COVID for those who are cautious but not anxious

[serialplanner]

Difficult title to word. We are all entitled to feel exactly how we do. It's just I have been careful during all of this (pregnant since July - now 30 weeks) but I haven't locked myself away since the day I knew I was pregnant - which is also perfectly fine if you did!

I'm just sharing really that I think my biggest concern is making sure DH is at the birth.

It will be a shame not to share the baby with usual visits but might also be good not to have the pressure of visits and annoying MILs.

Another positive is DH works at home so won't have to start his paternity leave right until I go into labour since he should be right next to me!

How are cautious people currently feeling?

Other people are worried about me which makes me wonder if I'm missing something? It's shit but I got pregnant once this existed so I can hardly moan! Albeit it's tough and I can have a moment or two.

Now a rambling post! Sorry!

I'm 16+3, I'm just getting on with life the way I did before, I'm not worrying about coronavirus, its a virus just like the flu it spreads, I'm not putting life on hold over it, lifes to short, but others more have different views

@serialplanner
For those of us in our '30's' weeks must be feeling nervous, as the virus becomes not just a virus, but a block for our partners to miss the first stage of birth at the hospital, or sadly altogether.
I'm 34 weeks and a complete mess about it. My partner has to travel to work, so there is a possibility of catching Covid leading up to my time.
At the moment, my hospital are only letting partners in for the final stage. So all women have to go through the painful contractions on their own. They then have leave shortly after.
So people who tell me not to worry, it's just a virus and it will be fine - they should try doing this on their own!!!
Obviously, trying to stay positive, but with only 5-7+ weeks to go, i can't help but worry xx

@Fairywings123 and this is why covid is still a thing... this is why it has spread to the far corners of the globe.

This is also why women in this country are being denied the support (care) of their partner at every stage in their pregnancy.

Covid is NOT just another virus. Imagine if this virus had struck before ventilators were I ventured and before we had access to oxygen therapy (which is once again in short supply in hospitals here), and you'd have the sort of death rate they had with Spanish Flu, which killed more people than wwI...

This cavalier attitude isn't helping us get back to normality. It's denial, which I get is one of he stages of grief and all, but the selfish attitudes of a large minority are fuelling untold secondary economic and emotional disasters with this thing.

Please don't put anyone else at risk. It could have just been a few months of everyone's' lives. It's turning into more than that.

I fear the hidden developmental damage this is doing to kids and the mental health damage it's doing to everyone. But for god's sake, breaking the rules and living like things are normal is not going to get us to the end of this nightmare any faster!!

I'm cautious too, trying not to let it rule my life but being sensible. Now I've hit viability stage I'm conscious that catching it could mean a premature birth. I also have fuck all desire to feel ill when you're limited with what medicines you can take. I even read advice the other day about sleeping on your stomach if you have difficulty breathing- not really possible!
So while I admire @Fairywings123 for not letting it bother her I feel when you've got an increased risk of ending up on ICU, and the prospect of your partner missing birth then you have to take it seriously

Hi OP and others. I’m 31 weeks. Definitely agree that some of my biggest concerns surround the possible impact on my birth choices, including whether DP can be there, whether I can use the birth pool etc. Both DP and I are teachers and I have a 6yo daughter. Now that schools are closed, I will be staying at home and keeping my DD at home with me, so that drastically reduces our transmission contacts. DP will still be going into his school on a key worker/vulnerable children rota, so again reduced contacts than if he was in with his whole class.

I'm definitely being very cautious as I know I'd never forgive myself if I caught Covid by not being careful enough and it made my baby ill or threatened our lives, let alone the impact on birth choices and adding to the burden of the staff already at breaking point.

In my hospital all appointments are still alone and the final stage of labour is when you can have a partner attend. That's why I am considering a home birth for my first one.

@Flittingaboutagain

I'm definitely being very cautious as I know I'd never forgive myself if I caught Covid by not being careful enough and it made my baby ill or threatened our lives, let alone the impact on birth choices and adding to the burden of the staff already at breaking point.

In my hospital all appointments are still alone and the final stage of labour is when you can have a partner attend. That's why I am considering a home birth for my first one.

You should check on home births as I know some trusts suspended home births during the last big lockdown.

I'm 22 weeks. I'm taking comfort from the fact that there is no evidence that pregnancy causes either me or the baby to be at any greater risk from coronavirus - we've been put on the at risk list merely as a precaution. Initial studies of women who gave birth with coronavirus shows it doesn't pass to their baby.

