A plea if you’re going in for checks, pleeeease do a lateral flow test ladies!

[Bellyrumble]

Hi ladies, I hope anyone reading this is well and pregnancy going okay!

I was in maternity assessment on Friday at 36weeks. High BP, protein, swelling. Fortunately now on close monitoring for PE and so far going ok with BP medication.

Sadly someone on the ward tested positive for covid when I was in- meaning my husband and I are now classed as close contacts and have to isolate for 10 days.
It means if I happen to go into labour or need to be induced during that time he can’t be present.

We’re not quite old enough yet to be double jabbed and use that exemption, his second jab isn’t until next week. It’s just bad timing.

This is a plea to anyone going in to a ward for routine checks/ assessment where not a complete 999 emergency.

please please please do a lateral flow test first if you can. I know they aren’t 100% accurate but I’m so scared right now of going into labour or being induced and my husband being unable to be there because the only place we have been since 28 weeks (the hospital) we have been exposed to covid.

It’s a risk we took on Friday with him coming in with me and it’s a risk we won’t take again but I thought I’d highlight the situation as quite naively I hadn’t considered this could happen to us.

I’m also now (rightly so) being separated from others in hospital at all these appointments I have to go to, just incase I’ve caught it, I’m basically being treated as if I’m covid positive just incase. This reduces the risk to anyone else on the ward whilst I’m in, but I will continue to do lateral flow tests to ensure I’m doing my bit to protect others from possible isolation where a situation like mine might have been avoided if the person had done a LFT before going in.

I hope I don’t offend anyone here but I just wanted to highlight what can happen to other mums to be if we accidentally come into contact with them and are carrying covid

[quote Alwaysad45]@FTEngineerM certain posters on this thread are clearly just piling on for the fun of it. OP has a VALID reason as to why she isnt having the vaccine and I'm sorry doctors that know her medical notes are more equipped to tell her what is and what isnt right for her in terms of the vaccine not bloody random people that think they know it all. As you said the vaccine doesnt stop people from catching it. Some posters on here should really be ashamed of the crap they are saying. Especially the ones that are pregnant themselves.[/quote]
What was the valid reason? And sorry to disappoint, but nope, there’ll be no shame here!

This post is so hypocritical- your decision not to be vaccinated is putting everyone else in the hospital including the staff at increased risk. As to husband not being able to be jabbed, surely if it was that important he could have driven to another city.

@IWasBornInAThunderstorm tricky indeed :/ it’s a tough decision
I’ve come across on here to many as a selfish hypocrite probably but I have my own reasons for declining when pregnant, the fertility treatment and timing of it are the main ones and you and a couple of others have appreciated that, thank you.

When I first got pregnant it wasn’t recommended and having being told throughout the fertility treatment not to either if it was offered to me, I’d made my mind up. It wasn’t until June it was offered to my age group, and until relatively recently we have been actively encouraged to get it, at which stage it would have been too late for me to have both doses.

To those saying they can’t believe someone my age hasn’t had the opportunity to have both vaccines- my husband is same age as me and given the availability of appointments in our area for vaccines 1 and 2, it simply wasn’t possible. Most of my friends are having their second next week. It’s just how the dates fell, and in a way that can only be a good thing as it means many people are taking up the opportunity to be vaccinated

He obviously can’t go to his appointment on Saturday now as he’s self isolating, but will be there on Monday when his isolation ends, at the walk in clinic for it.

I can’t wait to have it when I am no longer pregnant, I’ve just made the decision not to have it right now.

Anyway I hope this post has done more than raise the vaccine debate and remind people to do LfTs.

I’m so sorry to anyone who has been in this situation and who has had to labour alone. I’m sorry to those of you who have actually had covid, and I hope you have recovered well.

it’s a crap time all round but hopefully the little babies born in this pandemic have brought joy to many of you :)

But even if I had been double jabbed I would have caught it. Seems a moot point. I’m not sure it even matters why the OP isn’t vaccinated, regardless of the reason she gives it doesn’t really matter. She can still catch it, even if it is less likely.

Where I am I was called for one when they were giving out AZ, I couldn’t get a definitive answer as to how I go about getting Pfizer so I didn’t go to my appt as per their instructions. Awaited them to tell me when they had Pfizer available, which coincidentally was when the whole under 30 or what ever it was was told only Pfizer.

Then you get your appointment in how ever many weeks time and can’t get the other for 8 weeks once that first ones done. Irritatingly I couldn’t go to my second vaccination because I caught covid, now I have to wait 4 weeks for the second which puts me 41 weeks pregnant so I said I probably don’t want to be having it then, I felt quite shit after the last one. So they’re inviting me in October.

It hasn’t been simple or easy for pregnant women. Certainly not in my area and not from what I read on here.

It’s not true that the single vaccine is essentially useless, it’s still 52% effective at reducing hospital admissions.

Gosh so everyone who’s double jabbed needs to test because the unvaccinated might have to isolate?

Right.

You will have your baby and your husband being there is a mute point. Plenty of woman have babies without their husbands by their sides.

What makes you more special?

Hospitals do covid tests, lateral flows are that accurate, double jabbed with household contacts no longer need to isolate - that’s reality.

Don’t think you have any authority to ask others to test when you refuse to vaccinate.

You do know that LFT tests are not 100% accurate? My sister tested positive on PCR but negative on lateral flow tests twice, two weeks apart.

