New strain, vaccines may not be effective, I’m pregnant, I’m panicking.

[PositivelyFooked]

I’ve always suffered with anxiety and I am now absolutely fearing that hospitals are going to restrict maternity wards, meaning partner can come when I’m ready to push.. then leave straight after.

I’m trying for VBAC, I’m high risk anyway which puts me in a more likely position to need another c section. I just can’t stay in hospital on my own, I can’t do it. I need to have my partner with me. I’m already having a huge panic attack about it. I’m due in March which gives BJ exactly enough time to not take enough actions before everything is locked down and fucked again. I can’t have a home birth because I’m high risk.

I don’t know what I’m asking. I just need to get it off my chest. I am so scared

Panicking now is counterproductive OP. Tbh it's not that long ago that I had kids and dh couldn't stay and it was ok.

March is a long long time away, things can change anytime and March should hopefully be past the worst of winter.

Just try and put it out of your mind, it's take a lot of effort but try and distract yourself.

Have you talked to anyone about some help for your anxiety? Being able to manage these feelings will be really helpful through what’s going to be quite an uncertain period.
Your midwife or gp could be a good place to start

@SweetBabyCheeses99

Have you been involved in actively campaigning against restrictions for the last 18 months? There’s been lots of protests you could’ve got involved in, even if that was just non-compliance. Or are you just against it all now that you can foresee a potential direct issue for yourself? It’s too little too late. We wouldn’t have these fears at all if people just stopped complying with the nonsense.

This is such a rubbish comment to make. All about point scoring and not about someone needing help in the here and now.

Can I never campaign or worry about something unless I've done it always??? Ridiculous.

I'm due early April. It is concerning but I mean there is nothing you can do about it. Just take life a day at a time. It's quite literally all you can do.

And don't think about the midwife shortage on top of things! I am having a c section and that is a contributing factor to my decision. Would hate to arrive at the hospital into even more chaos/overwhelmed, without them expecting me.

@SweetBabyCheeses99

Have you been involved in actively campaigning against restrictions for the last 18 months? There’s been lots of protests you could’ve got involved in, even if that was just non-compliance. Or are you just against it all now that you can foresee a potential direct issue for yourself? It’s too little too late. We wouldn’t have these fears at all if people just stopped complying with the nonsense.

🙄🙄🙄 not enough 🙄 in the world.

I think you need to get help with your anxiety first and foremost. I didn't have my partner with me in hospital after my baby was born in July because I'd been exposed to covid in the hospital and was sent to self isolation. You never know what will happen even if this new variant isn't a big problem.

@SweetBabyCheeses99

Have you been involved in actively campaigning against restrictions for the last 18 months? There’s been lots of protests you could’ve got involved in, even if that was just non-compliance. Or are you just against it all now that you can foresee a potential direct issue for yourself? It’s too little too late. We wouldn’t have these fears at all if people just stopped complying with the nonsense.

Wow Jesus

🤦‍♀️

I feel for your hun I had my baby April 2020 I was so scared. I posted on here scared and got fuck all in terms of support from most on mumsnet apart from a few people and just stressed me out more the responses if I honest. Reach out to family hun have a nice meal nice bath try and chill and stay away from the news unless you know you can handle it. Advocate for yourself aswell although I know now midwifes arent being avoident of seeing people like they was me in the beginning. With c section my partner could stay for 24 hours after whilst I stayed on the labour ward for monitoring before going to recovery. I was in for 4 days on my own in recovery and tbh I was fine and enjoyed the time just me and baby. Its scarey I know but all will be fine many women have had a baby during this time and we do just have to get on with it was my 3rd last year and first emcs due to PE and was super scary but I got threw it and so will you. March is a long way away we really dont know what it will be like then.

I work in a hospital and in an antenatal department. We are continuing to reduce our restrictions. I don't think they will increase them to ban partners again if I'm honest, but you will be surprised what you can do when you've had your baby. It may sound impossibly daunting right now but if you have to, for you, your baby, and other newborn babies safety, you would be able to stay on your own.

Ignore that stupid comment first comment from Sweetbabycheese.

@SweetBabyCheeses99 I’m not sure where you’ve conjured up that I’m ‘against’ restricting visitors or another lockdown. Im not against it, I think it’s logical if things get bad again.

I hate that I even feel the need to explain myself to a clearly very ignorant and judgemental fart knocker but here we are.

I’m all for protecting people, but I am absolutely petrified of being alone in hospital, attempting a vbac while high risk anyway. I’m not saying “they should let everyone have visitor being woe is me” I’m saying I can’t believe my luck that everything was starting to look better with the vaccines ect and now this strain has hit with just enough time to savage the country before I’m due to give birth and I am scared. Does that offend you because you probably need more help up too than I do if that’s the case.

To everyone else - I have had ongoing therapy for my anxiety, it’s a hell of a lot better over the years, 3 years ago I wasn’t able to leave my front door without having a severe panic attack. I still have a long way to go.. I’m not entirely convinced I’ll ever be ‘cured’ of my anxiety but improvement is better than nothing at all.

I know that worrying now is counterproductive and I’m doing what I can to try and be stress free (high risk pregnancy so I need to try and stay relaxed anyway) but just reading the news this morning/afternoon has made me realise this isn’t close to be over

www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/south-african-doctor-raised-alarm-omicron-variant-says-symptoms/

I’ve just had a baby OP. My daughter is 2 weeks and 4 days old. My husband could stay with me for the whole delivery, as soon as we went onto the ward he was subject to visiting times, it was hard after an emergency section and a lot of other stuff with both me and the baby to only have him 3 hours a day, which was reduced to 2 hours after the attack at the Women’s on Remembrance Sunday, which is where we were.

I know you’re panicking (and understandably so) about your partner not being allowed with you so what I’ve said above may not connect with your situation so I’ll explain. Had I known that any of the above, especially the terrorist attack (which is my main anxiety trigger), I’d have been beside myself and feeling just like you. But you know what, I got caught up in a Terrorism attack with my 5 day old baby and got locked down in a hospital. No amount of worrying could have prepared me for it and it wouldn’t have changed the outcome.

What I’m saying is that you can do it, you’re stronger than you think. For what it’s worth, I don’t think your partner will be restricted from you in the way you’re anticipating and I would expect the picture to look different by March. Take it one day at a time x

I understand OP. Sounds like you've done amazingly with your anxiety thus far. We waited to TTC too until pandemic looked a bit more controlled/vaccines were proven but it's done now, here we are. Don't really know what to say!