1st Baby. No one can see her?

[HumeSnowdon]

Hi all, my baby is due on Friday 6th November. I've read all the new guidance and it seems that no one will be able to meet her until this is all over.
My mum lives on her own so she can form a support bubble with us but my DHs parents cannot.
I'm just so sad about this. Surely they can meet her just once?
Anyone else had to go through this?

You can be your mum's support bubble and your in laws can bubble with you for the purposes of providing informal respite childcare.

I'm really sorry, it must be so difficult. But no, your PiL can't meet your baby. I think that you or your dh can meet one of them outside and keep a 2m distance.

@KiriAndLou

You can be your mum's support bubble and your in laws can bubble with you for the purposes of providing informal respite childcare.

I would totally do this.

I’ll probably get flamed for this but if they wouldn’t have to travel far, I’d let DH’s parents at least come and see her from a distance.

DD is due any day now (overdue and have been contracting for days 🙄) and I’m hoping she might appear before Thursday but if not, I suspect MIL and FIL won’t be able to wait!

What kiriandlou said.

You can also meet one other person outdoors with your baby. Babies don't count in the numbers.

I'm sorry OP, it's shit.

It's really shit, my baby was born back in May so similar situation initially. We religiously stuck to 'the rules' and met with us at one end of the garden and grandparents at the other end for weeks.

It's a big regret for me that I didn't just let them hold him from the start. It's time we will never get back. Everyone has to make their own call about what they feel comfortable with but babies are at extremely low risk of catching/ transmitting covid, so if the grandparents are willing to take the risk I would let them.

I'm due in three weeks - my parents will be meeting and holding the baby

I would do it on the doorstep personally; if you want to keep to the rules have one of them get out the car then the other gets out once they’re in the car. I’m sorry it can’t be better; it’s such a difficult time to have a baby. My first baby was in scbu (pre covid a few years ago) so the first hold anyone other than me and DH had was at 4 weeks and the delay just made that first cuddle that much sweeter.
I would take into account that after being in hospital you want to avoid close contact with parents and parents on law for 2 weeks or whatever the isolation period is as you and your DH are the bigger risk to them than they are to your baby.

It’s really shit and has been for a while.

I’m due in December so hoping my parents can come down around Christmas.

DH’s live in Australia, so god knows when they will be able to meet him. We could be looking at 2022, so I’m really trying not to think about that.

Snap due the same day OP- number 2- I imagine a lot of walks on non rainy days where I show my friends the baby- zoom calls etc. My sister and her kids will see the baby and tbh I couldn’t give a shit about breaking that rule!

There is an exemption for informal childcare. You can also meet 1 person in a public space.

Its shit. My first baby is 10 weeks old. We waited 4 years for her. Very sad that she hasn't been showered with kisses and cuddles by our wider family. We have no photos of our baby with our wider family. Felt a bit sad earlier about Christmas before. We have a big family and he should be the centre of it being the newest member but we're all very likely to be separated. Just so grateful she's here and need to stay focussed on that. Best of luck with everything xx

Hope your DD arrived happy and healthy!

Take your baby for a walk with each of them individually. X

Getting to know your baby, learning to feed, the postpartum healing, catching up with housework, weigh-ins and other health checks, reducing the risk of everyone catching and being unwell with covid... you may think differently about visitors once s/he's here.