preventing germs in a newborn

I have to take my newborn (born last Fri) to the hospital for a kidney ultrasound (the ped recommended I go to Winthrop because they have pediatric radiologists on staff). I didn't realize I have to go through admitting and all that stuff (thought it was separate to the hospital. I just called to make an appt. I am very nervous about taking a newborn through a hospital - any suggestions on preventing germs with him. Thanks in advance!

Re: preventing germs in a newborn

I think it's fine as long as you have the baby in his/her car seat in the stroller with a blanket over. No one will go to the baby to touch them or breathe on them. Just sit and wait away from others if it makes you feel better. I think it'll be fine.

preventing germs in a newborn

I would call them ahead of time and explain the situation and see how they can accommodate you. Maybe you can do most of the admin stuff over the phone ahead of time and maybe they can have you wait in a separate area.

I would also keep the baby in their stroller with a cover over it.

preventing germs in a newborn

Don't newborns have a decent amount of antibodies the first few weeks passed from the mother? I think between that and keeping him in the infant seat covered should be fine.

My DD had to go for several blood tests in the hospital the first few weeks of her life and she was ok.

Re: preventing germs in a newborn

Thanks all, that's what I thought...just being a nervous new mom especially with his diagnosis!

preventing germs in a newborn

What I did when DD was a newborn in flu season and I had to bring her to the dr was ask if they can put me in a separate room as soon as I got there. If they couldn't accommodate me with a separate room I would tell them I was waiting in my car and have them call my cell when they were ready for me to come.

Most of the time they were able to put me in a room right away. In my peds office they don't have a separate "sick" room, so they have all the healthy kids mixed in with the sick kids which I don't like

preventing germs in a newborn

Any time I took DD to a doctor's office in the first week or two we were always put into a room immediately. I wouldn't have even thought to ask but two peds and an orthopedist all whisked us into a room as soon as we got there. I would ask if needed. I also had to take DD back to the hospital to repeat her blood work and I just kept her in the carseat in the stroller and it was fine. Nobody went near her.