WIBU to leave my kids with neighbours?

[Rhayader]

I’m due to give birth to DC3 in May. If we are still in lockdown do you think we could get in trouble for leaving our kids with our neighbours? Our household is just me, DH and 2 DC (3 and 6).

I can’t think of any other way we could do it other than if DH drove me to hospital with DC in the car and left me there by myself.

It’s shit OP but if needs must, you’re going to have to just deal with it if it happens.
It’s not ideal but this isn’t your first birth, as you said, the birth is expected to be highly straight-forward. Don’t frighten yourself with statistics because your stress and anxiety about it may contribute to any complications. You’re not doing yourself any favours.

Honestly I think it's reasonable to make an exception & mix households in this case.

There are about 61,000 births a month, about a third I think are first births.

So that leaves 40,000 mins with older kids to be cared for.

I think that's a manageable risk in terms of mixed households. Out of what, 27.000,000 households in the uk?

Personal view, suspect they may need to risk assess as a government and give guidance though.

Came here after seeing comments on another birth post.

Children are still being sent to childcare so that key workers can go to work. In lots of cases mixing with children from other households. I'm not sure why being sent to some form of care to give birth isn't more important?!

Yes it's far from ideal given the current advice, but giving birth isn't easy. If god forbid anything went wrong, your husband may be required to make difficult decisions on your behalf.

As long as the person providing childcare is happy to do so and you've both been sensible up til this point, I wouldn't think twice.

Could you consider homebirth?

Most home births have been suspended as they haven’t got the staff to do them safely so that’s not an option. I’m not allowed a home birth anyway x

I gave birth alone to my third as DH was looking after DC1 and 2.
It wasn't ideal but it didn't make a huge difference that he wasn't there.
The aftermath with just me and my son meant we bonded in a way that was more intense than with my girls. You will get through it x

I gave birth to our first alone.

I was induced at 4pm and had her 11am the next morning.

@TokenGinger has it. Care for vulnerable people.

children are still going to school..people are going to work and food shopping so if your neighbours are happy to help i don't see why not. i wouldn't be asking for advice on mumsnet though... but in case of giving birth if everyone is happy with the arrangement then it will be up to you and your neighbours.

I dont believe that any uk hospital has currently said no partners present for the birth.
I keep seeing it being discussed by posters, but cant find any trusts that have implemented it (most have restrictions on how long they can stay post birth and when they get to join)

I wouldn't either. Just because of the risk of them bringing in something to you and the baby.

FWIW I had a straight forward first delivery so expected no stay in after with my second. The second was straight forward no pain relief too but hospital policy is stay in if over 4.5kg to do blood sugars. He was 5kg! So had to stay then he picked up an infection so went on antibiotics, I ended up being in a week!

You have given birth before so it should be less scary than first time round and tbh, how much help would your DH be anyway?

My birth was very complicated and scary and went on for ages but I don't think DH made any useful contribution to proceedings at all, if anything, he was an irritation. He was only there because it was his baby too and I couldn't feel justified in stopping him.

I think you should just go for it on your own and let DH look after your kids. You might enjoy the peace!

I really echo strawberry2017’s comments about waiting for advice from your maternity service nearer the time. There was an interview with Dr Mary Ross Davie from the Royal College of Midwives on Woman’s Hour today. Frustratingly, from your perspective, much of it was about antenatal care but she did say home births were still available in about 50% of places, less likely in urban areas where there was already a shortage of midwives:

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000gt4w

Hoping things get better for you (and all of us) in the next few weeks so you can have the birth you want. Good luck.

I would as long as the kids were happy with the set up. This lock down is to ease and help the situation. For extreme cases, break the rules.
I would absolutely do this.

you can do it alone if you have too I've done it alone twice hubby didn't make it too the hospital in time.