You have a baby on the way, and that is wonderful – congratulations on this exciting time in your life!


The safety of our new mothers and their babies is an important priority for our Childbirth Program. We want to ensure the new family is safe and healthy, and that our staff who care for them are safe as well.


Masks are encouraged but not required on the Childbirth Unit, except during Caesarean Section, delivery, or unless otherwise stated. For more information about masking, please click here.


Firstly, please know that our Childbirth Program is in a separate wing, and – like the rest of our hospital – is cleaned thoroughly, and often.


To ensure everyone’s safety, we have put the following policies in place. However, please understand, these restrictions may change. Please check back regularly and prior to coming into the hospital.

 

 

Visitors to the Mother Baby Unit (Post Partum)

Visiting hours: 2:00-8:00 p.m.
Maximum two adults at the bedside at a time, in addition to siblings of the newborn.
No children other than siblings of the newborn are allowed.

Read more 

 

Visiting Policy in Childbirth Triage and the Birth Unit

    • If you are coming into the hospital for an appointment or to be assessed, only your essential care partner can come in with you.
    • All patients and their designated essential care partner and support person should self-screen for symptoms.
    • You are permitted one other designated support person with you during labour (e.g. a doula or second support person). The second support person MUST be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as they are considered a visitor and not essential. A designated support person who is displaying any symptoms of illness related to COVID-19 will not be permitted into the hospital or may be asked to leave if symptoms start while here.
    • Your second designated support person cannot be exchanged with another person. The nurses and physicians will let you know when you can call your second support person to come in. Only your essential care provider is permitted if you are scheduled for an elective Caesarean Section.
    • Meal trays are provided only for patients. Your support person(s) should bring food, snacks, clothes, etc. that are needed for the duration of your stay to minimize traffic throughout the hospital. Tim Hortons and the cafeteria are still available as food options but have restricted hours.
    • As a patient, if you have symptoms of COVID-19 you will be required to wear a mask and you will be placed on isolation. If isolation is required, you are permitted one essential care partner only. Your essential care partner will be isolated with you, be required to wear the appropriate protective equipment, and must be prepared to stay in the delivery room with you. For patients that require isolation, meal trays will be provided for your essential care partner as well.

 

Visiting Policy on the Mother Baby Unit (Post Partum)

    • On the Mother Baby Unit, mothers and babies who are well will be permitted only one essential care partner who will stay with you for most of the time. An essential care partner is permitted to leave and return from the hospital as needed. You can expect to stay between 36 to 72 hours after delivery.
    • Visiting hours are from 2pm to 8pm daily. During visiting hours, in addition to your essential care partner, a maximum of two adult visitors at the bedside at a time are permitted. In addition to the two adult visitors at the bedside, siblings of the newborn are permitted. No children under the age of 14 are allowed to visit, except for siblings of the baby. Be mindful that in a shared room, other patients may have essential care partners and a visiting second support person as well. Please keep noise levels to a minimum to respect your roommates.
    • A baby of a presumed or confirmed positive COVID-19 mother will stay in the room with the mother, if both the baby and mom are well. Mom should wear a medical mask and perform hand hygiene when feeding or handling baby. You must have a healthy support person present to help care for your baby for the duration of the stay. Only the essential care partner is permitted.
    • For babies requiring a follow-up appointment in our clinics (Jaundice or Breastfeeding), two parent(s)/caregiver(s) may accompany the baby. If the baby requires admission for treatment, both parent(s)/caregiver(s) are permitted to stay with baby.

 

Visiting Policy in Special Care Nursery (SCN)

    • Visiting in the SCN can include parents (or the two people assigned to wear baby bracelets) and grandparents.
    • For parents coming in from home (or the two people assigned to wear the baby bracelets) and baby still admitted to SCN, there is no time restriction for how long the parent(s)/care partners can stay once here.
    • Grandparents may visit between the hours of 2pm and 8pm. One grandparent is permitted at the bedside in the SCN at a time and must be accompanied by a parent or support person wearing a band.
    • All parents/care partners/grandparents must screen negative for COVID symptoms, wear a medical mask at all times and perform routine hand hygiene. To keep our babies safe and well, parents who fail the COVID screening process will not be permitted to visit in the SCN. Grandparents with COVID symptoms will not be permitted to visit.
    • Babies requiring admission to the Special Care Nursery, and whose mother is presumed or confirmed positive, will be isolated. Visiting restrictions for the isolated baby may vary. Please check with your health care team.

 


Rest assured, you and your baby remain our priority.


Thank you.

 

The Childbirth Program & QCH

December 22, 2023