Mother’s Choice

All visits should be planned around the new mom’s needs and preferences
At South Shore Hospital, our new mothers determine who visits and when.
 We call our visiting policy “Mother’s Choice.”

 To Our Visitors:

Our “Mother’s Choice” visiting policy supports a new mother’s individual preferences regarding visiting hours.  While our maternity staff welcomes family and friends, each new mother is able to determine if and when she wants to receive visitors based upon her own needs and desires.

 Often new mothers are exhausted, but too excited to sleep.  Many mothers may find themselves torn between wanting to entertain visitors and needing time to get rest or concentrate on feeding and learning to care for their new baby. 

 Our new mothers have the opportunity, in consultation with their nurses, to make a plan for their hospital stay that includes time for rest and recovery; support for infant care and feeding; new parent bonding; and for introducing the newest member of the family to extended family and friends.

 Our maternity concierge is located on the unit to assure that visitors respond to each mother’s preferences.  Please make sure that you know a new mom’s wishes before visiting.

While families are important to us, siblings may not visit without a responsible adult and are not allowed to stay overnight at the hospital to assure that mothers receive adequate rest during their stay.

Visiting is restricted in the NICU to visitors above the age of 16. The NICU reserves the right to limit sibling visits.

 To Our New Mothers:

Our “Mother’s Choice’” visiting policy is based upon your personal needs and wishes.  Our maternity center staff will honor both your need for rest and privacy and your desire to share your joy with those close to you.

 We encourage you to prioritize your preferences during the first few hours of your baby’s life.  Please share your desires regarding visitors with our maternity center staff, as well as with your family and friends.  We will do our best to meet your requests.

 We offer a maternity concierge service – available from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. – to assure that your visiting preferences are respected.  You should call the concierge desk with your daily visiting requests.  You may request that no visitors be allowed during a designated time or ask that the concierge call you when visitors arrive. 
For visits that are declined, we will provide the opportunity for the visitor to leave a brief note.  

 Family or visitors who have been exposed to or have manifestation of communicable diseases for which the newborn is at particular risk (cold sores, impetigo, rash, fever, active tuberculosis, acute respiratory disease, as well as vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly measles, mumps, whooping cough, chicken pox, and influenza) are not permitted to visit.

- Massachusetts Department of Public health Law 130.615.D

Tobacco-Free Environment

The use of tobacco and tobacco-like products is not allowed on South Shore Hospital properties, including buildings, grounds, parking lots/garages, or vehicles on hospital property. South Shore Hospital’s new tobacco-free environment policy will replace its current policy, which limits smoking and the use of tobacco and tobacco-like products to specially designated outdoor smoking areas.

Becoming tobacco-free supports our mission to protect the health and welfare of our colleagues, patients and visitors and serve as a model of good health promotion in the community.  South Shore Hospital is offering the “You CAN Quit” smoking cessation program to the public to help people stop smoking or using tobacco. Group and private sessions are available. For further information on the “You CAN Quit,” program, call 781-624-8904.