Petition to not birth alone!

[fizzandsparkle]

chng.it/Bx7NrrKKZ2

Please sign if you agree!

Signed!!

Sorry but I really disagree with this. Please think carefully before signing this.

We are in the middle of a global pandemic. People around the country are literally putting their lives on the line every day to protect and care for our people. If these workers, including those who will eventually be delivering our babies, all campaigned for their 'rights' or only worked according to what they 'deserve', the system would collapse. More important than my right to a birth partner is the right of the midwives and NHS staff to work in an environment that is as risk free as possible. More important than my right to a birth partner is the right of the women who come after me to be able to recieve basic medical care and deliver their babies healthily and safely.

Please, please think carefully before taking up valuable time and resources exercising your own entitlement to certain rights in the middle of a devastating pandemic.

SIGNED

I agree with @dustyphoenix. These are unprecedented times, we all have to make sacrifices. What would happen to maternity services if a birth partner spread coronavirus through a department?

I also agree with @dustyphoenix. If I was due I wouldn’t want to introduce any element of further risk to the NHS staff, other patients, myself or the baby. It’s a horrible situation but sacrifices have to be made and I would make this one.

Sure there was a thread on this yesterday?

The headline on this petition is inflammatory rubbish anyway. It even acknowledges further down that partners are allowed for established labour.

I agree with @dustyphoenix we all have to make sacrifices and the NHS haven't just woken up one morning and decided were going to stop birth partners they will have made this decision because it's what's best for mum and baby and the staff I'm due a section in 20 days and if it means I have to go it alone to minimise the risk to staff me and my baby then I'm prepared to do that yeah it's not ideal and wasn't in any of our plans to birth alone but we are in the middle of a global pandemic and need to look at the bigger picture. As far as I'm aware birth partners for now are still allowed once in labour if the mother has to go on the ward then there not allowed on there. I just think there are people on end of life critical care who will never get to see there family one last time there are children in hospital who can only have one parent with them and cancer patients who have had all treatment stopped putting their survival at risk so if I have to have 24 hours alone in a hospital so be it it's not ideal but it's not the end of the world

Partners are being allowed during labour, they just can’t visit or stay overnight on the postnatal ward.

I agree with the policey.

I know it's tough but we need to cut down risk. I agree with the policy too 🤷‍♀️ sorry.

My local major hospital is still allowing one birth partner who can be your only visitor and no longer to stay over night. That situation is find as it's all had on offer when I had my first.

I had some scary complications with all my births. I have been left alone for even a minute in my births ( history of pre eclampsia) and unless it's a break it's always two mw ( midwife and stident)

I would be ok birthing alone but if I was a first time mum and like most mums just left alone in the delivery room I'd be pretty scared.

How many hospitals are saying no birth partners

Nope.

They aren't doing it for fun, it is a necessary precaution in unprecedented times.

I'm 30 weeks pregnant, if having my baby alone means that the midwives and others looking after me and my baby are in the best position to give the care I need then so be it. I'd rather not risk their health just to have my husband there.

I'm so sorry this is happening you all you pregnant ladies. I'd have been absolutely terrified without my husband there. You're in such a vunerable place when in labour and after. I feel so awful for you.

I'm not signing it as it's a precaution to help keep hospital staff safe.

There’s a thread on the Coronavirus board where a woman is losing her FIL/ her DH can’t even go visit him in the hospital to say goodbye because of the new visitation rules. No exceptions.

Petitions like this are an insult to the sacrifices others are making during tragic situations.

No one wants to birth alone but if my choice was to have my baby in an environment staffed with healthy midwives and isolated from CV or a ward where they were happy to potentially exposure women, staff and babies to the virus, I know what I’d pick.

Sorry OP but I agree with the policy. It must be scary and if I was in your shoes I would be anxious about it but needs must and in these awful times pregnant mothers are going to have to adhere to the very sensible safety precautions.

I'm 34 weeks pregnant & whilst the thought of giving birth alone is scary, it's for a serious unprecedented reason.

If that's the way it must be to keep everyone safe, then so be it!

Another one here who wont be signing sorry. If the midwives can risk their lives daily for me I will cope without a birthing partner if needed for them

Just realised I came off a bit harsh in that last post.

For any woman who’s giving birth in the coming weeks- best of luck and I hope it all goes well for every one of you.

I’d sign a petition to make sure every midwife and HCA has a briefing on how to support a woman birthing without a partner over the coming weeks.

Won't be signing either.

Anything that keeps mums, babies, healthcare staff and other patients safer is fine by me at this time. And anyway our nearest hospitals are still allowing one person in to support mums during labour.

I had one of my DC without DP there (born v early and DP was working in another country!) and it was fine, nurses and Drs were amazingly supportive - I think they went the extra mile cos I was alone.

I also won’t be signing because I can see it might become a necessary evil but I don’t think it’s an “insult” given that the RCOG say that:

“Having a trusted birth partner present throughout labour is known to make a significant difference to the safety and well-being of women in childbirth”.

It makes a difference to safety, according to the experts, so while I don’t disagree that they have to decide what to do in these difficult times, people shouldn’t minimise their importance of a birth partner. It isn’t just an entitled luxury.

I won't sign either. As crap as it is (and I speak as someone pregnant) it's not even happened yet and if it does it's to protect everyone. Imagine your newborn baby picking it up in hospital. Not nice.

We are all making sacrifices it's tough, but it's how it has to be at the moment