Are you allowing visitors?

[Nazz10]

Curious to know what others are doing with visitors once baby is here?

I've been super super careful and shielding for most of the pregnancy (I'm not high risk, just because I felt that was the right thing to do).
I know that children and babies are at low risk and uncommonly have symptoms so this is putting my mind at ease a little bit. I also think those first few weeks/months of baby's life are so precious and a time that you will never get back and I would hate to take that away over a virus that doesn't have particular concerns for babies. But now I feel like I sound like a bad mother for not wanting to shield my baby...

What are you all doing or have been doing?

We aren't 'allowing visitors' but we have needed help. We moved house the day before I went into labour (moved last Thursday and baby born Friday. Labour started 1am Friday).

We had formed a household with the in-laws a week before the move. They have helped us with moving into the new house and childcare for my two year old. As MIL doesn't drive, she did need to be ferried here once by my SIL, whose four year old did need to loo during the handover.

The whole thing has made me feel like a criminal and that I've probably broken all the rules. But we've done the best we could...

If I'd already been moved and settled in, we still would have needed childcare for two days (at least during labour and the day after). Not sure how we could have gotten around the transport issues and 'bubble popping' that caused...

I'm not allowing visitors as such but as you're allowed to bubble with one other family when you've got a baby, we'll be doing that, probably with my Sister as she's a big help.

Yes we will be allowing visitors, not that we'll have too many. Baby is due August so things will be more relaxed by then anyway.

Haven’t though about this yet but this did make me think. I was thinking probably my mum and dad, and sister can come over fairly soon after birth but then realised that DH would want his mum, brother and even maybe grandparents and wouldn’t be fair to have one side without the other but now that quickly amounts to a lot of people! Maybe we will have a few days by ourselves to settle in, then have the mums and dads over in the first week and then the others listed above after the first week. Then probably not friends or extended family for a few weeks x

I am due next month and will be allowing visitors as usual. I’m eager for some normality now.

I'm due 6th May but won't be having visitors until the next stage of lockdown unlocking. It works out great for us, a couple of weeks to establish feeding and get some kind of routine going. We won't bother with a baby bubble as it seems unfair to pick one set of grandparents over the other.

We won't be asking visitors to wear masks but I will be asking anyone who wants a cuddle to wash their hands first (as an immunologist I would be doing that anyway) and one household at a time. I'm CV but haven't been able to get the vaccine as my GP won't sign off on it while I'm pregnant 🙄 so it's about protecting me. If I get covid even mildly I can't imagine that would be helpful when in the first stages of breastfeeding/ postpartum/ managing my health condition!

I decided against the vaccine when offered in March as there wasn't enough testing done so I'm always panicking and could count on my hands how many times I've been out the house since November. Our baby isn't due until October, and by then everything should have eased and most visitors (will only be immediate family, extended will have to be patient) will be vaccinated by then so whilst I'm very worried right now and shielding as much as possible, I think by the time baby is here I'll have spaced visits

I won't be allowing visitors at all I also have a 1 year old who alot of family members haven't met still im due to give birth this month

We will be. Due in May. Can’t wait to see family. Will be seeing friends/family initially in line with rules (so outside). Have already completed one maternity leave in lockdown and can’t wait to see friends and have proper play dates for my one year old. Baba will be with me in a sling!

Honestly I think so much of it is personal preference. I find the early days hard and am a much better mama when I can be with friends or family for adult company too.

I also lost family in the past year, and know how precious time is. I will be more cautious with hand washing and holding. But yes, as soon as it’s allowed, I will be welcoming visitors!

We decided to let both sets of grandparents come and visit normally. My mum stayed with us quite a lot for support anyway. The in laws have visited for a few hours at a time. I've seen a few friends in the garden. Very much up to you what you choose. Both sets of grandparents have had vaccine.

We have decided to let people visit. I think it's unfair to bubble with one family and exclude the other. We will be asking visitors to wash their hands but would have done this pre Covid.