Women in France being forced to wear masks during labour

[Aprild25]

Just saw this. Really gave me the rage.

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8834045/amp/Women-France-felt-like-suffocating-forced-wear-face-masks-childbirth.html

Gas and air don’t exist in most countries, so that’s a nonissue. And only english people seem to have s problem breathing through a mask, the rest of the world seems to do ok. Also, most hospitals are a lot more comfortable than uk hospitals (especially the hell of maternity wards!) - i would much prefer a mask in france than no mask in the stuffy, hot, overcrowded hell of an english hospital! (have experienced both, my choice would be very, very clear)

@itwaseverthus

On a site for mothers, I have to say I find this thread very, very frightening. How quickly people have accepted the forced coverings for a disease that 99.9% of people survive. Women in labour? How about pushing for, as others have said, PPE for staff that works rather than stupid aprons? How about testing at the point of care for all staff and patients, delivered in minutes rather than days? Accepting this shit is the road to further horrors. Am staggered, more so than when I first commented. Mumsnet, where we just accept whatever is given to us.

I think you're reading a different thread. Despite the fact that not one person (iirc) on this thread has been made to wear a mask during labour in the UK the majority of posters would be concerned by it. The posters not in the UK and who have worn a mask during labour seem less traumatised than the ones in the UK for whom the idea is hypothetical. That's the reality of MN. People getting offended on behalf of people who were never offended by the perceived offence in the first place. And there are many non parents, let alone non mothers on here.

@JeanieInABottle, thank you for all you do.
I've reported the nasty unwarranted personal attack on you to HQ.

@Chanel05, sorry, I hadn't seen you were asked to wear a mask. Congratulations on your baby.

Just for reassurance, my Dd gave birth this week- planned Csection at 36 weeks due to complications. At no point did she have to wear a mask. No other mums on the two wards she’s been on have had to wear masks either.

And I think it would be horrendous to make someone in childbirth wear a mask. She’s already going through a huge thing. It would be like asking footballers, tennis players etc to wear a mask during every match. Can’t see them happening!

As someone else posted, everyone else wear can wear correct PPE, it’s really not difficult!

my hospital has confirmed that no women will be asked to wear masks, only birthing partners throughout.
However, as they've upped their restrictions yesterday if wearing a mask and getting as many covid swabs done as the hospital wished meant not having to go through an induction alone overnight if i go too far overdue or reduced any of the restrictions then i'd quite happily do it (i'm asthmatic but i've had my oxygen levels checked whilst in triage with a mask on and it does me absolutely no harm), I suspect many other women would have a similar thought.