By: Faith Chen
KOROR, Palau — New parents at Belau National Hospital are voicing frustration over strict visiting hour limits in the obstetrics ward, saying the policy leaves mothers without needed support in the crucial first days after childbirth.
Visitation is limited to one hour each evening, from 6 to 7 p.m., a restriction first put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. For many parents, the short window has felt isolating.
“Why can’t we just stay by their side until release? That’s just stupid,” said a father with newborn baby. His partner, still recovering, said she was disappointed that her boyfriend could not stay longer to help her during her stay.
A first-time father described feeling helpless when he was unable to stay with his wife.
“I was a little scared, but when I saw how scared my wife was, I got more scared,” he said of his wife, who had to undergo a cesarean. “Sometimes when the ward is full and there are only two nurses on shift, she won’t get help. Family should be allowed to stay longer to support the new mom. I feel also that the time with my baby should be longer.”
Even mothers who gave birth years ago say the limits have long created challenges.
“The policy was in place even before COVID,” said a mother who delivered more than five years ago. “I felt alone most of the time and isolated from family. I did not have postpartum depression, but I felt sorry for the young mothers who needed the support most.”
Hospital response
Belau National Hospital defends the restrictions as necessary to protect newborns and recovering mothers from infection.
“The OB ward is very strict about limiting visitors because of sanitation concerns and the vulnerability of newborns to infections,” public health official Darnelle Worswick said. “Even the most well-meaning visitors can unknowingly carry bacteria and illnesses that threaten the delicate immune systems of newborn babies and recovering mothers.”
Worswick said the hospital hopes families will understand the risks and emphasized that reducing exposure is critical in the days after birth.
The hospital said it intends to keep the current policy in place, but community members are urging leaders to consider ways to support families without compromising safety.