Anyone had covid during actual birth?

[ivfbeenbusy]

So I couldn't sleep as very uncomfortable (32 weeks with twins) so been reading the news online. Whereas a few months ago I was quite confidant about Covid and the measures in place obviously with spiralling cases etc and the closer its getting to due date nerves are setting in a bit!

What happens if you do test positive for covid and go into labour? (I'm booked to have a c section)

Has anyone caught covid whilst on the maternity ward? What happens then? Do they isolate you from the baby?

At my hospital if you are self isolating you have birth as planned but in a private room. Not sure how that works with a section. Maybe they would delay?

If you have Covid the advice is still for baby to stay with mum.

Maybe worth emailing your midwife to ask the policy at your hospital?

This page is really useful OP, the bit about covid and birth is near the bottom -

www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk/pregnancy-and-coronavirus/

If you have Covid it recommends that you give birth in an obstetrician led unit and says that you should be allowed to breastfeed and that baby should be able to stay with you unless the baby is born unwell.

Thanks both!

I just like to feel prepared mentally/emotionally (as much as you can be!).
I'm having the babies in a major hospital anyway under consultant care with it being twins.

I suppose it's the NICU element which worries me most as can't imagine if I tested positive for covid I'd be able to see them

I was wondering about NICU aswell.

Maybe they have side rooms there so you could still visit baby. The WHO makes it really clear though that breastfeeding should still be supported and that skin to skin is still so important.

Could you isolate for a few weeks before the date of your section?

@PinkPlantCase

Isolating isn't really possible - DH is classed as a key worker and we wouldn't be able to afford for him to take additional weeks of unpaid leave even if his employer did allow it (which is highly unlikely - they made redundancies in his office leaving minimal specialist trained staff - it's a nightmare getting annual leave agreed as it is as there is only normally him that works his shift)

Also have an older DD at primary school.

I would try and self isolate as much as you can, see if Dh can work solely on his own ( if that's even an option) maybe talk to dc school and home school before your due date, as if baby's do need to go into nicu I doubt that the unit would let you on if you test positive ( speak to your midwife ur call the nicu and find out the rules I maybe well be wrong and they have maybe options in place) but before covid they don't even like you on units if you have a cold and tbh you wouldn't want to be around nicu baby's if you are ill they are so vulnerable x

Talking to my midwife today at a routine appointment she said that there are dedicated covid post natal wards at the hospital for mums who have tested positive and they have their babies with them as normal

I have a specialist appointment tomorrow so will ask about the NICU situation then