Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Partners banned from birth-Mullingar Hospital

Options
  • 26-03-2020 9:34pm
    #1
    appledrop
    Registered Users Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭


    As the title says Mullingar Hospitial has banned partners from being present at the birth of their child due to cornavirus.

    I know we are in the middle of a crisis but I'm sorry I think this is a step too far. I can understand no visitors etc but this is ridiculous.

    Giving birth can be a very scary experience + things can go wrong. You need someone with you.

    I fail to understand logic behind it. If couple are living together as a household then no further risk to each other. If putting hospitial staff as risk then surely they could wear protective gear like any other hospitial staff.


«1345678

Comments

  • Options
    #2
    elperello
    Registered Users Posts: 14,459 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    appledrop wrote: »
    As the title says Mullingar Hospitial has banned partners from being present at the birth of their child due to cornavirus.

    I know we are in the middle of a crisis but I'm sorry I think this is a step too far. I can understand no visitors etc but this is ridiculous.

    Giving birth can be a very scary experience + things can go wrong. You need someone with you.

    I fail to understand logic behind it. If couple are living together as a household then no further risk to each other. If putting hospitial staff as risk then surely they could wear protective gear like any other hospitial staff.

    I agree with you that it is scary but these are very difficult times.

    The danger of scarce trained staff getting infected is very real.

    PPE is in very short supply.








    .


  • Options
    #3
    Thelonious Monk
    Registered Users Posts: 13,925 ✭✭✭✭Thelonious Monk


    I for one would be delighted not to have to witness that mess


  • Options
    #4
    beggars_bush
    Registered Users Posts: 4,371 ✭✭✭beggars_bush


    Very hard on the mothers, with no familiar face to support them


  • Options
    #5
    Purple Mountain
    Registered Users Posts: 13,058 ✭✭✭✭Purple Mountain


    I read it that there was no partner visitor allowed.
    Didn't think it meant the birth.
    I'd support the ban anyway.
    These are unprecedented times.

    To thine own self be true



  • Options
    #6
    Touchee
    Registered Users Posts: 124 ✭✭Touchee


    appledrop wrote: »
    As the title says Mullingar Hospitial has banned partners from being present at the birth of their child due to cornavirus.

    I know we are in the middle of a crisis but I'm sorry I think this is a step too far. I can understand no visitors etc but this is ridiculous.

    Giving birth can be a very scary experience + things can go wrong. You need someone with you.

    I fail to understand logic behind it. If couple are living together as a household then no further risk to each other. If putting hospitial staff as risk then surely they could wear protective gear like any other hospitial staff.

    I can’t understand the logic either. If the husband/partner has the virus, then surely the mother also has the virus. I don’t there is any additional risk in allowing the partner to assist.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    appledrop
    Registered Users Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭appledrop


    I totally understand this is unprecedented times however its not just about having someone to support you it's also about having someone there who can witness what's going on.

    There are regularly settlements made in high court due to mistakes made during labour/births in maternity hospitials all around the country.

    The most notorious one is also a maternity hospitial in Midland area.

    If your on your own + something goes wrong you have no backup. A disgraceful position to put women in.


  • Options
    #8
    afkasurfjunkie
    Registered Users Posts: 771 ✭✭✭afkasurfjunkie


    Is it all births or just sections which take place in theatre?


  • Options
    #9
    Midnight Sundance
    Registered Users Posts: 798 ✭✭✭Midnight Sundance


    I'm just waiting on all the other maternity hospitals to follow suit. I thought it was hard enough thinking I'd have to labour by myself if induced, but now to give birth without my husband seems surreal!!!
    Every time I think about it I cry. I know it's being done to keep mothers and babies from harm but I also think if the father has covid 19 then the mother would have it too.
    It's really asking a lot from new mothers and expecting nurses and midwives to do a lot more even though they are already stretched enough as it is


  • Options
    #10
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,460 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    Where did you see this OP?

    The only news I can see mentions no visitors ante or post-natal, the same as all other maternity hospitals, doesn't say anything about no birthing partner during the actual birth?


