Question for those in the medical field or hospital experience - I have two female cousins and a close friend's wife all due within the next 2-4 weeks; two in Houston, one in Anchorage. The latter is planning to be induced due to having twins and being a very petite build.

Is it likely there are overlaps in the staffs that might oversee deliveries and treat COVID patient's, or are those types of teams generally independent? They're all concerned about how level of care may be affected.

Any guidance I can pass on now, while there's time to think, regarding options should hospitals become overwhelmed? Not looking to provide recommendations, but just have conversations. As they say, "one option is no option."

Thank you.

I have been stressing about this as well. My wife is also due in early May.

Our birthing class instructor said that some here in MSP area are inducing for couples near their term to help with the expected rush. My SO is still 1.5 months out but yea, we have a concern about beds. Our hospital said that they'll have their regular operating procedures to follow so hope it's true (or at least for what we see.)

Edit: should add, delivery is at the children's hospital separate associated with UMn hospital and with a separate set of people. The instructor didn't specify a setting and it was moved online.

Moxley said:

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Most hospitals have completely separate units for OB and babies. When I say completely separate, I mean extra locks on the doors and limited access.

OB units being utilized like typical patient care floors would be an absolute last resort. I don't foresee OB beds being used for respiratory patients, but there is a very limited possibility in some areas that adult non-OB, non corona patients could be cared for on those units if they are relatively stable. This would only happen if the hospital was completely overwhelmed.

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Ha. Yeah don't make the mistake of taking the rolling bassinet too close to the exit doors like I did. I was quite impressed with how fast security showed up.

Thank you for this.

I can't remember what podcast I heard it on last week, but I did hear that China has seen no complications from pregnant patients with CV19, although many patients had to have c-sections.

FWIW, my wife is 22 weeks pregnant and our OB told us there's no data to suggest increased worry for pregnant patients. We have Tylenol on deck in case she catches the virus and develops a fever.

I know that's not exactly within the subject of the thread, but I figured some expectant fathers check in here.

As others said, delivery and inpatient Peds care are usually different teams with different nurses and docs.

Even in the small town (Middle of nowhere New Mexico) hospital I work at, we have already closed the delivery ward to all visitors other than mom delivering and significant other. The nurses won't cross to care for other Peds patients. A delivering mom with covid will actually labor and deliver in a separate section of the hospital and be cared for by other nurses.

Unfortunately since we are small town, our Peds docs have to do ER, gen Peds floor, as well as regular nursery and Nicu (only have one ped on at a time and we take 7-10 straight days of 24 hr call). We will be literally changing scrubs outside the nursery/Nicu area before we enter with standard cleaning once inside.

I hope that the small town planning that's already taken place gives you some piece of mind for the probably very nice center where you will be delivering. Congrats to all y'all.

Also, plan ahead on not having a bunch of family there to celebrate the birth. My best guess is by the time your kids get here all hospitals will have a very strict policy on visitation, likely only one visitor in the building per patient. Some hospitals are already implementing this policy. If you have other kids that need to be taken care of while y'all are at the hospital start making plans for them to be watched by someone else.

My wife just gave birth on Friday. Hospital was pretty normal Friday, but by Saturday, they had restricted visitors to one person (besides me) per day and were screening at the L&D entrance. The doctors didn't seem very concerned about the virus affecting the baby, but did encourage the usual hand sanitizing and hand washing. There was one random nurse tech that was wearing a mask, but otherwise it was business as usual.

My wife is due in August and I'm sort of freaking out about it. More worried about her getting sick, because hopefully it dies down by then.

Wife is due September 22, please keep this thread active.

I've read pregnant women are higher risk because of compromised immune systems. This is my first so I'm still rather ignorant to pregnancy.

Having a hard time not getting her a bubble.

Me too! September 22 and it's our first. I've got my wife on lockdown at home and I am very very careful about my exposure. I am very hopeful by the time ours come this will have died down. We have A whole summer for us. But I am worried about her getting a fever and hurting the baby since it's early in her pregnancy.

Can't imagine going through this on the first child. Stressful enough as it is.

ElephantRider said:

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Can't imagine going through this on the first child. Stressful enough as it is.

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A lot of prayer haha

Wife, class of '83, is longtime L&D nurse. One visitor policy in place.

Due August 1. High five (or socially distant fist bump)to the other expecting parents. And thanks for this thread.

Trying to be careful not to give this to the wife. Just being careful with her and myself, and if she gets a fever doing what I can to keep the rest of this mild.

Yukon Cornelius said:

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Me too! September 22 and it's our first. I've got my wife on lockdown at home and I am very very careful about my exposure. I am very hopeful by the time ours come this will have died down. We have A whole summer for us. But I am worried about her getting a fever and hurting the baby since it's early in her pregnancy.

