How long to isolate for before childbirth?

[Fudgewhizz]

My mum is self isolating before I have my C section so she can look after our DD. We're also doing it to make sure that DH is symptom-free and can be with me.

I can't find any guidance on how long to do it for - only if there's someone in your household with symptoms, which none of us have. She thinks it's 14 days, I thought it was 7. Who is right?!

I would do 14 days to err on side of caution

I would say 14 too as that is the (up to) incubation period.

We're due a c section next week and have generally been self isolating since the end of March but have been particularly careful in the 14 days leading up to the birth.

14 days is the time period you have to self-isolate if a member of your household has symptoms, as that is the incubation period of the virus. 7 days is the length of time you have to self-isolate if you have the symptoms yourself.

Some areas of the NHS are requiring patients to self-isolate for 14 days prior to elective surgery/therapy to ensure they are virus free on the day of admission, so I would also go for 14 days

Thanks everyone - 14 days it is! My daughter is SO excited about getting to hug her gran, bless her.

Definitely 14 days. I don't mean to be patronising, but that is extremely responsible op. Would you consider moving your mum in after the isolation person so she can help you out after? Good luck

To expand on the reasoning, 7 days is considered the period of time between symptoms appearing and a person no longer being infectious (provided they have recovered). 14 days permits those in multiple occupancy households to be potentially infected by others and then reach a point where they are no longer considered at risk of being infectious (provided they don't develop symptoms).