Covid 19 & newborn

Blingy

Sprites wrote: »

Which hospital are you attending? I'm in a group ON Facebook where a lady who is 37 weeks has been told all antenatal clinic appointments are cancelled and she should call ahead and present at A&E when her labour starts. She will be gowned up and sent up to the maternity suite. No birth partner will be permitted.

I've been fairly calm about the situation up to this but at 35 +5 myself I'm starting to worry now that my husband wont be allowed to accompany me during delivery.

Which hospital is this.
I cannot imagine not having a birth partner during labour. That’s v unfair.

Sprites

Blingy wrote: »

Which hospital is this.
I cannot imagine not having a birth partner during labour. That’s v unfair.

Castlebar.

If the situation keeps escalating with more cases being diagnosed every day then I don't think it's an unrealistic prospect in hospitals

Uptheduff

I'm attending Sligo university hospital. I'm so thankful my husband can be with me during labour but the few days on the maternity ward with only phonecalls will be hard, particularly for him. Imagine being kept away from your newborn for its first few days of life

Nickibaby*

Restrictions regarding visitors are posted here and updated regularly:

https://www2.hse.ie/services/hospital-service-disruptions/hospital-service-disruptions-covid19.html

Millem

Blingy wrote: »

Which hospital is this.
I cannot imagine not having a birth partner during labour. That’s v unfair.

Absolutely agree. Surely they could just gone up with masks and gloves or something? Not due till end of August so please God the rules will be different

Uptheduff

Millem wrote: »

Absolutely agree. Surely they could just gone up with masks and gloves or something? Not due till end of August so please God the rules will be different

In some ways I'm glad they've imposed this measure. I was previously worried about all the visitors to the ward with babies who still don't have a developed immune system. It's very tough on dad's and I'm going to find it hard as a first time mum not being able to share the first few days of our babies life with my husband but I feel it's a sensible measure considering the current situation.

Millem

Uptheduff wrote: »

In some ways I'm glad they've imposed this measure. I was previously worried about all the visitors to the ward with babies who still don't have a developed immune system. It's very tough on dad's and I'm going to find it hard as a first time mum not being able to share the first few days of our babies life with my husband but I feel it's a sensible measure considering the current situation.

I am taking about the situation that previous poster mentioned in Castlebar!!
I don’t even want to think about not having my husband there for the birth!!

Antares35

I'm due in 9 weeks and my worries so far include:

1. Contracting the disease and my baby/ I suffering the consequences of the side effects e.g. fever or pneumonia

2. Giving birth in a crowded hospital where there is a risk of transmission.

3. My parents, who are sitting out the pandemic in Spain, not being able to travel home for the birth.

4. OH, who is an asthmatic, contracting it.

Slightly less serious concerns:

5. Not having all the baby stuff together in time - but being afraid to go shopping.

6. Having to be rude to prospective visitors for the first few weeks after birth so that we can protect our daughter.

venusdoom

This has worried me too. I'm on baby no. 4 and I really don't know how I'd get through the labour without my husband's support. Just having your partner there beside you is such a comfort. I don't mind if he has to leave after that. I really hope this isn't the way it's going to go.

Blingy

venusdoom wrote: »

This has worried me too. I'm on baby no. 4 and I really don't know how I'd get through the labour without my husband's support. Just having your partner there beside you is such a comfort. I really hope this isn't the way it's going to go.

I am the same. Baby number 3 and I cannot imagine not having my partner there with me. It’s fairly tough going even with your partner there so imagine with out him/her there.

Nickibaby*

First time mom & just unimaginable if my husband can't be there for the birth. We started this journey together after all, the thought makes me very sad. I'm not dwelling on it though and hope that won't be the case. I suppose we have the rest of our lives to spend together fingers crossed so gonna try not focus on a few days.

I am glad they are restricting visitors though.

What is everyone thinking in relation to visitors? Allow grandparents or none at all?

