Due to give birth any day and my partner has Norovirus

[hmorgan]

I am 40 + 3 weeks pregnant. I’m feeling very uncomfortable (acid reflux, aches, extreme insomnia, claustrophobic in my own body).

I was going to be induced yesterday but I postponed as my partner is very unwell…

I’m trying to weigh up my options.

1. Should I stay at home with him, even though that increases the risk of me catching Norovirus?

1. If I catch Norovirus, will I be able to have skin to skin with the baby when they’re born?

1. Would it be irresponsible for my partner to come to hospital with me and risk spreading Norovirus? Would a mask/gloves be sufficient protection?

1. Do I keep postponing the induction even though I’m feeling intensely uncomfortable?

This is my first baby and I’m feeling very overwhelmed. Any advice or thoughts would be much appreciated!

Do you have anyone nearby you could stay with? Parents? Sibling? A close friend even? You need to move out temporarily as honestly norovirus while in labour and delivery would be horrible and may increase likelihood of interventions

Personally I would go and stay elsewhere if possible and delay the induction at least until 41 weeks in the hope he gets over the virus before you go in to give birth.

and no your partner definitely shouldn’t go into hospital with norovirus - there will be vulnerable people there including babies and its very contagious. You don’t want your baby catching it either. If there is an outbreak then they will put visiting restrictions on the ward which would be very unfair to people going in to give birth after you

As it is the weekend, contact the labour ward and ask their advice. Norovirus is so contagious there will be a protocol.

I wouldn’t want to be in the same house as DH tbh, the biggest risk is you catching Norovirus from him. Can you stay with anyone? Or can he completely isolate in your house - different bedroom, different bathroom?

I think the best scenario is to delay the induction a few more days and avoid your DH so you don’t catch it. You need a plan for if you go in to labour before then, he can’t come to hospital with you until he’s been 48h symptom free so you need to plan who can come with you as a plan B.

Is there a medical reason you need to be induced now? Can it wait? I wasn't induced until 41+5. That's only because I showed no signs of labour

I would go and stay somewhere else. And I think it would be grossly irresponsible to have your DH in the hospital if he hasn’t been 48 hrs symptom free.

I would put my baby first and go in to be induced if that’s what’s being recommended.

It’s difficult to answer what you should do about the induction without knowing more about your pregnancy - high/low risk, reason for induction etc, but ultimately any decisions to delay should be discussed with your medical team.

Under no circumstances should your partner be anywhere near the hospital until 48 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea. That might mean you need a different birth partner.

Your partner will not be allowed in to the hospital until he is 48 post symptoms ….that’s nhs policy….you need to think of all the other mothers and babies….it would be totally selfish to put their health at risk by not telling the staff he was unwell

What an awful situation. No your DH should definitely not go to the hospital with norovirus, it is the last place he should be and very dangerous for many there. Have you got somewhere else you could stay for a few nights whilst he recovers? You don’t want to catch noro then give birth with it, it would be horrendous.

No
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Do you have someone else that can be your birthing partner? You need to put what’s best (and safest) for you and baby

Oh gosh how stressful for you. Seconding everyone who is saying you need to move out, like right now this morning. Take hospital bags with you. If you've nobody to stay with then you need to go to a Premier Inn. Phone hospital and explain what's happening, hopefully they'll delay your induction a few days.

Hopefully your DH will be better in a couple of days, the only good thing about noro is the symptoms are usually very short and sharp. He should stop vomiting in 24 hours, diahorrea will take longer to clear his system but hopefully not too long.

He absolutely needs to be 48 hours minimum symptom free before accompanying you to hospital. Can someone else be your birth partner if he isn't well enough?

So sorry this has struck now but really the main thing atm is you and baby don't catch it.

This. I can’t understand why you decided not to go yesterday.

Go and stay with a friend/ your mum unless you can totally isolate form your dh.

talk to your midwife and hopefully they can delay your induction for a few days

norovirus is awful BUT can pass quite quickly. If your dh hopefully stops vomiting today he will be in a good place Monday

Realise this is a horrible situation to be in but no you should not put yours and your baby's health at risk because your partner has a temporary case of D&V.

Not to mention all the other newborn babies and mothers in the hospital. Jesus.

Keep well away from him, preferably you move to your parents if possible, or he stays at his parents or elsewhere
ring the labour ward

Thanks for all the advice. It’s been really difficult to think straight so it’s good to have a sounding board. I agree with all your comments. I’m staying at my mum’s and a friend has agreed to be my birthing partner if my partner isn’t symptom-free for 48 hours by the time I deliver.

Still not sure what to do about the induction… mine is a low risk pregnancy so there isn’t an urgent medical need for me to be induced, but I’m feeling so completely mentally and physically drained that the idea of being pregnant for another week or two fills me with dread

If you are low risk then honestly I’d try and just sit it out if you can, and give your partner the chance to be there if he’s better in time. I know not all men are the same but my DH would have been absolutely broken hearted to have missed DS being born (and I’d have been very sad that he wasn’t there too). Can you just largely stay in bed if you’re at your Mums, is she willing to wait on you a bit? x

Ps.. I say that with the assumption that he’s already been ill for at least 2 days, so should hopefully be on the mend soon, and then just 48 hours to ride out.

Thanks CheeseWisely, that’s good advice. My mum’s keeping her distance just in case I have Norovirus, but I can stay for as long as I need. I’ll postpone the induction

In your shoes I think I would go and be induced with your mum as your supporter bc your dh won’t be able to go in to hospital for 2 days at least and you don’t want to wait in case you succumb.

I totally identify with that “claustrophobia in your own body feeling” as I had exactly the same! I think it’s your body telling you that it’s time!

If it’s your first baby, your labour might still be a while anyway. It’s up to you but I think if you have a good alternative birth partner who can advocate for you, then it’s more important to have your dh in good shape once your baby is here!

I have no medical qualifications though so please follow the advice of the midwives, Just wanted to send lots of strength to you as this is a lot of added stress but don’t worry, it will all come right in the end, even if it isn’t exactly as you planned it, go with the flow, but sorry you are facing this additional stress, good luck!
🌺🌺🌺

When did DH symptoms start? It took me 36hrs to catch it from my DH. Just hoping you’re out of the woods and don’t catch it. DH can’t be anywhere in the hospital until 48hrs after last symptom and that means loose stool too. It’s so contagious. A visitor brought it into our ward last year and took out the whole bay and staff.

How does the follow sound as a plan:

Postpone induction by 4 days. Then you've still got an end in sight on the discomfort. It’s also far away enough that partner should be back to interacting with the outside world. It’s also far away enough that you’ll know you’re not about to come down with it as would have shown by then.

And if go into labour between now and then, you’ve got friend as a back up plan.

In the meantime, get out in the sunlight and fresh air. Get walking around. All the stuff that helps with labour readiness so induction is likely to be a positive experience.

Surely being pregnant for a bit longer is better than the prospect of beginning life with your new baby affected by vomit of your partner, or worse, yourself. I know this must be totally overwhelming. Staying at your mums is the right idea. No way can your partner go to the ward until he’s 48hr symptom free. Totally up to you but given no medical reason for baby to be induced, I’d 100% be waiting.

I would 100% wait, rest up and as soon as its 48hrs ring labour ward a rebook induction, you will want OH there with you and i expect he would be upset to miss the birth, i went to 42+1 with my first 41+1 with my second and 41+2 with my last, (my babies like to be extra cooked i guess lol) i know its very uncomfortable but it will be worth the extra discomfort to share those first few moments after baby born with your OH xx