Pregnancy &
COVID-19
This potentially can be a stressful time for both pregnant women & their partners - so now more than ever women need to feel equipped to stay calm and relaxed as possible during pregnancy & labour.
It is also important to stay well informed about your birth rights and options around your maternity care.
“All women have the right to a safe and positive childbirth experience, whether or not they have a confirmed COVID-19 infection” World Health Organisation 2020.
The information around pregnancy and Covid-19 is constantly updating and it can be hard to find reliable sources of information. Newspapers main aim is to sell copies, create clicks and get shares - and this is usually done through unsettling attention grabbing headlines - so be mindful about what you’re reading!
Here are some useful evidence based links to help you keep your cool whilst keeping informed.
These Q&As from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists were last updated on 18 September 2020 and focus on Coronavirus infection & pregnancy . This information is for pregnant women and their families, included in the Q&A is the advice for women from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds.
The Royal College of midwives have also published advice and guidance for pregnant women with questions relating to COVID-19. Many women have concerns around birth partners and visitors access and information on this can be found here.
Another good source of evidence based information about the impact Coronavirus and your maternity care can be found on aims.org.uk including information around home birth.
“Many women are asking about whether they and their babies would be safer if they stayed at home for the birth. The evidence about the safety of home birth can be found in the ‘Your Choice - where to have your baby’ leaflets for first time mothers and for those having a subsequent baby which your midwife should already have given you at antenatal appointment early in your pregnancy”
“Maternity services should still treat you with dignity, and you can always decline any intervention/treatment you are not happy with” Birthrights 2020.
Other sources of of reliable evidence based information for all aspects of pregnancy can be found here :
Here is the Government Policy on social distancing - check in for updates as it’s ever changing!
Finally, download your FREE ‘Letting go of Fear’ relaxation track here, My Hypnobirth workshops currently running small in person group, private and ONLINE workshops.
Enjoy your Hypnobirthing practice and prepare for a relaxed & calm birth.
Lydia x
