4 page statement from Birthrights about partners, home births and pain relief

[Layladylay234]

Hope this is helpful to some people

www.birthrights.org.uk/2020/03/31/birthrights-calls-for-protection-of-uk-women-giving-birth-during-coronavirus/?fbclid=IwAR0UKSrU17Mp9XVoce8a6f5e9FdPtGYWWSNtxRrGa3QatmFMFMAzjtzBi4w

Thanks a lot for posting this - it's a relief to read that someone has got our backs. I'm very concerned that pregnant women's needs (including mental health, antenatal and postnatal care) are being sidelined as corona patients take priority. Yes we're in the middle of a pandemic and the country is in crisis, but women still need to give birth!

I agree. How you give birth is incredibly important for MH and bonding with your baby. Side-lining maternity care in favour of corona patients should not happen without due thought to to affects this could have on new mothers and fathers.

There was a section on Womens Hour yesterday with a women from RCM basically saying "Hands off our staff." So RCM HAVE got out backs as well girls.

There was a section on Womens Hour yesterday with a women from RCM basically saying "Hands off our staff." So RCM HAVE got out backs as well girls.

That is good to hear. I'm worrying as I was told when I got pregnant how crucial it is to attend every midwife appointment and have urine, blood pressure checks. Now my next appointment has been cancelled, so these apparently crucial checks won't happen. I understand that the NHS has no choice but it's concerning as a new mum all the same.

From the Birthrights statement:

That wherever possible (with appropriate social distancing measures) women can have a single visitor on the postnatal ward. This will be particularly important for post-operative women while they are unable to move around normally or struggling to feed their baby.

Also totally agree with this - how are you meant to look after a baby in hospital after a c-section without a partner there to help? The midwifes and hospital staff are overstretched at the best of times.

I'm praying that I won't need an EMCS and will be discharging myself from hospital as soon as is humanly possible.

This statement is so comforting. Just knowing someone is fighting for us and our rights to quality maternity care.

It's not reaching National News. That's good. The more attention, the more people will listen

www.theguardian.com/society/2020/apr/01/nhs-urged-to-turn-hotels-into-birth-centres-during-coronavirus-crisis

That's all very well, but why not use the hotels as coronavirus hospitals and keep the MLUs for their intended purpose?