Has anyone here given birth while covid positive?

LG93 · 2022-02-08T14:13:46+00:00

Going in to be induced tomorrow for (non covid related) complications but on day 5 of covid and test still getting stronger. Only mild symptoms, fortunately (?) DH had it first and gave it to me so he's now recovered and is allowed to be my birth partner, and DD is also now testing negative so can go to my mum's so that DH can be with me. Just wondering how it works postnatally? Is baby more likely to be poorly? Will we be kept in to be monitored more closely or are they more likely to try and kick me out because I'm infectious? If baby has to go to NICU for any reason am I allowed to be with him (will be breastfeeding if that makes a difference) the midwife who did my welfare call today said they may want me on blood thinners after birth if I'm still positive despite saying I'm currently low risk so not sure why that is? Will they test baby for covid and what happens if he catches it from me?! They're all things I'll ask when I go in tomorrow but thought I'd see if anyone has any experience in the meantime!

Campfire24 · 08/02/2022 14:37

That happened to me, baby is 6 weeks now and well. Good luck with everything, and you will be fine.

I insisted on a few extra days to feel a bit fitter before the induction, if you are not up to it, ask! It was so worth it for me, I felt so much stronger just 2 days later even though I was a mild case boostered etc. In any case try to get a lot of sleep and eat really well today, go for a walk, too.

I had the same questions too. To be honest the Covid ward was not nice at all, best to know that. It's an isolation ward, staff can only stay in there a limited amount of time in full gear and the negative pressure makes the air really dry. Also my partner couldn't stay. They don't treat you any differently from a care perspective, in my case I had high blood pressure and baby a bit of jaundice so we stayed longer. They did ask about Covid symptoms, but other than that no difference. The nurses and doctors were so kind and professional despite all the protective gear and risk to them etc. I'd say they are well used to it.

There was a woman on my ward who's baby was in ICU and she was pumping and sending the milk up there, but she wasn't allowed in there. But her baby was really premature. I felt for her, that must have been really hard.

They put me on blood thinners, and it's those nasty shots you need to give yourself, but you get used to it.

Policy in my clinic in Ireland was to not test the baby and my worries about him catching it were just shrugged off tbh .... He'll get tons of antibodies from your breast milk in any case. I thought my LO got a bit sniffly but then who knows.... We're both fine.

Original poster

LG93 · 08/02/2022 20:19

@Campfire24

That happened to me, baby is 6 weeks now and well. Good luck with everything, and you will be fine.

I insisted on a few extra days to feel a bit fitter before the induction, if you are not up to it, ask! It was so worth it for me, I felt so much stronger just 2 days later even though I was a mild case boostered etc. In any case try to get a lot of sleep and eat really well today, go for a walk, too.

I had the same questions too. To be honest the Covid ward was not nice at all, best to know that. It's an isolation ward, staff can only stay in there a limited amount of time in full gear and the negative pressure makes the air really dry. Also my partner couldn't stay. They don't treat you any differently from a care perspective, in my case I had high blood pressure and baby a bit of jaundice so we stayed longer. They did ask about Covid symptoms, but other than that no difference. The nurses and doctors were so kind and professional despite all the protective gear and risk to them etc. I'd say they are well used to it.

There was a woman on my ward who's baby was in ICU and she was pumping and sending the milk up there, but she wasn't allowed in there. But her baby was really premature. I felt for her, that must have been really hard.

They put me on blood thinners, and it's those nasty shots you need to give yourself, but you get used to it.

Policy in my clinic in Ireland was to not test the baby and my worries about him catching it were just shrugged off tbh .... He'll get tons of antibodies from your breast milk in any case. I thought my LO got a bit sniffly but then who knows.... We're both fine.

Thanks, that's all really helpful. Were you on a maternity covid ward with midwives etc or a standard covid ward? I wouldn't have thought there were going to be enough covid positive mums to warrant a ward of them but equally assumed we'd need midwives?!

