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Original poster

No visitors on post natal ward!

61 replies

lking679 · 15/09/2021 20:00

Friend might need a c section in a few weeks as baby not head down. Was told today that they’re a covid special hospital or something so no visitors on post natal ward.
It’s her first baby and they’re both double vaccinated. Wtf?!
Hospital is north middlesex in north London.
I’ve told her to come to my local hospital (south london) allowing visitors 10-10 and her DH can stay in our spare room!
She’s so stressed out!
I had my baby in covid lockdown and DH could still visit 2-7pm on wards!

OP posts:
Whatelsecouldibecalled · 15/09/2021 22:00

Posted too soon.

In the current climate though with everything. Else ‘allowed’ I think it’s ridiculous

Original poster
lking679 · 15/09/2021 22:03

I think the first 2020 lockdown is very different from now though. People going out for meals, not wearing masks, festivals on, holidays on abs you can’t have your partner come help you look after your first baby on the ward? Pretty crap tbh.

OP posts:
Whatelsecouldibecalled · 15/09/2021 22:08

Yes agreed that was I was trying to say but posted too soon!

Username7521 · 15/09/2021 22:08

I’m sorry but these stories are shocking. So I can go to the office at 100% capacity,
Go to festivals and gigs but your partner can’t stay with you after the birth.
I’m sorry that doesn’t seem right.

Original poster
lking679 · 15/09/2021 22:16

Btw sure it is doable sure it’s fine she will crack on but is she upset, absolutely! And why would partners cause a covid outbreak amongst midwives given vaccination status and they have to do tests in the hospital. I gave birth October 2020 before vaccine rollout (and it all kicking off again) and husband was allowed into visit on Labour ward during induction called in for birth nhs visit during certain hours afterwards and I was perfectly mobile. Basically barely saw a midwife and missed out on food as I was feeding baby and didn’t collect a meal in time or have anyone around to collect it for me.
Anyway have offered it to her hopefully policy will change in a few weeks time. Have told her to contact PALs to find out as much as she can about it.

OP posts:
november90 · 15/09/2021 22:30

You're right OP thjngs are different now compared to 2020, but at the same time the hospitals have to make these decisions based on a number of different factors which may or may not seem fair to us, but what can we do! So many Mums have been through what your friend unfortunately is going to have to experience and perhaps she can take comfort from other mums knowing that she will be ok and in a years time she won't look back and dwell on something she had no control over.

SMBH · 15/09/2021 23:14

The first 2020 lockdown was very different to now but it still wasn’t ok. For many women, it really wasn’t ok. I’m not actually an advocate if partners overnight on postnatal wards generally, but there were many aspects of the rules that were incredibly difficult in the way that they were applied.

This isn’t a criticism of staff. And yes, I know that there have been lots of other awful non-maternity experiences over the last 18 months.

I hadn’t realised that people didn’t realise that things are still like this for maternity services, even while everything opens up elsewhere.

StarCat2020 · 16/09/2021 02:08

If this is the reality of "living with Covid" then I don't think it is acceptable long term.

Driftingblue · 16/09/2021 02:21

The baby’s father is not a visitor. He is a parent to the child who is in the hospital. They might be able to argue that the adult doesn’t need an advocate, but the child has a right to a parent. A parent who has had surgery may be incapacitated and unable to be with the baby at all times. The father should be there because the father needs to be with the baby.

JLQ1020 · 16/09/2021 03:24

I would prob add in here pregnant woman count in the number of people still unvaccinated. ( understandable as I'm it's a difficult situation especially as 6 or 7 months ago told not to have the jab) While your friend and partner are double jabbed other pregnant woman in the ward likely are not and having a partner coming and going increases their risk of contracting the virus.

As someone who is pregnant and a FTM I would prefer to have my partner in with me. But if the virus number continues to climb I know that might not be possible and will be rubbish if I can't but I suppose having a baby in this current climate we kinda knew what we were risking, as in possibly not having partners in. ( well I did maybe not your friend by the sound sounds of it)

Flittingaboutagain · 16/09/2021 04:03

I had my baby a few weeks ago and my partner was allowed in for 2 hours a day - he could choose between 10-12 or 4-6pm. It was awful and I was so vulnerable.