Millem

Blingy wrote: »

I am the same. Baby number 3 and I cannot imagine not having my partner there with me. It’s fairly tough going even with your partner there so imagine with out him/her there.

Myself and my husband were discussing this at weekend. He said.....it could end up being a home birth so!!!!!

I really don’t even want think about not being with me. 3rd baby here also.

kandr10

Antares35 wrote: »

I'm due in 9 weeks and my worries so far include:

1. Contracting the disease and my baby/ I suffering the consequences of the side effects e.g. fever or pneumonia

2. Giving birth in a crowded hospital where there is a risk of transmission.

3. My parents, who are sitting out the pandemic in Spain, not being able to travel home for the birth.

4. OH, who is an asthmatic, contracting it.

Slightly less serious concerns:

5. Not having all the baby stuff together in time - but being afraid to go shopping.

6. Having to be rude to prospective visitors for the first few weeks after birth so that we can protect our daughter.

It’s not nice to have this extra thing to worry about on top of normal pregnancy stuff. All evidence seems to point towards pregnant women being no worse affected than women of similar age in the general population. There’s been no reports of any newborns having any serious complications after so chances are very small that anything would happen.
Hopefully your folks are ok in Spain. Most likely even if they were in the country they wouldn’t be with you anyway. It’s a shame but in the scheme of things it’s a tiny portion of their new grandchild’s life that will pass in a blur anyway. When we get out the other side of it, they’ll have a healthy baby to dote on and your child will have healthy grandparents.
As for visitors, no one will be offended given the circumstances.
Visiting restrictions are there to keep mothers and babies safe. It will make for a crappy way to start out but it’s for the greater good and will somewhat take away the risks of the crowded hospital situation. At least we can prepare ourselves mentally for potentially not having partners in hospital and hopefully also they’ll be quick to release us after births.
Also if you’re worried about getting bits on for the baby, start ordering online. Most shops will deliver to you.
All of your concerns are reasonable but try not too consumed by them. Focus on the things you can do - meditation / breathing for relaxation, ordering stuff online and preparing the hospital bags etc.

Antares35

kandr10 wrote: »

It’s not nice to have this extra thing to worry about on top of normal pregnancy stuff. All evidence seems to point towards pregnant women being no worse affected than women of similar age in the general population. There’s been no reports of any newborns having any serious complications after so chances are very small that anything would happen.
Hopefully your folks are ok in Spain. Most likely even if they were in the country they wouldn’t be with you anyway. It’s a shame but in the scheme of things it’s a tiny portion of their new grandchild’s life that will pass in a blur anyway. When we get out the other side of it, they’ll have a healthy baby to dote on and your child will have healthy grandparents.
As for visitors, no one will be offended given the circumstances.
Visiting restrictions are there to keep mothers and babies safe. It will make for a crappy way to start out but it’s for the greater good and will somewhat take away the risks of the crowded hospital situation. At least we can prepare ourselves mentally for potentially not having partners in hospital and hopefully also they’ll be quick to release us after births.
Also if you’re worried about getting bits on for the baby, start ordering online. Most shops will deliver to you.
All of your concerns are reasonable but try not too consumed by them. Focus on the things you can do - meditation / breathing for relaxation, ordering stuff online and preparing the hospital bags etc.

Thank you I'm lucky that I can work from home and so have that to occupy me. Keeping in touch with the folks several times a day so this helps.

It is beginning to look like a possibility that we won't be able to bring partners with us. Although this saddens me, I know that any decisions made are for the best and I would rather go it alone (albeit it will be scary) than face a situation where mothers and babies are exposed to harm. It will be sad and scary without OH but I have every faith in our midwives and other medical professionals. Can only hope for a straightforward birth so that we can come home as soon as possible I guess!

I read that the demand for home births has surged also, which would make sense in the current climate. I'd still be in two minds about that one!

jaja321

Blingy wrote: »

Holles st seems to allow the partner/birth parent postnatally.
http://www.nmh.ie/news.181.html

Holles street just called me re my appointment next week. I asked them about this and they said dad's only for birth but not after. I'm having a csection so this has me pretty terrified as I remember what it was like after my last section even with him there. Baby due 1st week of June so hoping things will have calmed by then but need to prepare myself mentally.