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I'm in the same boat as you. My wife is due end of August/first of September with out first child. It is a little nerve racking but she, as a teacher, is sort of on lockdown as well. Unfortunately I can't limit my exposure since I work for the public and the sorry SOB's have yet to shut it down.

Following this post, thanks for the info everyone.

My wife is due with our 2nd on May 20th so we're trying not to panic and just gather as much information as we can. Fortunately for us she's been at home with our 2+ year old since she was born and I'm able to work from home for the forseeable future so we're just locking ourselves in our house for as long as necessary.

My wife stays home with our 16 month old, so it's easy for them to quarantine. Sadly I still have to go in to the office for now. Luckily it's a small office in a small-ish town

My pregnant wife and I have been self quarantining for the past 2 weeks. One benefit of being laid off from the oilfield. (Silver lining)

She is 37 weeks today, so hopefully we will get through this before the possibilities of hospitals being overrun. We are going to the hospital tomorrow for an ultrasound and checkup and plan on wearing N95 masks in an abundance of caution. This is our first so not taking any chances. And I don't trust the data from China.

The main concern I have now is the potential blood shortages, especially since we are likely to have a C-section (big baby). I've just been focusing on doing what is within my control and not stressing about what I can't control (easier said than done).

Due 04/10. Wife hasn't left the house since Friday. She's getting stir crazy.

My wife is due in a couple weeks. Had an ultrasound yesterday and they didn't express any concerns that this would affect births there nor how long women and babies would stay post delivery. This is at Women's Pavilion at Texas Children's. She did have to go through some sort of screening to get into hospital where I think they took her temperature and she indicated there was nobody in the waiting room (which is unusual).

My wife is due April 19 with our second but after our 35 week ultrasound yesterday they think they're going to induce her on April 8th. She'll deliver at Texas Women's Hospital in the Med Center where she delivered the first one. The doctor said they are allowing only one visitor (husband usually) and that is it. No other outside visitors allowed at the hospital for now and the foreseeable future she said at that and most other hospitals.

My daughter is due 10/10 and is also a pediatric hospitalist. Hoping she doesn't come across it at work and concerned with being in first trimester.

Alta said:

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My wife is due in a couple weeks. Had an ultrasound yesterday and they didn't express any concerns that this would affect births there nor how long women and babies would stay post delivery. This is at Women's Pavilion at Texas Children's. She did have to go through some sort of screening to get into hospital where I think they took her temperature and she indicated there was nobody in the waiting room (which is unusual).

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Wife is due 5/11 with our first. We went last week for our ~32 week ultrasound and they hadn't started the temperature screening/distancing in the waiting rooms yet.

I did receive a very similar response when i asked about any COVID related capacity issues down the road. PA said that potentially there might be some appointments conducted via telemedicine (we've been fortunate with an uneventful pregnancy, so fingers crossed that continues) however, didn't anticipate any issues for delivery even if things did hit the fan since the Woman's Pavilion at TC is pretty much exclusive to preggers and infants.

Edit: Clarifying apparent changes to precautions from last week.

It might have just been implemented. She actually walked to the normal check in point (3rd floor I think) and they asked her where her name badge was and sent her back down because she apparently walked right by the screening area that was handing out badges to be on-site.

ElephantRider said:

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Can't imagine going through this on the first child. Stressful enough as it is.

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This is me + we both work in O&G. Fun, fun times

So the same office where the nurse that gave me the "just the flu bro" lecture 7 days ago, is now limiting appointments to only the patients. Spouses are not aloud inside. My wife is 37 weeks pregnant and this appointment was to discuss whether to induce, C-section or natural birth. And I'm going to be forced to be on FaceTime. I appreciate they are taking it more seriously, but they won't even let me back there if I wear a N95 mask. When asked, I was told "masks don't do anything to protect you". Mixed messages all around.

Can't imagine either, so much so: Withholding humorous severely insensitive post. Only humorous in your head she says- now haunting me.

Due September 22.

We've decided we're isolating as much as we can. Luckily we can work from home.

My two step children are not going back to school, we will home school them and we're going to basically isolate ourselves as much as possible until more information is available or the baby is old enough...

So who knows...
Better safe than sorry

Skillet Shot said:

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So the same office where the nurse that gave me the "just the flu bro" lecture 7 days ago, is now limiting appointments to only the patients. Spouses are not aloud inside. My wife is 37 weeks pregnant and this appointment was to discuss whether to induce, C-section or natural birth. And I'm going to be forced to be on FaceTime. I appreciate they are taking it more seriously, but they won't even let me back there if I wear a N95 mask. When asked, I was told "masks don't do anything to protect you". Mixed messages all around.

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They should have given you gloves and a surgical mask and let you back.