Coronavirus and visitors

[jenwren19]

Hi all,
I’m currently 29 weeks pregnant and due my first baby in July. I’ve been feeling quite anxious about this for a while now and wondered what other people’s opinions were.
Are there any boundaries or precautions you are planning to put in for family or friends who want to visit when baby is born regarding coronavirus?
I’m aware that cases are pretty low at the moment and the vaccination program has been successful so far but I’m feeling pretty cautious as more restrictions are eased and more people are mixing.
Is it fair to ask visitors to test before they come? Restrict their contacts a week before hand? Wear a mask? Not kiss baby? (I know it’s hard to tell what situation will be like in July but wanting to have clear boundaries set out to avoid having a freak out after visitors leave).
I also have a family member who is anti-mask, anti-vax and probably anti-testing so I know this will also cause some tension.
Help!! Not sure if I’m being over the top so would appreciate any input.
Thanks!

[takemetothelakes]

I would absolutely be ok with testing before I visited a new baby or anyone really. We have a supply of tests here just for that.
I'd also wear a mask if you asked.
I know some people would be outraged at the suggestion though.

I'm fairly relaxed now but still following the rules.

I think in your situation, I'd try and make as many visits as possible outdoors. Your baby is due in July so hopefully it'll be warm (but not too hot) and you can chill in the garden under a parasol.

I'm guessing you might not have have the vaccine and your baby won't have either so it's not unreasonable to be cautious.

Cases are low but it's still around and I know someone who tested positive last week.

[ER20]

I’m 36 weeks, my husband has had both vaccines (NHS), however I’m only 28 so haven’t and won’t have the first until June/July according to the online vaccine predictor so there’s also my health to consider too.

We have decided that our parents, siblings and close friends can visit providing they have had a negative lateral flow test and continue to test twice weekly using the free available tests.

They are all willing to do this & if they weren’t then sadly they would not be visiting.

It’s a hard balance between wanting your baby to meet those close but also keeping everyone safe.

I have a ‘please stay away my immune system isn’t strong enough for adult germs’ little hanging decor thing for his pram when we are out to prevent people getting too close.

First time mum anxieties, then in a pandemic, it’s very normal to be anxious about it - I am. I will have carried him for 40 weeks and have spent much of that in my house to keep us safe - my husband does the food shop, I haven’t been in a shop since before Christmas as whilst the risk doesn’t increase after 28 weeks, the implications do.

Do what you are comfortable with, if people genuinely care they will be willing to follow whatever you say you’re happy with. Xx

[thefishthatcouldwish]

Do as you feel comfortable.

Am almost 37 weeks. I will allow visitors but wouldn’t allow anti vaccine or conspiracy theorist to come near baby.

I have a selection of LF tests at home that I had from work pre WFH.

I will let family and friends etc cuddle baby but only if I know they have had vaccine.

[Yaty]

Had my first baby last year and was anxious about this stuff too. We limited visitors to close family only. Also asked people to wash their hands and wear a mask if they were wanting to hold the baby. No one had an issue with us asking and if they had I wouldn't have let them in or to hold the baby, you need to do what feels OK for you.

[Mummyof2Terrors]

Kissing babies is an absolut no no with or without Corona. The cold sore virus has killed small babies.

Your baby your boundaries. Number 2 joining us late June/early July and I won't be having volume of visitors, visitors so close after birth or spending as much time visiting as I hated every minute last time.

[AyyX]

Is it fair to ask visitors to test before they come? Restrict their contacts a week before hand? Wear a mask? Not kiss baby? (I know it’s hard to tell what situation will be like in July but wanting to have clear boundaries set out to avoid having a freak out after visitors leave).

I think it is fair to ask visitors to test before coming and if they’re unhappy about that then they can stay home because it’s yours and your baby’s health at risk.
I would definitely tell everyone not to kiss baby too, coronavirus or not.

Tbh it’s up to you what rules you want to set as it’s not just you who is at risk but your baby too. I’m sure people will understand.

