Baby born in Camp Bastion!

[FairPhyllis]

A soldier has given birth in Camp Bastion, after not realizing she was pregnant. The baby was five weeks prem. Link.

I hope the surprise has helped morale at the camp. But what I would like to know (because I am endlessly fascinated by stories of births in weird places), is what citizenship does the baby get? Will it have Afghan citizenship? Can it get British citizenship from being born in a British base? (The mother is Fijian)

When I joined the military in 1991, I had to sign a form to say that if I got pg or in some circs, married (!) then I would be required to leave. And this (the pg bit at least) happened fairly routinely. It was one of the reasons that I initially signed on only for 6 years.

This was challenged via European Court of Human Rights, I think. The MOD had to pay an abso-freaking-lutely huge amount of compensation to women to had been forced to leave on pg, and to those who had had abortions so that they could continue to serve. Anyone reading the papers in the nineties would have seen the headlines as each settlement figure was announced.

I absolutely agree with the compensation payouts, but for those serving at the time who abided by the rules and put their personal lives on hold for their country, it was a bit of a pisser.

Anyways, so, big fat no. Pg servicewomen, whether 'accidentally' pg or not, are not required to leave. It costs the MOD too much in compensation. Amazing what effect a blow to the wallet has.

In fact, as a reservist, if they mobilize you for operations, the MOD will pay for your childcare if it was put in place to allow you to serve.

I was doing load checks on hercs until I couldn't fit down the side in between the load and the airframe.

I was born abroad (father RN) and my son was, exh Army. Both British.

So woman endures considerable physical hardship and gives birth in an inhospitable place without the proper facilities in place - with both herself and her baby presumably having been in danger.

And we don't talk about the physical endurance of the woman. We talk about the fact that she must have been lying. Why must we play to this "women lying to get their own way" thing? And what is it actually she wanted out of this? To give birth in a warzone? Not much of a prize is it? Maybe she was a fit, strong, truthful woman.

FWIW it's very possible not to know if you have anterior placenta like I did. Not one kick in 8 months. I only felt a squirm the week before she was born (prematurely). Now I knew because my pg was artificially generated (IUI) but without that, without much sickness, without the kicks, bleeding throughout, and if you are one of those whose body shape doesn't change that much, would I have known? Don't know. .

As an employer the Armed forces are exempt from the DDA and elements of the Sex Discrimination Act although there are now very few jobs women cannot do (frontline infantry/special forces/royal marines) apart from that they comply with all other E&D acts

MissY my boobs have stayed resolutely EXACTLY the same through 2 pregnancies. Devastated as bigger boobs was one of the perks I was looking forward to! (and the baby of course!).

And I worked until 1 week before both of my children were born and returned to work in same job post maternity leave.

Yy drjohnsonscat

Mine are the same this time trazzle with ds and dd they ballooned, this time nothing noticable at 27wks

anyone on here know how you can reach camp bastion to send congrats

If you know her email, then unless Minimise is in effect the message will get through as it would to anywhere.

I doubt anything would get through the post in time.

They have left now anyway and minimise has been on for 24 hours- just lifted.

If she sells her story to the papers I'm sure it will be easier to get in touch....

Though this is an extremely old post the bbc link is not saying she possibly knew but rather provided various explabations as to why she may or may not have known.