Coronavirus Latest: Parents Fear Newborn Twins 'Have Forgotten Us' After Not Seeing Daughters For 5 Weeks Due To Hospital's Restrictions
EAGLEVILLE, Pa. (CBS) -- The coronavirus pandemic has forced hospitals to make heartbreaking decisions about how to keep their tiniest patients safe. A Montgomery County hospital has banned visitors from entering their NICU, which includes parents and that's only heightening their anxiety.
"My fear is that they have forgotten us," Kendra Berry-Stankovich said.
It's been just about five weeks since Berry-Stankovich and her husband, Michael Stankovich, have seen their twin baby girls in person.
"It happened so fast. The first restriction came within the first three weeks of their life," she said.
Danica and Quinnlyn were born on Feb. 20 at Einstein Medical Center Montgomery. They were early at 31 weeks.
"They actually transferred them down to Pennsylvania Hospital," Berry-Stankovich said.
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The twins were then returned to Einstein Montgomery, closer to the family's Eagleville home, but the every day NICU visits lasted just a week-and-a-half because COVID-19 had just gripped the region.
"They called us and told us that we couldn't come back, that the hospital has been on full lockdown," Berry-Stankovich said.
That call came on March 13. Berry-Stankovich and Stankovich have not been given access to their girls since.
"The nurses have been wonderful," Berry-Stankovich said. "They FaceTime with us when they can. They send us pictures."
The crucial skin to skin contact, though, has not been able to happen.
"I said I still want to nurse, can I still come in? And they said, 'No, you are going to have to pump from home and bring the milk in and drop it off,'" Berry-Stankovich said.
It's a reality that they couldn't have foreseen but that they want other expectant parents to be prepared for -- just in case.
"I feel bad for our older kids too because they haven't been able to see the girls yet," Stankovich said.
These parents encourage others to advocate for themselves and for their babies to help get them home as soon as possible.
"They'll be two months on Monday," Berry-Stankovich said.
Berry-Stankovich and Stankovich have not been given an exact date of when their babies will be able to come home, but they're hopeful it is now days instead of weeks.
CBS3 has reached out to Einstein Montgomery for details regarding their updated intensive care visitor policy and has not been provided that information.
