Mum divides the internet after suggesting dads should be allowed to stay in the maternity ward.
Internet divided over suggestion dads should stay in maternity wards
Author, Annie Ridout, said it is “outrageous” that partners can’t stay over in the maternity ward as dads “need to bond too”.
Turning to Twitter to share her frustrations she wrote, “My local hospital doesn’t allow partners to stay on postnatal ward after their baby has been born. I think this is outrageous – unfair on the mother; unfair on the father, who’s being made to feel unimportant. He needs to bond too.”
Her post attracted lots of support with hundreds of comments and stories from other parents.
Not everyone agreed though, with some mums arguing having men in their maternity ward was disruptive and not peaceful for them and their baby at all.
One even said, “It sounds like a good thing, but after I had someone’s threatening partner staying next to me whilst bed-bound, I changed my mind.”
Another replied, “I wished that partners hadn’t been allowed to stay as I got so little sleep due to the loudest snoring husband in my ward.”
“Hospitals aren’t hotels. It’s one or two nights out of your life. A good dad will bond whatever, doing the first nappy change makes no difference,” said another.
Another shared, “you have to consider that a) not everyone has a loving partner and b) it’s a vulnerable time for women giving birth who may have experienced trauma. Partners also not requiring medical care. Please consider the wider issues outside of ‘I want’.”
My local hospital doesn’t allow partners to stay on postnatal ward after their baby has been born. I think this is outrageous – unfair on the mother; unfair on the father, who’s being made to feel unimportant. He needs to bond too. Do other UK hospitals have this rule?
— Annie Ridout (@annieridout) April 29, 2019
One dad shared his views saying, “I’ve experienced it this week. My son was born on 22/04 and was discharged on 01/05. I missed out on over a week of bonding with him in the evenings. Staff shortages often prevented my partner from basic care and it was awful not being allowed in there to help them both.”
A survey conducted by Fathers Network Scotland and the Fatherhood Institute found that only 17% of dads said their hospital had facilities for fathers to stay overnight.
Did your partner stay in the maternity unit with you?
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