Dear OP, being vaccinated in pregnancy is of great benefit to mum and baby.
I understand that the information wasn't consistent in the beginning but honestly with the latest information available now, it is advisable to have the vaccination.
The third trimester is the worst time to catch covid and the pregnant mum is very likely to be seriously ill.
Please look at the RCOG, RCM and the PHE websites OP.
And all the very best to you.
Best wishes from a midwife

I do sympathise with your situation OP, the trouble is other pregnant women who are asymptomatic probably will be reluctant to do a LFT if they too are close to their due date as they risk being told they have to give birth alone.

@Imgladyoulikedit I think you’ve been quite rude there.

The issue isn’t me isolating it’s my husband isolating who has had one vaccine and was due his second this weekend- the soonest he could get in.

The issue isn’t me isolating it’s my husband isolating who has had one vaccine and was due his second this weekend- the soonest he could get in

But you say he’s missed his appt but will go to a walk-in clinic as soon as he finishes isolation.

Why not just go to the walk in clinic earlier? That’s what all my dd’s 18 year old friends did. All double jabbed now.

You are blaming all of this on everyone else for not doing lft’s, when the fault lies a) with your dp for not getting his arse in gear so close to birth, and b) your own choice in not getting jabbed.

Take responsibility and stop putting it on others.

But even if I had been double jabbed I would have caught it.

Possibly, not necessarily. The point people are making is that it’s a bit of a brass neck to plead with other people to take ineffective precautions to avoid inconveniencing you when you won’t take an effective one to avoid a more significant risk to them as well as yourself. The fact that some people have had to wait to get appointments is a red herring - OP hasn’t tried to get vaccinated, and vaccines have been recommended to pregnant women since April.

@Reallyreallyborednow He will have to miss it to adhere to isolation rules, yes. The recommended waiting time between vaccines is 8-12 weeks- so it’s not a case of him getting his arse in gear it’s a case of following the recommended timescales from the date of his first vaccine which was the end of June (the earliest he could book his first due to availability of appointments in our area).

He simply couldn’t have done it earlier and follow medical advice so I’m not sure how he can be criticised for that

My vaccination status is not relevant as it is him isolating that causes the issue of him potentially missing the birth, not me.

Both my 16 year olds and 18 year old have been double jabbed for weeks -

Some people clearly can’t think ahead and get organized.

If it was that important to you and your husband you would’ve pushed to get this sorted.

My vaccination status is not relevant as it is him isolating that causes the issue of him potentially missing the birth, not me.

You’re literally more likely to pass Covid to him (and other people) around the time of the birth by being unvaccinated.

Whether OP is vaccinated or not, it really isn't a massive inconvenience to do LFTs to protect others. There will be people who are vulnerable because they can't be vaccinated, or because (like me) they are immunocompromised. Just do the bloody LFT and don't whinge about it.

Who’s whinged about doing LFTs?

No one has whinged about doing LFTs.

Both my 16 year olds and 18 year old have been double jabbed for weeks
Double jabbed since the vaccine was offered to 16 year olds last week????

Sorry this happened to you OP.

I went for my first hospital scan recently and despite being told we needed to do a LFT no one asked for evidence we had. I know the system is 'cheatable' anyway if people really want to but I do feel they should ask for proof. People returning for multiple visits will be aware they won't be asked to prove they've tested which makes everyone less safe.

Hope you get through this isolation period without any emergencies

He will have to miss it to adhere to isolation rules, yes. The recommended waiting time between vaccines is 8-12 weeks- so it’s not a case of him getting his arse in gear it’s a case of following the recommended timescales from the date of his first vaccine which was the end of June (the earliest he could book his first due to availability of appointments in our area)

So when appts were backlogged why didn’t he go to a walk in in june, and again in 8 weeks?

Perfectly possible to be double jabbed by now, and as it now appears he is able to go to a walk in, as he’s going to do it asap, there was no reason to wait for appointments.

It is a case of arse in gear and going to a walk in, rather than sitting on it and waiting for appointments.

You’re pregnant, it’s not rocket science to work out if he’s not double jabbed he’s could well end up isolating at a critical point. So arse in gear and make sure that doesn’t happen.

My trust say that you and your partner need to do a LFT before any appointments but I’ve seen them let partners in without them (and they just ask them to do the test at some point afterwards). I find it frustrating because it’s easy enough and free to do but at the end of the day, I know I cannot control other people’s behaviour.

I can understand your reason for posting but sadly people are free to do what they wish, just as you are free to choose not to get vaccinated. Even with a negative LFT there is still a chance you are infectious. Personally I decided to get vaccinated as the best way to protect me and others. I’m 28 and double jabbed, even with a slight delay getting my first appointment.

Ffs I can’t believe the comments on here! OP was sharing her experience and opinion (which is an opinion!) and now it’s turned into an interrogation of why she’s not vaccinated and a step by step itinerary of her partners medical appointments. Honestly people are such busy bodies!
OP I hope you’re okay and everything goes well for you. IMO I’d turn off your notifications now because you’re never going to get anywhere with these posters. Wishing you all the best x

PS. you can still catch and spread the virus when vaccinated (yes, perhaps to a lesser degree but it doesn’t give anyone a golden ticket)

LFT won’t be free for much longer! Nor will they be doing PCR tests.

This virus will rip through the country and they’ll be no stopping it until everyone is either ill or unemployed

This is just the beginning.

@BluebellsGreenbells

Yeah, that’s sort of the reason we’ve got vaccines