I’m due soon and once baby is here, I will be asking everyone before hand if they’ve got any symptoms or even a tiny bit of a runny nose to not visit us because I recently caught a cold from a family member (they didn’t think it was serious and forgot to tell me) so my toddler and I caught the cold (Covid negative) and only just recovering now after weeks which is so annoying.

[HayB]

Not due until Sept but will defo be asking to hand sanitise as standard, NO KISSING BABY - EVER! And depending on who it is and case numbers, if people haven’t had both vaccines by then, possibly a mask.
Do what you need to keep you and your family safe and mind at ease. X

[SamT210]

My baby is due early July too. We've told family we won't be having visitors at all throughout the 2nd half of June as we can't risk catching covid and DH not being able to come to hospital with me. I think asking family members to test is perfectly understandable and I may actually implement this myself. As far as the anti-covid family member it's up to you, if they test negative before coming to visit would this make it okay to visit?

[kerbearr]

I'm due July, and going to allow close family in all my family and DP family will have had their 2nd injections by then, and are all fairly covid conscious. Friends I'm not too sure off they will have had their 1st injections by then and are all fairly covid conscious aswell but will depend if there out a lot in bars or what not I might allow them to visit but outside, everyone will have to sanitise and I haven't made my mind up about wearing masks yet, my step mum has cancer so I have to have caution for her safety too she hasn't been able to get the vaccine due to her treatment so I have to keep her in mind aswell I don't want to be putting her at risk.

[CoffeeMonkey]

I’m almost 37 weeks & feel the same as a lot of previous posters, close family & friends only and will ask for hand washing/ sanitising and also mask wearing as much as possible (unless we are outside - unlikely given the unpredictable British summer weather unless we get lucky!)

My sister has actually suggested that her & her partner will be doing the free lateral flow tests before visiting us and is encouraging other family members to do the same, so grateful to have someone else spreading the sensible word on my behalf!

We do have close family members who have not been strict with social distancing and regulations the whole way through the pandemic so am not happy with them visiting indoors, I know that will be a difficult conversation to have and may cause issues throughout the family but feel I need to think of baby & I as we won’t have been vaccinated yet.

[yahyahs22]

I had my baby last year and my family met him, kissed him cuddled him etc and I'm so glad I let them because he is now so sociable and happy when family baby sit. I know friends babys around the same age who are really suffering developmentally because they didn't make those decisions

[Tickly]

We had a baby last summer. No one but us has held our baby or kissed them and any visitors have remained outside and distant. Just because the rules say you can let them doesn't mean you have to or should. Since summer the rules haven't allowed us to either.

[sarah13xx]

I’m really not sure how it’s going to go. I’m due early August. As someone else has said I’m going to make the visits outside. I think I will have to let grandparents hold him (he has 3 sets) but I feel a bit weird about all my friends coming round and holding him 😕 Our friend had a baby last summer, we visited him outside and they had him lying sleeping in the pram and didn’t bring him out. I just looked in from a distance and I certainly wouldn’t have asked to hold him so I’m hoping other people are the same with mine but I know not everyone will be 🤦🏼‍♀️

[jenwren19]

Thanks for your input. Thinking about it now, I think it is just that one family member who is causing anxiety. Everyone else will be fine with what we ask and I trust them. I will just have to think about handling things with her and hope other family members will back me up. (Although this is not always the case, they prefer a quiet life and don't like to rock the boat when it comes to her 😤).

[CoffeeMonkey]

@jenwren19 exact same scenario here with the two family members I mentioned so I understand, good luck!!

[climbershell]

All my family will have had both vaccines by then as were having a Christmas baby. But, what about the kids? Obviously they won't and they can easily carry asymptomatic.

My partner is French and his family live in France. I guess hopefully by then France will be on top of their infections and if so we'll likely visit early 2022 or his parents will visit us... Dreading that tho as I find it so stressful and alienating with the language barrier and I won't want them around 24/7 for very long at all with a tiny newborn!