What happens if I have covid when giving birth?

[badalmond]

I'm 38 weeks tomorrow and 8yo DS has covid. Faint positive on lateral flow, but he's coughing a lot, has a fever, headache, sore throat, stomach ache. The works. There are also cases in his class at school.

I'm fine so far, but we live in a small apartment and I can't isolate from him since I'm the main caregiver. DH is not helping my mood by insisting that coughs existed before covid and it's just a cold, so DD shouldn't follow the close contact rules at school tomorrow. We're not in the UK, but rules have changed recently so masks are no longer required unless you're a close contact.

I'm worried about having covid during labour, and what will happen in that case. It will also be a shame for DH as he'll miss the birth if either of us are positive too. Does anyone have experience of this? I've been feeling fed up and more than ready to give birth already, so I didn't really need this too.

Watching!
I've been told in UK it's the same care but you get a side room. Also the midwifes have said if you are very tired /poorly you are unlikely to go into labour until you are rested.

Sorry to hear that there's covid in your house OP, are you vaccinated?
You should do daily lateral flow tests and tell your midwives if/when you test positive in case you would benefit from blood thinning injections.
If you were in labour and positive then your partner may not be allowed in with you, but I'm not sure since you're not in the UK.
Try and keep your windows open to reduce the viral load you're exposed to, hope you're able to stay well

My niece gave birth five weeks ago and she tested positive the day before. She rang the hospital and explained that she had covid. The hopes were that she would not go into labour, not due for another week. She went the next morning. A designated midwife met her and her partner at the door. They were put into full ppe gear and brought straight to a small room. The midwife stayed with them for the whole of the labour and birth even though her shift had long finished. After the birth she was moved to a private room away from the wards and nurseries. Her partner was allowed into see her but couldn't leave the room except to go home. She stayed in for two nights. The same staff dealt with her throughout. We live in Ireland

Thanks for all the replies.

DH and I are fully vaccinated and boosted, both DCs are vaccinated.

I'm going to keep DD home tomorrow morning too until we can all be tested at the pharmacy.

It's not the first time there's been covid in the house. DH and DD had it in Jan 2020, then DH had it again in December, but I've never knowingly had it. It would be bad timing if I picked it up now.

I'm pretty sure that if I do test positive DH won't be allowed to attend the birth and there's a separate covid midwife. I'll also have to wear a mask throughout labour except for the pushing stage. I haven't found any more information than that, though.

My friend gave birth last month Covid positive. Her DH was negative so was able to attend the birth, she was put in her own room. He was sent home a couple of hours after giving birth and wasn't able to return until the next day (as that was day 11 of her having Covid so her isolation finished then).

I've had a fever, sore throat and cough since last night, but tested negative on a PCR this morning. Hospital told me to come in for checks and I'm waiting now. They've put me in a room but I think they might have forgotten me.

Surely it will depend on the rules in the country you are in and your specific hospital.