Covid positive birth

[Salvia89]

Can people share their experiences of a covid positive birth?

I am due a c section next week and currently have covid. I’m feeling fine thankfully but there’s a possibility I’ll still be testing positive on the day. Thankfully DP is currently negative and we’re isolating from each other as much as possible so he’s negative at the birth.

I spoke with a midwife on the phone last week who said that he would be allowed at the birth if I was positive as long as he was negative, however just watched a video recorded a week ago by a senior midwife who said he wouldn’t be permitted to be there (but she needed to triple check the current guidance).

I’m hoping that if I’m still positive at the birth my partner and I can be barricaded in a covid room and it’ll all be ok! I don’t really see what difference it makes if he’s there too?? He desperately wants to be there for the birth of his child.

I’m due a call from the hospital tomorrow so will ask again, but for those of you that have recently given birth with covid, how did it work for you?

Also interested in any other non-birth partner related experiences.. I assume there’s a team of midwives on covid duty each day who will look after any positive mothers? Were they massively stretched or around a lot to help with feeding etc?

Hi,

Similar position here so will also be grateful for any experience. I tested positive on Friday (nasty cold symptoms but other than that ok) and due my c section this coming Friday so will still be testing positive still. Unfortunately DP tested positive also on Saturday.

I have spoken to the midwives at intended birth hospital and partner will not be allowed to attend, so have advised to find a back up who will need to provide a negative lft on arrival on Friday. From my understanding every hospital has different rules though. I'm really dreading doing this without him. From this I would imagine as long as your DP is negative you would be all ok to have him there.

Oh no! So sorry you’re in this situation.. it’s crap, isn’t it! Will your DP still be unable to attend if he’s testing negative by next Friday morning?

I'm sorry you're in this situation. I had covid in labour and unfortunately DH was positive too. Unfortunately I did need to birth alone as it was our second baby so with us both being positive, we no longer had childcare for DS1.

Every trust is different so I would suggest you get in touch in advance to discuss all your options. In my trust if I had been positive but DH negative, he would have been allowed to attend. I got the impression that he would have been allowed if we were both positive as they'd be isolating me anyway but I didn't push for details as it never would have applied to us due to the childcare issues.

As for the experience, of course it was disappointing that DH couldn't be there but it was otherwise a positive experience. I didn't have a c section so when we called may, they got a delivery room prepped for my arrival and met us at the drop off bay so I was taken straight in and bypassed triage completely. Lucky really as it was a very quick delivery and baby arrived after only 12 minutes in the delivery room!! The staff wore extra PPE and they advised continuous monitoring during labour so I couldn't use the MLU. The community midwives would have supported a home birth though if I'd wanted this (I know you're having a c section but just for anyone else reading).

We stayed the night due to meconium in the waters but due to covid I got my own room so if I'm honest the postnatal experience was far better than with my first for that reason alone. I can't comment on support as I didn't really need anything as it was my second baby. I just buzzed if necessary and had no problems getting help. In my trust, they allocated the single rooms on the top floor for isolation but I believe other trusts have an open bay on a ward.

Postnatal care is generally poor regardless of having covid but if I'm honest, I think if I'd asked for feeding support etc I'd have got more help than on an open ward as the staff seemed less stretched than on the open postnatal ward when I had DS1. Again, they just had extra PPE.

So overall it was positive but I know I'd have felt a lot different if it had been first baby or if there had been complications. As it was, I think it was the best possible scenario given the circumstances. I think the only thing I would have done was taken more photos. I took a lot but that's one thing DH would have been in charge of. With a planned section you'll have more control than I did with such a fast delivery.

At the moment he's still booked to have a PCR at the hospital Wednesday and they have said they will go by this result but the timing doesn't work from my research so will more than likely be positive. His step mum has said she will come with me as I've said I don't want to go alone due to other complications with this pregnancy.

I've done another test this morning and it's starting to go faint again so hopefully I'll be negative and not pass it to her.

Sorry you had to birth alone bobblewobble, but thank you for sharing. A few people have been in a similar situation that I know of and have said similar and that they also felt it was less stressful afterwards so I'm at least going to take that positive from it.

In my trust they would postpone your elective section until you tested negative.
Negative partners can accompany covid pos women where I am.

Thank you everyone! @Riaelaine fingers crossed you get a miracle and your DP’s test comes back negative. Good luck for Friday either way

I had a very very faint positive yesterday and hoping for a negative today.. DP seems to have swerved it so far too, so fingers crossed we’ll be ok.