  • Options
    #11
    appledrop
    Registered Users Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭appledrop


    On rte website , article by Ciaran Mullooley if anyone can post link I'd appreciate it.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,460 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    appledrop wrote: »
    On rte website , article by Ciaran Mullooley if anyone can post link I'd appreciate it.

    Found it:

    https://www.rte.ie/news/regional/2020/0326/1126622-coronavirus-hospital-birth/


  • Options
    #13
    TuringBot47
    Registered Users Posts: 991 ✭✭✭TuringBot47


    appledrop wrote: »
    Giving birth can be a very scary experience + things can go wrong. You need someone with you.

    Exceptional circumstances call for exceptional steps.

    I was there in the theatre for my wifes 2 C-sections and there's an extra nurse in the ward just in case the husband/partner faints or anything.
    You don't want to be taking up more hospital resources if you can help it.

    Anyways, men are treated like rats in a maternity hospital at the best of times.
    In the Rotunda I had to go down to the ground floor to use the visitors toilet, there was none on the wards for men/visitors.

    The more scary prospect is that people in ICU can't have visitors.
    There could be people in Ireland now, who will see their families for the last time just before they are admitted to hospital.

    Italy need army trucks in convoy to transport their dead.
    This situation is life or death here too, it's not a step too far.


  • Options
    #14
    twowheelsonly
    Registered Users Posts: 2,268 ✭✭✭twowheelsonly


    Fathers attending births has only been 'a thing' for 35 or 40 years. prior to that it was a place for women only.
    appledrop wrote: »
    I totally understand this is unprecedented times however its not just about having someone to support you it's also about having someone there who can witness what's going on.

    There are regularly settlements made in high court due to mistakes made during labour/births in maternity hospitials all around the country.

    The most notorious one is also a maternity hospitial in Midland area.

    If your on your own + something goes wrong you have no backup. A disgraceful position to put women in.


    That has to be the single worst reason I've ever heard for attending a birth. The 'regular settlements' are an absolute minuscule percentage of all births in Ireland in any given year.


  • Options
    #15
    splinter65
    Registered Users Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    appledrop wrote: »
    As the title says Mullingar Hospitial has banned partners from being present at the birth of their child due to cornavirus.

    I know we are in the middle of a crisis but I'm sorry I think this is a step too far. I can understand no visitors etc but this is ridiculous.

    Giving birth can be a very scary experience + things can go wrong. You need someone with you.

    I fail to understand logic behind it. If couple are living together as a household then no further risk to each other. If putting hospitial staff as risk then surely they could wear protective gear like any other hospitial staff.

    Until about 50 years ago more or less every woman who ever gave birth was accompanied by a midwife and sometimes it was just a woman with no qualifications but lots of experience. These are exceptional times. If your not needing care and not staff then stay outside please.


  • Options
    #16
    splinter65
    Registered Users Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    Touchee wrote: »
    I can’t understand the logic either. If the husband/partner has the virus, then surely the mother also has the virus. I don’t there is any additional risk in allowing the partner to assist.

    You don’t think that less people unnecessarily in the hospital is a good thing?


  • Options
    #17
    bertsmom
    Registered Users Posts: 539 ✭✭✭bertsmom


    There is a massive shortage of PPE its definitely not a step too far! It's the right thing for the times we are in.


  • Options
    #18
    Skylinehead
    Registered Users Posts: 11,690 ✭✭✭✭Skylinehead


    appledrop wrote: »
    I fail to understand logic behind it. If couple are living together as a household then no further risk to each other. If putting hospitial staff as risk then surely they could wear protective gear like any other hospitial staff.

    There's a pandemic ravaging the country.

    There's a shortage of protective gear.

    There's the logic.


  • Options
    #19
    splinter65
    Registered Users Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    appledrop wrote: »
    I totally understand this is unprecedented times however its not just about having someone to support you it's also about having someone there who can witness what's going on.

    There are regularly settlements made in high court due to mistakes made during labour/births in maternity hospitials all around the country.

    The most notorious one is also a maternity hospitial in Midland area.

    If your on your own + something goes wrong you have no backup. A disgraceful position to put women in.

    Rubbish.


  • Options
    #20
    accensi0n
    Registered Users Posts: 2,745 ✭✭✭accensi0n


    Good.


