No hospital visit is happier than one to visit a new family. The following guidelines will help ensure your visit is as convenient and comfortable as possible.

During Labor and Delivery
During labor and delivery, the mother is allowed to have two people visit at a time (in addition to her primary support person). Big brothers and sisters are allowed in the LDR (labor/delivery/recovery room), if supervised at all times by an adult other than the patient or the support person. The visitors may take turns coming into the LDR, trading places with those in the Family Waiting Room provided at the entrance to the department.

Visitors may be asked to leave the LDR if complications are anticipated or develop.

Once the baby is born, other visitors may be allowed in the LDR, with the mother's permission. They can even hold the baby after washing their hands thoroughly.

After Baby Arrives
Once the mother has moved to the Mother/Baby Unit, she may choose to limit visitors or request privacy at any time to ensure proper rest and recovery.

Unless the mother has requested no visitors, the baby's siblings and grandparents can visit at any time. All other visitors to either the LDR or the Mother/Baby Unit must be age 12 or older, and stop by between 9 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Fathers are not considered visitors and may be with the mother and baby whenever possible.

No Time to Visit?
Don't worry! There are two convenient ways to let your friends and family know you're thinking of them at this happy time. You can send an eCard for free to any inpatient currently at Baptist Hospital East. Just complete a brief form and follow the instructions to send your message. Baptist eCards are delivered by volunteers within 24 hours of submission, Monday through Friday (except national holidays). eCards received after noon on Friday will not be delivered until the following Monday. To send an eCard, click here.

You can also send greetings to the new parents (and baby) through BabyNet, our online nursery. If the parents have chosen to post their baby's picture on BabyNet, you can send a special message to the family, creating a special keepsake for parents to print out and tuck in the baby book. Newborns' photos are placed on the Web site no later than 72 hours after the baby leaves the hospital, and remain posted for 60 days. To visit BabyNet, click here.