A lady in the ward fell asleep breastfeeding her baby after a section and her baby fell on the floor! It's alright saying staff will help her but that's not the case in all hospitals. My local one is chronically under staffed and performance is poorly rated for that reason by the CQC. I suggest she checks which hospitals are performing more favourably overall and goes there.

StarCat2020 · 16/09/2021 04:24

I suppose having a baby in this current climate we kinda knew what we were risking, as in possibly not having partners in
No, just no.

Do not for one minute even think that you should have expected the current situation 9 months ago.

Do not forget we were in a brilliant place as a nation before Delta.

There is only one person to blame for this shitshow and that isn't you or I or any of us.

traumatisednoodle · 16/09/2021 05:50

And why would partners cause a covid outbreak amongst midwives given vaccination status and they have to do tests in the hospital

Many hospital staff have waning immunity thanks to having their vaccines in December/January many were double vaxxed by March. Covid in the third trimester is very high risk, I think it's a reasonable policey.

Original poster
lking679 · 16/09/2021 06:34

@traumatisednoodle

And why would partners cause a covid outbreak amongst midwives given vaccination status and they have to do tests in the hospital

Many hospital staff have waning immunity thanks to having their vaccines in December/January many were double vaxxed by March. Covid in the third trimester is very high risk, I think it's a reasonable policey.

I have to disagree, it’s not a reasonable policy given what other hospitals are allowing. In addition there are rapid tests available if they’re concerned they should test partners before visiting times.
OP posts:
traumatisednoodle · 16/09/2021 07:04

I don't know any hospitals who have open visiting. There is no capacity to do observed LFTs for visitors to hospital wards.

poptartsRUs · 16/09/2021 07:37

It's a reasonable policy to prevent a covid outbreak. It's a healthcare setting, not a festival so quite rightly have different rules. Surely people understand the difference. Maternity units are not stand alone places and hospitals are full of vulnerable patients that would be susceptible to serious illness if they caught covid, putting pressure in the whole system.

BlueberrySugar · 16/09/2021 08:01

@poptartsRUs

It's a reasonable policy to prevent a covid outbreak. It's a healthcare setting, not a festival so quite rightly have different rules. Surely people understand the difference. Maternity units are not stand alone places and hospitals are full of vulnerable patients that would be susceptible to serious illness if they caught covid, putting pressure in the whole system.
This. Well said.
scrivette · 16/09/2021 08:08

Festivals are completely different - people choose to go/not to go to a festival. People are required to go to hospital.

I had my C-Section Pre Covid and due to childcare DH was only able to visit for about an hour a day over the 5 days I was in. I found that fine. What made the entire experience so stressful was other people's visitors, large family groups coming and going all day, being noisy, encroaching into my space, bringing their takeaways which stank out the overheated room. No visitors sounds like bliss to me.

Miliao · 16/09/2021 08:20

My friend just had a c-section there. Partners were allowed to visit for 2hrs, but she was released in under 24hrs. She said care was amazing. It’s better to keep her continued care there, it’s such a short time in the grand scheme of things.

oneglassandpuzzled · 16/09/2021 08:31

At least new mothers will be spared the noise of other people's inconsiderate visitors. THere are so many threads on MN about people being noisy through the night when mothers are trying to rest or get to grips with BFing.

Original poster
lking679 · 16/09/2021 12:09

I dunno on my ward when people left there then seemed to be loud and prolonged video calls!!!

OP posts:
Original poster
lking679 · 16/09/2021 12:11

@traumatisednoodle

I don't know any hospitals who have open visiting. There is no capacity to do observed LFTs for visitors to hospital wards.
As in my post my local hospital allowing visitors 10-10 and the Whittington which is her next nearest hospital allows partner 24/7. She’s asked her consultant to transfer there and was told no as they don’t have capacity for new patients.
OP posts:
traumatisednoodle · 16/09/2021 12:50

It does look like the Whittington is somewhat of an outlier in this, I suppose it depends on how separate they can keep peoe

traumatisednoodle · 16/09/2021 12:50

people obvs

poptartsRUs · 16/09/2021 12:54

"She’s asked her consultant to transfer there and was told no as they don’t have capacity for new patients."

Probably because they are being effected by covid!