My greatest concern is not being allowed to have my partner there with me, particularly as maternity isn't exactly known for having a lot of staff at the best of times.

Although Covid doesn't directly affect pregnancy, my heart rate/blood pressure is so much higher - so I'm going to be more at risk if I got a bad strain of Covid. They've already stated that it affects the way your body manages it when pregnant. And more importantly, I'd never want to test the theory to see if we are the same as others!

I'm 25 weeks and also being as careful as I can, I had a bit of a scare when they saw extra fluid around the babies heart, which can be caused by the mother having an infection or virus, luckily all has turned okay but it's definitely made me realise how me being unwell could really affect my baby.
As thr due date gets nearer we will be isolating as best we can apart from my husband going to work, obviously it's lockdown now but I expect we will be out of that my my due month in April, I will just have to carry on like I am in lockdown.
I had my first birth last year so I kind of know what to expect. Just hope I don't have to stay in hospital afterwards and we can go straight home

Our Trust is supporting home births and has throughout but I know from here some women hired private midwives for theirs if their Trust stopped offering them.

I'm 33 weeks tomorrow and have a scan today. We've made the decision my husband won't be at the scan to try and minimise the risk of him catching it and (if we were to go into labour early) not being able to be at the birth. We have had scans every 4 weeks from 20 weeks so he has been at more than what most have been. I'm wfh and he is going to work and coming home - shopping is click and collect. Apart from going to pick up the pram/car seat we've ordered we won't be going anywhere else in the hopes that he can be at the birth. I know the hospital may change their rules but for us at the moment he can still be at the birth providing he has no symptoms and that's the way we hope continues so not risking either of us getting the virus as much as possible.

@physicskate It’s people with your attitude that’s keeping it going. Not @Fairywings123

Yes be cautious of you wish don’t tell @fairywings123 she is being “cavalier”. That’s why we have free lives to do what we wish. Your freedom has been stripped away and for what? Something that has a death rate of 0.66%.

@Lifeonmars12 what part of hospitals being overwhelmed do you not understand?

@howmanyroads What exactly does overwhelmed even mean? Why is it such a problem this year but in previous years at this time of year we used to see pictures in the media of old dears lying on trolleys in corridors. But no one batted an eye then. Show me the hospitals full to bursting with people laying in corridors and I’ll start to believe it.

I don't need to show you anything, and you clearly wouldn't believe what you saw anyway. Such is the way with facebook conspiracy theorists!

I believe the doctors and nurses that are on their knees pleading with people to take this seriously. That should be enough for you too.

Is that the same doctors and nurses that were doing tic toks during the last lockdown?

I’m not a conspiracy theorist in the slightest, I’m a realist who is fed up of this. We are nearly a year later and we have learned nothing. You keep being a sheeple and doing what you are told if that makes you feel better.

This thread started so we can discuss our personal worries about giving birth potentially alone. Regardless of what the government figures are, whether you think hospital are over/underwhelmed, the reality is that as mums to be, we're dealing with issues that affect our experience.
Also very easy for people to throw in their two pence when they're so early on in their pregnancy and not so subject to current hospital rules!

@Lifeonmars12 thank you, at least someone else is on the same page as me, yes I'm careful, but with a 99.6%?? The flu also causes people to lose there lives every year, so does cancer, yet nothing is said! Covid isn't stopping me from living my normal life, everyone has a opinion, its as simple as that.

Nah, people “carrying on as normal” so not wearing masks and not socially distancing, seeing whoever you like IS prolonging the spread. If you don’t want to take responsibility for it then don’t, but don’t pretend you’re not a fucking plague rat.

Oh and it’s not just a flu for fucks sake. The entire Internet and knowledge at your fingertips and this is what you’re spreading..

No point arguing over it, everyone is going to have a different opinion, its pointless tbh

@Lifeonmars12 My attitude that people going about as normal is causing coronavirus to spread is what's causing coronavirus to spread? And that actually we need to follow the rules and hunker down a bit? And that this means everyone following the rules? Seriously?

My head hurts. I don't even have the energy to try and see where your coming from and engage.

I'm due next week and had Covid seven weeks ago, as did my DH. My concerns are baby contracting it in hospital, my toddler getting it (meaning DH will have to look after her) or one of DH's parents getting it, as they'll be looking after DD when I have the baby (which DH will have to do if either of them come down with it, so in that case I'd be giving birth alone!).

@Covidwoes bless you. I really hope everything goes well for you next week.