Coronavirus with a newborn

[Robs20]

DTs are 9 days old, came home from hospital on Tuesday.

I have a temp and new tickly cough (really painful after a c section!). I spent 8 days in hosp on the ante/ postnatal wards and came into contact with a lot of people.

Apart from staying at home for 14 days, what can I do to protect the babies? They were born slightly prem and are still small. We also have the midwife coming tomorrow (and every 3 days thereafter) - do I need to warn them I have symptoms?

I am so worried about passing it on to my babies but DH thinks I’m overreacting.

Congratulations on the twins!

Yes you need to tell the midwife and it would also be best to get advice from them on what to do.

Hope you recover quickly, 2 babies will be exhausting enough without being ill on top!

Definitely warn the midwife

How is your scar healing? Might it be infected?

@BriefDisaster thank you!

@bubblesbubblesmybubbles interesting q about the scar. I honestly haven’t looked (so squeamish) but will have a look. I do feel generally ill, in particular, lightheaded but I was putting that down to the blood pressure tablets I am on (I had pre eclampsia). Will have a look at the scar later..

Yes, do tell the midwife. Are you breastfeeding?

If youre breastfeeding it could be mastitis xx

@DownWhichOfLate yes I am.
@jrobhatch29 don’t think it is, I thought I was getting it when my milk came in but seems to have got better.

Well done! Keep going with the breastfeeding if you can as it may provide them with some antibodies.

Could be an infection if there’s a fair bit of pain round the scar? Is it weeping at all? Or red & inflamed? Equally, did you lose a lot of blood during your section? I haemorrhaged this pregnancy (6 weeks ago) & felt dizzy/faint/lightheaded as all hell for a good week post birth. I felt generally quite awful with the lack of sleep plus anaemia. In photos of us taking new baby home, I look like a ghost I’m so pale!

If you are ill, in all honesty, I’m not sure there’s much you can do. You can’t distance from a newborn! Do your very best to ‘rest’ (laughable with a newborn, let alone two) & keep a very close eye on the babies. Check for temps, coughs, rapid breathing, them pulling in their ribs signalling effort..

And 100% tell your midwife. I started with an awful sore throat after labour & came down with what I assume was a stinking cold. I told my midwife who came in full PPE! And I had to wear a mask she gave me as well..

I definitely wouldn’t assume it’s CV. There’s lots of things it could be so probably best to get advice. Call your midwife first thing and see what they suggest about the visit. How high is your temperature?

Have a low bar for seeking medical advice for the babies. Keep an eye and I’d try to take their temperatures fairly regularly.

You poor thing, this is all you need! I hope you feel better soon.

Congratulations!! Well done for getting through the last few weeks!! My baby was also born a week ago! Hope everything goes ok for you and you feel better soon.
Please tell your midwife though in advance, think of all the pregnant people and babies she is seeing :-(