As hospitals navigate supporting people with Covid 19, their policies are subject to change and can be hard to keep track of. Below is the latest information on policies for hospitals in Seattle. Last updated - October 12th 2022 (except Overlake which is hard to find current information on)
Swedish First Hill, Edmonds and Issaquah
Birthing people who do not have Covid, are permitted two support people and, if you have one, a doula per day. For postpartum, you may have one support person. This is subject to change depending on the Covid phase the hospital is operating at and is accurate for Phase 3 on 10/12/22. You may call labor and delivery to find out the current phase.
Your support people must be over the age of 18 unless the other parent of the baby is under 18.
The birthing person and their support person will be screened for Covid 19 symptoms on entry to the hospital. Your support people and doula must be free of Covid 19 symptoms to be allowed to enter. If you are having a scheduled induction or scheduled cesarean, you will be tested for Covid in the days leading up to admittance.
After you enter the birthing room, your support people may leave and return twice daily. Doulas may leave and return for essential activities. Ensure that you bring everything into the room that you will need when you arrive at the hospital. Nurses will refill water bottles for you and in-room food services are available during daytime hours but bring food and snacks for yourself and your partner for the nighttime hours. You may also order food from outside the hospital and your nurse will pick it up from the hospital lobby for you.
If the birthing person has presumed or confirmed Covid 19 at the time of labor, they should call their medical provider before heading to the hospital. A birthing person with suspected or confirmed Covid 19, may bring one Covid negative support person with them but no doula unless the doula is their only support person.
POSTPARTUM - On the postpartum floor, only one support person is permitted. This person will not be able to switch out. Aside from that person, no visitors are permitted in postpartum. This includes siblings of the baby.
NICU - One parent of the baby plus one other person are permitted.
Your support people must be over the age of 18 unless the other parent of the baby is under 18.
The birthing person and their support person will be screened for Covid 19 symptoms on entry to the hospital. Your support people and doula must be free of Covid 19 symptoms to be allowed to enter. If you are having a scheduled induction or scheduled cesarean, you will be tested for Covid in the days leading up to admittance.
After you enter the birthing room, your support people may leave and return twice daily. Doulas may leave and return for essential activities. Ensure that you bring everything into the room that you will need when you arrive at the hospital. Nurses will refill water bottles for you and in-room food services are available during daytime hours but bring food and snacks for yourself and your partner for the nighttime hours. You may also order food from outside the hospital and your nurse will pick it up from the hospital lobby for you.
If the birthing person has presumed or confirmed Covid 19 at the time of labor, they should call their medical provider before heading to the hospital. A birthing person with suspected or confirmed Covid 19, may bring one Covid negative support person with them but no doula unless the doula is their only support person.
POSTPARTUM - On the postpartum floor, only one support person is permitted. This person will not be able to switch out. Aside from that person, no visitors are permitted in postpartum. This includes siblings of the baby.
NICU - One parent of the baby plus one other person are permitted.
UW Medical Center & Northwest Hospital
Birthing people are permitted two support people. If you have a doula, they are counted as one of your support people.
Your support person must be free of Covid 19 symptoms to be allowed to enter.
Ensure that you bring everything into the room that you will need when you arrive at the hospital. Nurses will refill water bottles for you and in-room food services are available during daytime hours but bring food and snacks for yourself and your partner for the nighttime hours.
If the birthing person has presumed or confirmed Covid 19 at the time of labor, they should call their medical provider before heading to the hospital. All people birthing at UW or NW receive a Covid test.
NICU - One parent of the baby plus one other person are permitted. The other person must remain in the room for the entire visit. (ie they may not run to the car and then re-enter).
Your support person must be free of Covid 19 symptoms to be allowed to enter.
Ensure that you bring everything into the room that you will need when you arrive at the hospital. Nurses will refill water bottles for you and in-room food services are available during daytime hours but bring food and snacks for yourself and your partner for the nighttime hours.
If the birthing person has presumed or confirmed Covid 19 at the time of labor, they should call their medical provider before heading to the hospital. All people birthing at UW or NW receive a Covid test.
NICU - One parent of the baby plus one other person are permitted. The other person must remain in the room for the entire visit. (ie they may not run to the car and then re-enter).
Overlake
Birthing people are permitted one support people of their choosing who may be a partner, family member or friend and one certified doula. You may not switch out support people. The support person (and doula), that you bring with you must be the only support people for the whole of your stay. This means your partner and mother cannot switch out with each other. Your doula should bring proof of certification. (Overlake briefly changed their policy to one support person and then reversed that to include a doula after public pressure.)
Your support people must be over the age of 18 unless the other parent of the baby is under 18.
The birthing person and their support people will be screened for Covid 19 on entry to the hospital. Your support person and doula must be free of Covid 19 symptoms to be allowed to enter.
If the birthing person has presumed or confirmed Covid 19 at the time of labor, they should call their medical provider before heading to the hospital.
NICU - Two wristbanded adults are permitted. This number includes the parents of the baby.
Your support people must be over the age of 18 unless the other parent of the baby is under 18.
The birthing person and their support people will be screened for Covid 19 on entry to the hospital. Your support person and doula must be free of Covid 19 symptoms to be allowed to enter.
If the birthing person has presumed or confirmed Covid 19 at the time of labor, they should call their medical provider before heading to the hospital.
NICU - Two wristbanded adults are permitted. This number includes the parents of the baby.
Evergreen
Birthing people are permitted two support people of their choosing who may be a partner, family member, friend or doula. Birthing people are only allowed one support person in triage.
Your support people must be over the age of 18 unless the other parent of the baby is under 18.
The birthing person and their support people will be screened for Covid 19 on entry to the hospital. Your support people must be free of Covid 19 symptoms to be allowed to enter.
If the birthing person has presumed or confirmed Covid 19 at the time of labor, they should call their medical provider before heading to the hospital.
NICU - Two visitors are permitted. At least one of these must be a parent of the baby. The visitor must remain in the room for the entire visit. (ie they may not run to the car and then re-enter).
Your support people must be over the age of 18 unless the other parent of the baby is under 18.
The birthing person and their support people will be screened for Covid 19 on entry to the hospital. Your support people must be free of Covid 19 symptoms to be allowed to enter.
If the birthing person has presumed or confirmed Covid 19 at the time of labor, they should call their medical provider before heading to the hospital.
NICU - Two visitors are permitted. At least one of these must be a parent of the baby. The visitor must remain in the room for the entire visit. (ie they may not run to the car and then re-enter).
Our clients say:
"A short perspective from a Dad's point of view: Emma was a phenomenal support to both my wife and I during both pregnancy and delivery. I credit the pre-birth conversations and tutorials for making us both feel more comfortable with what to expect, and how to prepare. And when the big day itself came, Emma was a champion. Emma was calm, collected, thoughtful and supportive throughout the process. She gave me great tips on how I could support my wife, in addition to directly helping with massage and other activities to ease the pains of the labor process. I think the thing that I appreciated most about having Emma there was I was able to discreetly ask questions about what was happening when the birth started to get a little dicey towards the end. Having her there allowed me to decrease my anxiety and get my questions answered without bothering the doctor or distracting my wife. And of course, that is to say nothing of the coaching and support that she gave my wife, which was also invaluable. All in all, we really, really appreciated having Emma's help with the birth of our first child" ~ Jacob