Cash_Q

jaja321 wrote:

Holles street just called me re my appointment next week. I asked them about this and they said dad's only for birth but not after. I'm having a csection so this has me pretty terrified as I remember what it was like after my last section even with him there. Baby due 1st week of June so hoping things will have calmed by then but need to prepare myself mentally.

If it comes to that, just keep ringing the bell for the midwife when you need help. If you're in a ward with others, maybe another mam can lift the baby for you to feed in the immediate aftermath. You're right to prepare yourself mentally for the worst case scenario. I'm not due til September so I feel hopeful that things may be a bit more relaxed by then but it's impossible to predict.

jaja321

Cash_Q wrote: »

If it comes to that, just keep ringing the bell for the midwife when you need help. If you're in a ward with others, maybe another mam can lift the baby for you to feed in the immediate aftermath. You're right to prepare yourself mentally for the worst case scenario. I'm not due til September so I feel hopeful that things may be a bit more relaxed by then but it's impossible to predict.

Thanks x

Crybabygeeks

jaja321 wrote: »

Holles street just called me re my appointment next week. I asked them about this and they said dad's only for birth but not after. I'm having a csection so this has me pretty terrified as I remember what it was like after my last section even with him there. Baby due 1st week of June so hoping things will have calmed by then but need to prepare myself mentally.

I'm the same but in a way, kind of thankful I know what to expect. Knowing now is way better than it being a sudden thing in the run up to it. This whole situation is so so so crap for everyone. Just trying to stay positive and stay out of people's way.

Uptheduff

Just a heads up for those close to their date, I'm in the hospital now and they are not allowing air & gas because of Corona.

History Queen

Uptheduff wrote: »

Just a heads up for those close to their date, I'm in the hospital now and they are not allowing air & gas because of Corona.

Why won't they allow gas and air? As in, what is the logic behind the decision, or did they say?

Uptheduff

History Queen wrote: »

Why won't they allow gas and air? As in, what is the logic behind the decision, or did they say?

Just said it was a corona precaution, I'm assuming because it uses a breathing mask/apparatus.

bee06

Uptheduff wrote: »

Just said it was a corona precaution, I'm assuming because it uses a breathing mask/apparatus.

Which hospital? I had my baby on Monday in CUMH and had no issue with using it.

Uptheduff

Sligo University hospital

History Queen

Uptheduff wrote: »

Just said it was a corona precaution, I'm assuming because it uses a breathing mask/apparatus.

Seems strange purely because if you needed oxygen for example you would still need breathing apparatus. I'm not medically trained and have no doubt there is a valid reason. I was just curious.

Lizardlegz

History Queen wrote: »

Seems strange purely because if you needed oxygen for example you would still need breathing apparatus. I'm not medically trained and have no doubt there is a valid reason. I was just curious.

Hi ladies, I’m assuming they are doing this as they are deeming the gas and air to be an aerosol (light particles in a pressurised system). There’s new info out that the covid virus can live for longer in aerosol particles than in droplets on surfaces etc (which is about 2 hours). They’re currently researching this. But I’m guessing that’s most likely the reason. They are saying the virus may live for 3 or more hours as aerosols. This is only my assumption from the knowledge I have so far on the virus.

You would need to ring the mat hospital to clarify the exact reason. And if they say it’s “precautionary” just ask them on what grounds. They would need to have something to back it up. They don’t just make up rules without evidence/research to back it up. But I think it’s the aerosol thing.

smurfette2212

Having been to UHG today, they also have a sign confirming gas and air cannot be given.

Nickibaby*

smurfette2212 wrote: »

Having been to UHG today, they also have a sign confirming gas and air cannot be given.

More bad news :rolleyes:

Blingy

No gas and air will be tough.