Is this allowed??

[JustAnotherUserinParadise]

Hi all, looking for some help here as the guidelines don't seem totally clear!

We (DH and I) are due our first baby in February. The grandparents (my parents and DHs mum) are obviously very keen to meet the baby ASAP, but it looks likely we'll still be in lockdown.

Households: (1) DH and I live together, with nobody else, (2) my parents also live together, with nobody else, (3) MIL lives alone (widowed), she is currently in a support bubble with SIL but I'm assuming would be willing to change that.

I'm thinking we're allowed to meet up if mil switches her single-person bubble to bubble with us (isolating for 10 days in between), and since we will then have a child under 1 we can make another bubble with my parents as well?

Is my interpretation right? We are all pretty far apart geographically, my parents are 4 hours drive and mil just under 2. But the distance thing seems more guidelines than actual law?

Bottom line: we really want them to meet the baby, but we don't want to break the law (guidelines maybe though)!

You are allowed a support bubble and a childcare bubble, so technically this is allowed.

But only if the childcare bubble has the child alone, without the parents present (except for drop off/ pick up). So OP would need to be willing to leave the new born baby alone with her parents - not particularly practical if OP is planning to breastfeed, and even if she isn't, it isn't ideal, or practical at a 4 hour distance!

@JustAnotherUserinParadise

My question isn't really whether it's sensible, just whether it's legal! And I imagine we will need support immediately after having a baby!

Exactly why it’s still spreading. Does it have to be illegal for you to follow the guidance.

I'm going to step away from this thread now, thanks to everyone who was helpful!

Well you're going to do whatever you want anyway so why bother asking?

This is why it's spreading and people and there are so many deaths, people bending the rules to suit them.

Just wait until this is all over. Please

I'm absolutely not debating the seriousness of the pandemic!
And we'd hardly be "dragging" them - they all want to see us and the baby, and are competent adults capable of assessing their own acceptable risk levels!

It's not just about their own risk is it? If you pass Covid to your parents and your MIL it's how it spreads in their local area from them going to the shops etc and then the impact on the hospital system if they get admitted. Also, although the risk to children might not be high I wouldn't want to risk a newborn getting Covid.