New mom makes PPT for all family and friends for meeting the baby, sparking debate
The mother wrote they shared the presentation with people who were important to them before their child was born and some weren't happy with it.
It is challenging to be a first-time parent and once the child comes home from the hospital, friends and family are in a hurry to meet the newborn, making parents even more anxious. To keep their baby safe from unwanted illnesses, a couple created a PowerPoint beforehand to brief the family about the dos and don'ts once their child is born. A 27-year-old stay-at-home mom, Kirsten—who goes by @irefusetorot on TikTok—shared the presentation. However, people on the platform were not very pleased with the rules listed by the mom.
The introduction page to the presentation was titled, "Countdown to baby Ezra! Welcoming him as a family!" The caption read, "My partner and I came up with this together. We presented it in a group setting at a Carne Asada with all the important people there. This showcased our rules and expectations before the baby was born." It then talked about some reminders to visit the baby. It started with, "These rules and expectations apply to anyone and everyone who will be visiting us and Ezra." Then, said that the safety and well-being of the baby came first.
The following page was titled, "No kissing - anywhere!" It then talked about how the baby's immune system would still be developing, which wasn't strong enough to fight off "big" germs. So, the transmission of HSV (Herpes Simplex Virus) and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) could be deadly for the child. The next slide focused on hand washing. The first point read, "Everyone must wash their hands with soap and water when coming over, even if they aren't going to hold the baby." Later, they stated that if someone was holding the baby, they should wash their hands again.
In the next slide, the parents emphasized baby Ezra would born in peak cold/flu season, so anyone visiting should wear masks. "If you are sick in any way shape or form, do not come over to visit us and the baby. You will be asked to leave if we hear anything that could indicate sickness," they added. They also mentioned that if anyone has COVID-19, they would have to wait for two weeks before coming over to see us and must "test negative." The following page was something that everyone might not have been comfortable with. It said, "Whoever will be visiting us and the baby will need: up-to-date T-DAP vaccine and current season flu shot before October." They said the ones who didn't take these vaccines could not meet baby Ezra until cold and flu season was over.
The following slide was titled: "Expectations" and stated they wouldn't attend any public gatherings or holidays until the child had four months of vaccinations. They said, "Only mommy or daddy will change his diaper unless we ask for help." They also requested not to use flash while taking baby pictures and not to wear strong-scented perfumes or lotions while holding the baby. The next page was the most important one and spoke about visitors to the hospital. Also, they would have visitors at the hospital, but the ones who took their vaccinations and wore masks. The visitation time was 20 minutes per group and two people at a time. "After we get home from the hospital, no visitors for eight weeks while we bond with the baby and develop a routine with him," the parents emphasized.
They mentioned more reminders for the visitors, including sitting while holding the baby, not shaking the baby, and giving it back to the parents as soon as he started to cry. Most importantly, to step out of the room if the mother was breastfeeding. In the second-last slide, they mentioned the "key takeaways." It said people should not show up randomly at the hospital. The couple would call them to visit the hospital. The last point they stated was, "Please follow what we want as the parents of Ezra. Respect our wishes. Most importantly, let us be first-time parents."
The mother in the last slide mentioned, "Don't be afraid to advocate for your baby's health and your family's happiness. Do what feels right for you and your family. This is what worked best for us." People in the comments were unhappy with their presentation. @not_thefather0 commented, "People will do stuff like this and then scream about not having a village." @laurenashleighj66 expressed, "The way I'd meet this baby at its first birthday because that's way too much." @timothy153184 said, "These are more rules than visiting someone in ICU I'd just say forget it. Lol." @clairevatch shared, "I think most rules make sense, but sometimes the way we deliver things can push our loved ones away." @allisonthedino wrote, "We set boundaries with our newborns, but a whole PowerPoint presentation is wild."
You can follow Kirsten (@irefusetorot) on TikTok for more family content.
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