  • Options
    #21
    appledrop
    Registered Users Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭appledrop


    splinter65 wrote: »
    Rubbish.

    It's not rubbish. I know 2 people who had horrendous childbirth experiences in this country.

    One who's baby died + another who's child was left with life changing disability.

    They had to fight tooth + nail for years to receive an apology from the hospitials.

    Yes we are in unprecedented times but still not acceptable.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    Skylinehead
    Registered Users Posts: 11,690 ✭✭✭✭Skylinehead


    appledrop wrote: »
    It's not rubbish. I know 2 people who had horrendous childbirth experiences in this country.

    One who's baby died + another who's child was left with life changing disability.

    They had to fight tooth + nail for years to receive an apology from the hospitials.

    Yes we are in unprecedented times but still not acceptable.

    What's not acceptable is you demanding PPE for people witnessing a birth while there's a shortage of the stuff for healthcare workers fighting against a deadly virus.

    The state of this attitude.


  • Options
    #23
    shesty
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,894 Mod ✭✭✭✭shesty


    Skylinehead wrote: »
    There's a pandemic ravaging the country.

    There's a shortage of protective gear.

    There's the logic.

    No, sorry I don't think so.Men don't wear protective gear during the birth unless they are theatre.
    I would say it is to absolutely mininise the spread of germs , nothing more.


  • Options
    #24
    Skylinehead
    Registered Users Posts: 11,690 ✭✭✭✭Skylinehead


    shesty wrote: »
    No, sorry I don't think so.Men don't wear protective gear during the birth unless they are theatre.
    I would say it is to absolutely mininise the spread of germs , nothing more.

    In the context of a pandemic, anyone without PPE in a hospital is a risk.


  • Options
    #25
    elperello
    Registered Users Posts: 14,459 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    Years ago the time leading up to birth was known as confinement.
    Men were actively discouraged from attendance at births.
    Over the past 40 years or so things have changed and partners/birth partners participating is the norm.
    An increasing number of home births involve partner and existing children.
    These are improvements and are well established procedure.
    When this virus pandemic is over we will revert again to the full participation of partners.


  • Options
    #26
    splinter65
    Registered Users Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    appledrop wrote: »
    It's not rubbish. I know 2 people who had horrendous childbirth experiences in this country.

    One who's baby died + another who's child was left with life changing disability.

    They had to fight tooth + nail for years to receive an apology from the hospitials.

    Yes we are in unprecedented times but still not acceptable.

    Ireland is one of the top ten safest countries in the whole world to give birth in according to WHO. You’re painting a ridiculous picture of birthing mothers needing a birth partner to protect them from the horrifically dangerous delivery rooms of Ireland. It’s just rubbish.


  • Options
    #27
    appledrop
    Registered Users Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭appledrop


    What I said was if the hospitial were bringing in such an unreasonable rule they could look to staff wearing PPE instead.

    As I already mentioned it makes no sense whatsoever anyway to ban the partner. If the partner has it the mother had it so it's pointless.


  • Options
    #28
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,460 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    Is Mullingar a general hospital as well as a maternity one? Wonder if that's a factor.


  • Options
    #29
    appledrop
    Registered Users Posts: 5,818 ✭✭✭appledrop


    splinter65 wrote: »
    Ireland is one of the top ten safest countries in the whole world to give birth in according to WHO. You’re painting a ridiculous picture of birthing mothers needing a birth partner to protect them from the horrifically dangerous delivery rooms of Ireland. It’s just rubbish.

    You obviously haven't seen the programme about Portlaoise hospitial so.


  • Options
    #30
    Sleeper12
    Registered Users Posts: 16,928 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    appledrop wrote:
    I fail to understand logic behind it. If couple are living together as a household then no further risk to each other. If putting hospitial staff as risk then surely they could wear protective gear like any other hospitial staff.


    Both parents in the room doubles the chance of infecting the staff


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #31
    splinter65
    Registered Users Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    appledrop wrote: »
    You obviously haven't seen the programme about Portlaoise hospitial so.

    I know there have been some tragedies and lots of mistakes. That doesn’t change the fact that Ireland is a very safe place to have a baby in. You do realise that 1000s of babies are born here every year with no problems? Have you had a baby yourself?


Advertisement