OP posts:

mummyh2016 · 08/02/2022 20:37

Not me but a friend did recently. Baby wasn't poorly afterwards - you won't be allowed into NICU though if you have Covid so if baby does have to be admitted you would be separated. There was a thread on here recently where a lady was separated from her baby who was in NICU as someone on the ward tested positive so she was classed as a close contact.
My friends last day of isolation was the day she gave birth, she had an EMCS so had to stay in for a couple of days. She gave birth in the early hours, her DH was not allowed back to visit that day after the birth due to her Covid status which didn't make sense to me as he'd been with her during labour and they live together.
She was in a single room with all staff who entered in full PPE. This was on the normal postnatal ward.

BabyInTheJungle · 08/02/2022 20:48

Hi

I gave birth in October while covid positive. I had an elective section. Initially I was told DH could not be there as he was a close contact (despite testing negative) but thankfully they relented and he was allowed to be with me for some of the time including the surgery so that was great.

I was in the consultant led ward in a room designated as a Red Room (ie covid +ve). I had a special door to enter the hospital, a special lift, and wasn't allowed to leave the room, etc etc. I had one staff member assigned to me who was in full gear.

The baby was very healthy at birth and they said unless she was symptomatic they were happy to leave her untested and untreated. They wanted us out of there asap so I was discharged 24 hours after delivery, but I was fit and well so happy to go home. They left me alone apart from absolutely essential entry to the room and I tried not to call for them. Thankfully it is my 3rd baby and I felt like I knew what was going on.

Ultimately it depends on the set up at your hospital and yours and your baby's health. My experience was amazing and stress-free other than the prospect of DH not being able to attend.

Good luck!

Campfire24 · 09/02/2022 01:08

Oh yes, what BabyInTheJungle says is good to know too, you won't be allowed to leave the room or walk around much. Bring loads of snacks and drinks.

I was on a Covid ward within a maternity hospital. Some of the women were pregnant, some just gave birth, so not a pure postnatal ward. But it will really depend on your hospital and their Covid setup.

Campfire24 · 10/02/2022 10:44

How did you get on, OP?

Original poster

LG93 · 11/02/2022 08:53

@Campfire24

How did you get on, OP?

Thanks for thinking of me!

Baby Noah was born yesterday at 10.03am, beating his big sisters active labour of 38 minutes with a record 20 minutes, weighing 8lb13. I had quite a substantial postpartum hemorrhage but the team took fantastic care of me and luckily managed to avoid a trip to theatre, and I'm doing well now.

We've been quarantined in our room on delivery suite from arrival for induction to discharge so DH has been able to stay throughout which was helpful as meant he could support me and limit amount of midwife contact. Just waiting for his newborn check and then we'll be on our way!

OP posts:

Campfire24 · 11/02/2022 23:48

Congratulations and welcome baby Noah!!
Happy to hear you are well and that the Covid related stuff worked out fine

Galimimus · 15/02/2022 11:46

I was going to do a similar post, but then saw this one. I gave birth via ELCS a few days ago and both my husband’s and my tests came back positive later that day, so he had to go home. I was at the hospital for two days, and all was fine. The baby seems okay, just had a bit of diarrhoea and possibly a fever but they weren’t concerned because I was breastfeeding… I am on and off concerned but probably he will be fine. I myself had been a bit sniffly for a few days before the section. Thought I had recovered but now I realise it was because I was on paracetamol, ibuprofen and codeine. They meant I didn’t get a fever or a cough. The day I left the hospital, I stopped the codeine and developed a bad cough… It hurts to cough with the c-section scar. And I have a bit of a fever despite the massive doses of paracetamol and ibuprofen at the moment. My lungs feel like they’re burning up. I am vaguely concerned. I have had 3 vaccine shots and also had Delta back in August, so I really truly hope that protects me from the worst.

Other strange thing is this: at the hospital, I tested positive, then negative two days in a row, then negative on the LFT at home, then positive again and strongly so two days in a row on the LFT. Go figure. It’s as if the virus lurked in my lungs, suppressed by codeine and then sprung back up when I stopped taking it.