Birth during doctor strikes

[showmorekindness]

Hello,

Does anyone have any previous experience or know what the impact of the junior doctor strikes might be on care on the delivery suite, or on scheduling of elective c-sections?

The strike planned for later this month has me a little worried, as it is just after my due date. My birth plan is to aim for a natural delivery, with a c-section booked at 41+ weeks as plan B.

I work on the delivery suite. In my trust, everything went ahead as usual, but with consultants filling in for the junior roles. A lot more work for them, but it meant decisions were made quicker, epidurals were sited perfectly, and operations went far faster.

My husband was severely ill during the last round of DRs strikes, and we found it was often better on strike days as non essential things had often been postponed and senior consultants were all on duty.

It won’t make any difference at all to labour ward. It may mean clinics and elective, non-cancer work is more likely to be delayed so that emergency services are covered.

@Greybeardy Are you a doctor or someone who has seen this before in the NHS? I only ask because if I need to be induced it’ll be during that strike and I’m looking for comfort.

Obstetric anaesthetist.

I had a baby via emergency c section in the last round of dr strikes (2023) and had consultants instead. Similarly baby was in nicu and instead of drs on the wards it was the consultants.

There will be a mixture of consultants, SAS doctors and residents working (a lot of resident doctors can’t afford to strike!). The impact has largely not been on acute services but in the more routine stuff.

Thank you. That does make me feel better

If you have a natural delivery you won’t see a doctor anyway, midwives are experts! There will be drs for emergencies

I had an elective c section during the last round of strikes and was really nervous but ended up with 2 consultants doing it. They can’t exactly push this stuff back so I think consultants just end up doing overtime to cover it all.

Don't worry, they won't ask you to cross your legs until strike is finished! My baby was scheduled to arrive by c section on a doctors strike. They moved it from the Tues to Thurs. As a heavily pregnant women who was ready to get the baby out I wasn't thrilled to wait, but fortunately my birth plan was 'go with the flow'

I had an elective c section during a strike I was so stressed thinking it would be cancelled! ended up going in a day early and second one in. Try not to worry, best of luck!

Thanks everyone, that’s reassuring!