Expecting Mothers Faced With Hospital Restrictions Due To Coronavirus Worries

MURRAY, Utah – The birth of a child is undoubtedly one of the happiest days in many women’s lives. However, with the spread of COVID-19, safety measures and regulations are changing what happens when these mothers-to-be show up at the hospital.

Before the pandemic began, mothers could have several support people in the delivery room – even whole families. As of Friday evening, they are only allowed one person, and that person has to be perfectly healthy.

Speaking from her hospital bed at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Jen Lloyd was all smiles.

“Look at these chubby cheeks,” she said showing off her new daughter, Winter, via video chat.

Expectant mothers are getting creative to include family members in the process. As of right now, @Intermountain is only allowing ONE support person at birth. #ksltv @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/mxRwMJQuHE

— Ashley Kewish (@ashleykewish) March 27, 2020

Winter is one of Utah’s newest residents.

“She was born at 9 p.m. Thursday and weighed in at nine pounds, 13 ounces,” Lloyd said.

Winter was born during a time of uncertainty in the world, but she was born healthy and with zero complications.

Lloyd, now a mother of four, said the weeks leading up to her daughter’s birth weren’t full of nesting and getting the house prepared, but full of confusion and concern.

“In fact, my doctor went out of the country and had to be quarantined for 14 days,” she said.

However, the thought that bothered her the most was if her husband would be allowed by her side during the birth — something that’s already happening in places like New York City.

“It’s just the unknown because I’ve watched more and more restrictions go into place,” she said.

Originally, Lloyd was told she would be allowed to have two support people.

“Then within a week they told me I could only have one and that visitor had to be completely healthy,” she said.

Normally not an issue, but what if that support person has something as simple as a runny nose?

“(My husband and I) were in the car I told him if he needed to clear his throat or anything he should do it now,” she said.

Her husband, Nick, fortunately passed the screening to get into the hospital.

“The thought of maybe not being able to be there for the birth of my child was really nerve-wracking,” said Nick Lloyd. “I’ve had to blow my nose once since I got here and I went into the bathroom, closed the door and had to be really quiet about it.”

Although it’s been tough not having any other family around this mother is grateful for a little ‘Winter’ in early spring.

KSL TV reached out to Intermountain Healthcare regarding the regulations in place.

“Our number one priority is the protection of these little babies, our new moms and our caregivers,” said Dr. Lexi Eller.

Intermountain plans to not make any changes to the ‘one support person rule’ through the weekend.

“I want women to know that the hospital is safe,” said Eller. “I know it’s hard to think of only having one support person but we’re living in a time where we have to be adaptable.”

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Coronavirus Resources

• Have you or a family member been affected by coronavirus issues in Utah? KSL TV wants to hear from you. Contact KSL by emailing social@ksl.com.
• What is COVID-19? Here’s What You Need To Know To Stay Healthy
• What We Know And Don’t Know About The Coronavirus
• Four Common Coronavirus Questions Answered
• The latest coronavirus stories from KSL TV can be found at our Staying Safe: Coronavirus section.
• Your Life Your Health: How can parents prepare their home, children against coronavirus?

How Do I Prevent It?

The CDC has some simple recommendations, most of which are the same for preventing other respiratory illnesses or the flu:

• Avoid close contact with people who may be sick
• Avoid touching your face
• Stay home when you are sick
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. Always wash your hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

The CDC does not recommend wearing a face mask respirator to protect yourself from coronavirus unless a healthcare professional recommends it.

How To Get Help

If you’re worried you may have COVID-19, you can contact the Utah Coronavirus Information Line at 1-800-456-7707 to speak to trained healthcare professionals. You can also use telehealth services through your healthcare providers.

Additional Resources

If you see evidence of PRICE GOUGING, the Utah Attorney General’s Office wants you to report it. Common items in question include toilet paper, water, hand sanitizer, certain household cleaners, and even cold medicine and baby formula. Authorities are asking anyone who sees price gouging to report it to the Utah Division of Consumer Protection at 801-530-6601 or 800-721-7233. The division can also be reached by email at consumerprotection@utah.gov.