This may not come top of the list of priorities for many services, but it is relatively easy to accommodate. Birthing rooms are often much larger than scan rooms or appointment rooms and the risk of passing on COVID is low compared to wards or waiting rooms. However it is usually really important to those who do make this request. This week we are publishing a series of blogs to explore the issue of second birth partners from a range of perspectives.
We understand that Homerton has facilitated two partners being at a birth throughout all or most of the pandemic? Midwives could request an exemption, or women could contact the team directly often using the Birthrights template! This often meant facilitating two birth partners instead of one, allowing 24 hour visiting on the postnatal ward, or facilitating attendance for partners at early scans for instance for those who had experienced pregnancy loss previously and felt particularly anxious.
Another was a client with a history of childhood trauma and subsequent mental health needs meaning she needed her partner to be present with her at all times to manage her anxiety — and a doula too during labour who was able to support the midwife caring for her to best meet her needs in view of her past experiences.
This included an individualised postnatal plan too. Can you explain a bit more about why you took this decision?
We felt as a team very strongly that birthing people having the support they need during labour and at other times is essential for many reasons.
For labour to progress women need to feel safe and supported, and their own birth partners are best placed to provide this along with the expert care from a midwife of course! We also recognised the incredibly high levels of anxiety the restrictions were creating for families, and the impact this could subsequently have on family mental health, early bonding and family relationships.
Alternatively you can visit a local test site for a free rapid lateral flow test or collect 2 packs of 7 tests from a local test site — please visit the gov. We ask you to adhere to these rules which are in place to keep everyone safe and be respectful to our staff — we have a zero tolerance policy towards abusive and intimidating behaviour. Please read the step-by-step guides available.
You can also read our frequently asked questions. Follow us on social media for all the latest news and announcements. Scans and antenatal appointments Women can now be accompanied by one nominated partner for all scans and antenatal appointments at any of our hospitals.
The nominated partner must: Wait outside or within the limited waiting areas near the hospital entrance upon arrival while the woman in our care goes inside to be booked in women should wait in the designated waiting area, and are asked to be mindful of social distancing Wear a face covering when inside, and when waiting outside if social distancing cannot be maintained Wait to be called by your partner.
The nominated birth partner must: Not change this person cannot be swapped to someone else Take a rapid lateral flow test twice a week at home or at a test site and complete an assessment on arrival to confirm a negative result — please see the rapid lateral flow testing section below for more information Wear the face mask provided at all times when outside the bed space area and when staff enter the bed space area Attend with the woman in our care when admitted to ELCS bay, and remain with them in theatre and recovery until they are transferred to the postnatal ward Attend and remain with the woman in our care when admitted to the IOL bay up until 9pm, when accompaniment finishes Not attend the midwives station and use the call bell instead women can attend the midwives station Only use the designated toilets Active labour CLU and MLU birth rooms One nominated birth partner has consistently been able to accompany the woman in our care during active labour.
The two nominated birth partners must: Not change these birth partners cannot be swapped to someone else Take a rapid lateral flow test twice a week at home or at a test site and complete an assessment on arrival to confirm a negative result — please see the rapid lateral flow testing section below for more information Wear the face mask provided Minimise movements in and out of the birth room Maintain social distancing where possible Please note two nominated birth partners can attend in CLU and MLU birth rooms only.
This will be dependent on how you and your baby are feeling, but if the surgery is straightforward and there are no concerns with you or your baby you should be able to go home within days. If you are being cared for in the induction area, there might be up to 4 women in a bay. There is hand soap and sanitiser gel available and we would encourage you to wash your hands regularly. Visiting on our induction lounge follows the same visiting time slots as our wards, where you will be allocated to a time slot based on your bed number.
Our time slots are: or After initially commencing the induction process on the ward, once you have onset of regular contractions, your cervix starts to dilate, your waters break, or we have any concerns about the wellbeing of you or your baby you will be transferred to the labour ward. From this point, your birth partner can then be with you for the length of your labour and birth. Yes, currently if you meet the criteria out-patient induction can still be offered.
This would involve attending the hospital for your induction to be started with a pessary. After initial checks of you and the baby and the pessary being inserted you could then go home again to wait for labour to establish. Please ask your midwife or the Induction Ward if you want more information about outpatient induction or visit our website by clicking the below link:.
There are no childcare facilities within our maternity units. Please arrange childcare during labour with a family member or friend. If this is not something you feel you can do, your partner would have to remain at home for childcare and an alternate birth partner could be used in this case.
Again, this birth partner must be symptom-free in order to attend our unit. If you or anyone in your household has these symptoms you should not attend our Maternity Unit.
You should contact the Maternity Unit where you are booked for more information and should follow the Government Guidance on self-isolation. If your birth partner has symptoms of Covid they should not attend with you in labour — in this instance, you can attend with an alternative birth partner. If you are pregnant and have tested positive for Covid, via a PCR test, please call us as soon as you can preferably within the first 24 hours of receiving your results on ext The virtual Covid ward sees you stay at home and we will send you a pack which includes information, medication and equipment so you can keep track of things such as your temperature and oxygen levels.
If we are concerned about you and your baby, we will ask you to come into hospital so we can monitor you more closely. If you are attending in suspected labour you will be seen on Labour Ward where you are assessed in a single room and social distancing can be practised - therefore your partner can be with you. You should phone your Maternity Unit as normal, they will advise you of when you need to attend in labour and you will be cared for in a separate, isolation area.
You will still be cared for by a Midwife but this Midwife will not care for anyone else in labour on this shift and will be wearing appropriate PPE to prevent the spread of infection. Suspected Covid Important information to keep you safe while isolating at home. We offer testing for Covid to all women who are admitted for any reason to the maternity wards.
Together with the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Maternity Voices Partnership chair, we have put together these FAQs to answer some of the questions people have raised. We are also recommending that people regulary test themselves for Covid using lateral flow tests. Twice weekly rapid Covid test, lateral flow test is available to everybody and that tests can be ordered online. The Government has recommended expanding testing for Covid to people admitted to the hospital.
This will help to ensure that we can keep you, your baby, our members of staff and the wider community safe. You may have a positive test result without having symptoms of Covid, and this may mean we would advise that you should not bring a birth partner with you to hospital, who lives in the same household, not to use the birth pool or have a home birth. What effect does coronavirus have on pregnant women? All pregnant women will be offered the Covid swab at the time of their admission to our hospital.
This includes admission for induction of labour, elective caesarean section, a hospital birth on the labour ward and a stay in hospital during your pregnancy or after birth. You may see the midwives and maternity team wearing aprons, masks or eye protection. These things are to keep you, your baby and the staff caring for you safe, and to stop the spread of infection.
Your maternity team has been advised on how to keep you and your baby safe. They will make sure you get the best care and respect your birth choices as closely as possible. After your baby is born, you should be able to have skin-to-skin contact unless your baby is unwell and needs care in the neonatal unit.
You'll also be encouraged to breastfeed. There's no evidence COVID can pass on to your baby in breast milk, so the benefits of breastfeeding and the protection it offers outweigh any risks. At the moment it can be hard to know what to do. But trust your instincts and get medical help if you think your baby needs it.
If you have any questions or concerns at any time, speak to your midwife or maternity team. They can help with things like:. If you need information or support in a different language you can read translated versions of pregnancy leaflets from NHS England. Page last reviewed: 11 November Next review due: 25 November What to do if you're pregnant As soon as you find out you're pregnant speak to a GP or midwife.
Important If you're well, it's really important you go to all your appointments and scans for the health of you and your baby.
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