

[babybaker2011]

My DD1 was 2 years and 2 months when I had DD2 and I missed her like crazy when I was having DD2, but I didn't have her come to the hospital at all - for the same reason that you stated. She's a mommy's girl and her leaving the hospital without me would've been too devastating for her. I couldn't do it. She was fine when I came home. She gave me a big hug and was not at all affected by my absence. Go with your gut instinct, you know your child best.

 

[jenmcn1]

My son was just turning 3 at the time of his sisters birth. It was hard more for me than it was for my son. I hated being away from him, and at that point it had been the longest we'd been away from each other. (5 days).
However it wasn't hard on him because he still had his normal routine at home. I wrote out clear instructions for my mom in his routine etc. and the transition wasn't too bad. It sounds like your daughter will do great, since she will still be in preschool and your husband will do the night time routine with her. As long as she has something 'predictable' and familiar she should be ok. Like I said it will be more emotional for you. Not easy being away from our babies my daughter is almost 2 and VERY attached to me, even more than my son, and I had to leave her for 3 days back in January, and she was totally fine! I was actually quite surprised. Distraction helps hugs momma

 

[Lady_Bee]

My DS1 was 25 months when DS2 appeared and yes I did have him visit me in the hospital. I was there 4 days and he visited every day with his granny and grandad. He was absolutely fine, but if you don't think your daughter will be able to handle it, it would definitely be best to have her stay home and avoid unnecessary stress for you both.

 

[SillyMoo1983]

I had this experience just 2 weeks ago. I had my section on the Tuesday and she visited the day after. She's 2 yrs 9 months. She didn't really seemed too upset about leaving me in hospital. Her daddy took her back to the car as she stayed with my mum and dad for the whole hospital stay. She did sit on my bed and glanced at the baby but there was so much going on she just wanted to wander off and see what she was missing! She had more fun in the play room off the ward but kept popping back.

 

[emsie_123]

My little girl is 2 and she came to visit me both days (second we left together). She was happy to see us both but got bored after an hour and felt that a juice and cake in th3 cafe sounded great before going home with daddy. I told her I will be homebafter 1 sleep and she was just fine.

 

[x__amour]

Our DD stayed with us the entire 5 day stay but if she didn't I definitely would want her to visit. I felt so sad when she had to leave for the surgery!

 

[Joeyzgirl]

This is a great question as i never even thought about not having DD2 visit. I am in this situation as well, she is very attached to me, but I think, even with that said I want to have her visit. With DD1, she was 4 and used to spending time away from us staying with her aunt or grandma, so there was no drama, just the question, where we eating on the way home? With DD2 i'm sure she will cry but the second she's distracted and away from me, she will be fine. Nothing will be the same once we're home anyway, our attention will be divided even more, she may as well see it firsthand as soon as possible.

 

[Rosie06]

I was only in 24hours this time, she went to nursery on the afternoon my mum picked her up and brought her straight to the hospital we told her she would be the very 1st person to meet her baby brother and she could show him off, theres no way i would of been able to go 24 hours without seeing her and vice versa, we bought a "big sister book a couple months prev and read it to her alot and explained how thats what will happen when mummy goes to hospital and she would have sllepover at grandmas, she enjoyed it when eveyone came to visit and she got to tell everyone who her baby brother was and she actually after 2hours asked to go to grandmas for her sleepover!
having said all that you know your daughter better than anyone and if you think it would upset her too much then dont let her visit x

 

[Mrs Doddy]

Dd is 3 1/2 - she came in and was really happy until she had to go - she was in bits it broke my heart I pushed to go home after that