Giving birth alone in coronavirus

[Wingingit07]

Hey

Here's a petition as they're thinking of social distancing in scans and also birth!

www.change.org/p/nhs-protect-the-right-to-have-a-birth-partner-during-covid-19?recruiter=152065300&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_initial&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=f6bfc730-3b30-11e4-a7bf-19692eac9bb6&utm_content=fht-21101226-en-gb%3Av2

Xx

@NEAKT5 at the moment birth partners are still able to attend the birth. They can still hold baby once they are born. So your partner won't miss the birth as it stands at the moment and will still get the chance to cut the cord and hold the baby.

Your partner will however be asked to leave once you are ready to be transfered to the postnatal ward.

@Pulpfiction1

Thank you for this, my hospital are also following this at the minute and just hope it stays that way for us. I still have another 8 weeks to go so I’m hoping it doesn’t get worse.

I think my partner is just quite upset as my hospital was one of the first that was going to be allowing partners to stay even overnight before this all happened so he wasn’t expecting to leave me or baby at all and now he will have to wait at home alone and we obviously can’t anticipate how long I’ll be in there with baby.

Dad couldn't be at booking appointment

To be fair, it's not very usual that the dad is at the booking in appointment, as far as I know. Can't imagine why he'd want to be, it's not terribly exciting.

@BrooHaHa

Dads have to provide medical info as well, at least he did at my booking in. I wouldn't have been able to answer all the questions as they were about family history etc

I've never known a dad go to a booking in appointment or any midwife appointment, it's certainly not the norm in my area.
The booking in is just a fairly long and pretty boring appointment about your medical history and anything significant about your partner or families medical histories. He doesn't need to be there for that....Just ask him before you go if he had any issues as a baby/child or now if you don't know already.

The scans is a disappointment, granted, as that's a lovely thing to share with your OH. I recently had my 20 week one though and went alone and it was absolutely fine. A lot better and more chilled than I thought it would be.

As for the birth, there is still nothing to suggest any of us in the UK will be forced to give birth alone. It's all just rumours and scaremongering.

Dads don’t usually attend booking-in, and if they do then the midwife has to find a ruse to get them to step outside so she can ask the DV question.

Dads have to provide medical info as well, at least he did at my booking in. I wouldn't have been able to answer all the questions as they were about family history etc

I do think it's quite unusual to bring the dads in. I googled it before the appointment and wrote down the necessary information about family histories (had to ask his mother though, DH had no clue). Wasn't that extensive. The midwife said that the dad's history matters less and not to worry if I didn't know.

I'm also feeling very anxious about the restrictions Coronavirus are having during birth and postnatal care in the hospital. I fully accept that these restrictions need to be there for the safety of everyone and would never argue with any healthcare professionals who really do know best.

Having read some of the comments though I do wish some people would be a bit more sensitive to how others may be feeling during this challenging time. This is my first baby and birth and being a mum for the first time is scary enough anyway without feeling like I may have to face some of it alone. My DH has been excited to be a dad for years and is devastated to likely be missing out on some of our baby's first days. I completely understand that we're in a global pandemic and accept whatever restrictions have to be followed, we are still allowed to feel sad about the situation. Seeing people telling others to 'women up' or 'just get on with it' isn't helpful at all

@LittleMrsMama I completely agree with you, I think some people forget that it’s not the same as it was many years ago when dads weren’t all that fussed about being at the hospital! My partner is devastated at not getting to spend the time he was going to have learning with me in the hospital.

I, the same as you, agree that we must do whatever it takes to protect mums and babies but we are allowed to be sad or scared that for our first baby we don’t get the have the same birth process as a lot of first time mums have had in the past.

Glad we're on the same page @NEAKT5, I do feel for our DHs that want to be really involved and are sad for the women that are advising me that they would rather not have had their partners there and they were useless.

Random q, now that there are no visitors on the wards does anyone know whether partners can drop off other items (change of clothes etc). Just working out how much to pack as I have no idea how long I'd be in for as with all new mums

Dads attending the booking appointments, midwife appointments, scans etc is pretty normal in my area..my husband attended all the appointments with me during our first and doing the same currently with our second pregnancy .it was nice to have him there, especially when I was having my first as I kept forgetting what I wanted to ask and he wanted to come and experience it with me, even all those “boring “ appointments. Most people in the waiting area were/are the couples, rarely seen a woman on her own..I understand things are different now and less people in hospital the better but do feel for the first time mums who are worried etc and don’t know what to expect. And some midwifes are not that nice so it would be nice to have someone there for a support.

@LittleMrsMama

My local maternity unit have a Facebook page which they regularly update. They have said to make sure your partner brings everything you need for your stay when they/you arrive for active labour. They will not be able to go back and forth with things and once they have left after the birth they will not be able to return until they pick you up from outside the door at discharge.

But, once you've had the baby you don't really need anymore than pj's for you and baby and nappies and wipes. The hospital will provide pads, milk and bottles if needed, food, drink most have a TV now as well. And if baby did run out of anything they usually do have spare blankets and clothes you can borrow.

The hospital will provide pads, milk and bottles if needed

Please check arrangements at your hospital - most hospitals do NOT routinely provide formula and bottles except in clinical need, e.g. baby in SCBU. If you intend to formula feed then you need to take your own milk. The kits of ready-to-feed bottles with sterile teats are ideal.

@EstebanTheMagnificent sorry I meant if you had intended to breastfeed and were unable. Obv if you intend to bottle feed you need to take your own.