As much as I'm open to visitors while I'm in hospital, I've realised I do not want a lot of people visiting me at home in the first week or so after Cookie's born. I'm sure we'll all need some sleep, and time to bond with each other.
I read somewhere - it might have been here, might have been a book - that the best (and most cowardly ) way to send people away is to stick a sign on the front door pretty much saying "thanks but no thanks"... But I don't really know how I'd word a sign like that. Everything I come up with comes out rude or nonsensical to anyone but me. I know I want to leave a couple of pens and some paper so people can leave messages at least...
I'd get Scott to just send people away, but what if he wants some sleep himself, or he's not home? Plus the doorbell might wake us up if we're sleeping. AND I have a lot of family who would just barge in if the door was open and say they'll "just wait until the baby's awake"
"We're all having a much needed sleep right now, thanks for calling past - please let us know you were here and we'll let you know a more appropriate time" or something to that effect. Then disconnect the doorbell!
Or you could invite everyone you're worried about for a day on the weekend once you've been home for a week or so?
How about when you tell people about cookie arriving you can send a text or put on facebook or in an announcement "friends and family please feel free to pop by for a short visit while we are in hospital but once we head home we'd love a few days as a new family to bond in our own environment"
Yeah I'd just do what others have said. End of text add that you'll let people know when you're ready for visitors, and a sign along the lines of, "Thanks for coming by, but as you can understand Scott and I are using these first few weeks to learn how to be parents, and Cookie is learning how to be an earthside baby We'll let you know when we are all ready for visitors. Looking forward to seeing you then!"
I would let ppl know by sms also .. I'm not to sure about the note on the door idea.. I would think ppl will manners would call first to check if its a good time.. also I wouldn't stress about this to much atm as you may change your mind later on when bubs is here anyway...we stressed heaps before hand we did tell a couple of ppl before the birth that we would let them know when we were ready for visitors..glgl
We told people via sms that we would be in touch when we were ready for visitors and no one listened it ended up the midwives would say to them 'just a quick visit' and the person would come into me cranky as all get out and them I would have to listen to the crap about it and I would feel terrible. If I'd had my time over and its very hard when you are so excited, I wouldnt text anyone until the following day. Sounds rude but I never even got to establish feeding DD before people were on top of me! Needless to say we have major hurdles! Maybe you could say something before in the text or in person, that you need time to bond as a family and would like the space?? Or tell everyone you have just taken up that religion where no one sees the baby for 40 days As for a sign at home I would write 'Shhhh, we are all sleeping. Hope to catch up soon, please leave us a message and we will be in touch when we have settled a little'.
We made it perfectly clear to everyone that they could visit us as much as they wanted while in hospital but as soon as we got home we were having a 2wk ban from ANY visitors so we could get use to our new bub, rest and also get use to being a family! We did it with DD2 also and no one minded, they all understood! we also said that if we wanted we would go visiting! it worked out really well!
Maybe set up a time or ask people to sms or call and leave a message to arrange a time to come and catch up. I would be asking people not to come over unannounced now before bub is born so people realize it is what you want rather then finding out afterwards..
i had a HORRIBLE time in the first 2 weeks. we were completely overwhelmed with visitors every day. i was so upset cos i couldnt seem to get into a routine of feeding/sleeping etc cos there was always someone there. We ended up sending a sms or email or fb message etc to everyone we knew (that would visit) that we were holding off on visitors for 1 whole week. it worked! everyone was understanding. i even got less phone calls as they seemed to get that we needed a break. Good luck!!
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Sending visitors away during babymoon?
) way to send people away is to stick a sign on the front door pretty much saying "thanks but no thanks"... But I don't really know how I'd word a sign like that. Everything I come up with comes out rude or nonsensical to anyone but me. I know I want to leave a couple of pens and some paper so people can leave messages at least...
SIL & BIL also specified how long before visitors but if you weren't sure then i'd go with the 'we'll let you know' approach
it ended up the midwives would say to them 'just a quick visit' and the person would come into me cranky as all get out and them I would have to listen to the crap about it and I would feel terrible. If I'd had my time over and its very hard when you are so excited, I wouldnt text anyone until the following day. Sounds rude but I never even got to establish feeding DD before people were on top of me! Needless to say we have major hurdles! Maybe you could say something before in the text or in person, that you need time to bond as a family and would like the space?? Or tell everyone you have just taken up that religion where no one sees the baby for 40 days
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