New Moms Get Different Kind of Mother’s Day

COVID-19 Prompts Changes to Wheeling Hospital’s Labor and Delivery

WHEELING -- Becoming a new mother could be one of the most exciting moments in a woman's life, and there are usually plenty of family members visiting the hospital to see the new baby and offer support to mom.

But the COVID-19 outbreak has changed some of that by prompting new visitation restrictions in Wheeling Hospital's Labor and Delivery and Women's Services department.

"We know it's a time of celebration," said Wendy Cook, nurse manager of the department. "Families love to get together and come to the hospital and see this new baby. We've experienced just a lot of positive feedback from our moms and dads, but we do limit (visitation)."

Cook said they currently permit only one visitor per day with each patient.

"Traditionally, it's typically dad, but it can be any supportive person. ... I think the hard thing is siblings can't come in (to visit) now. So that's been our biggest change, and it's all for the safety of our moms and babies," she said.

Even so, the changes have been met with a lot of positive feedback, Cook said.

"As you can imagine our floor is usually very busy with visitors coming to see mom and new baby, and that's probably our biggest change," Cook said.

Overall, Cook said patients and families have been extremely understanding and appreciative of the new rules that have been put in place as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

"They have been fantastic about it," Cook said.

She said the support person is still provided the opportunity to be in the room during the actual delivery. "It's great for them to have that (supportive person)."

Cook said their department has implemented a number of new ideas as a way to support the patients and their families throughout the patient's stay at the hospital. She said visitors must wear masks. She said the hospital will provide a mask for visitors if they don't have one.

She added that the support person is offered free meals during their visit as a way to help limit their travels in and out of the hospital to get meals. They also are providing iPads to offer face timing opportunities with extended family and friends.

In addition, because they are currently unable to provide their traditional classroom setting, Cook said they are now live streaming several of their education classes, including newborn, breastfeeding and childbirth education classes to help keep the staff "connected" with their families. She said they've had a tremendous response as a result of the live streaming opportunities. She said they are also in the process of creating a "virtual tour" of their labor and delivery department.

"So our families can log onto the website and see what the labor rooms or the birthing rooms look like and the nursery and postpartum rooms," Cook explained.

Traditionally, the hospital has provided expectant mothers and families of walking tours of the department, but are unable to now because of the ongoing pandemic.

She said overall people understand the obstacles the department is faced with as they navigate through new challenges associated with pandemic.

With Mother's Day weekend happening, each new mother will receive gerbera daisies for Mother's Day, Cook said.

"People understand our efforts and what we're doing and they have really been great about it," she said.