Due to these crazy times being pregnant and preparing to bring a new life into the world is an already stressful situation.
According to World Health Organisation Guidelines a labouring woman (even with Covid -19) has the right to a birthing companion. However Mullingar Regional Hospital have decided to disrespect this right and ban all partners from delivery. (Even perfectly healthy ones and mom too)
This is causing so much distress for mothers to be. It also means that due to the strict visitor guidelines fathers(other parents ) will not be able to meet their newborn for possibly days after they are born. This can effect the binding process.
Studies have shown time and time again how vital a birthing partner is during the labour and delivery process. Yet these are being ignored now when we need their support the most.
Additionally it doesn’t seem to make much sense seeing as birthing partners will be in constant contact with the labouring women right until she enters the hospital doors and if they have contracted Covid 19 it is most likely mother has too.
Could birthing partners not be enforced to wear protective clothing, masks, wash their hands every 20/30 mins, practice social distancing from midwives and obs and only be allowed into the delivery room and stay there until baby is born and leave soon thereafter?
My due date was Friday so I may just face this harsh reality but if this petition could change one mother and her partners situation it would be worth it.
Please sign and give it a share.
Thank you.
Updates
April 2, 2020
I just looked at the screen and saw 1000 names which feels like a total fever dream because I was just staring at the wall earlier today trying to handle everything. It is just so wild that all of you decided to click on this because you actually care about what is happening in those delivery rooms and it honestly makes me want to cry thinking about all the moms who should be holding their partners right now.
Reached 1,000 supporters
March 31, 2020
March 30, 2020
I just looked at the screen and saw the number one hundred sitting there which is honestly just wild because I did not think this would go beyond my own circle. I am sitting here in my nursery finishing up little details for the baby and it is kind of surreal knowing so many people feel this same ache about the hospital rules.
Reached 100 supporters
March 29, 2020
345 Comments
Due in 10 weeks and the fear of having to labour aka possibly deliver alone has absolutely terrified me and destroyed my pregnancy journey! I also don’t think it’s fair on dads to miss out on the start of their babies life’s
If you take away a womans right to have a birth partner, then there is going to a rise in interventions, birth trauma and ptsd. I hope the trust has set aside funds to deal with this future pandemic of mental health problems the trust will will cause!
Mental health is just as important. Birthing partners are important and essential in labour and birth for support and reassurance of mother. They know the mother better than midwifes and doctors to help the mother remain calm and focused.
Pregnancy and child birth is terrifying enough without have the support of your partner. This ban is outright cruel even with everything that's going on. If the father is covid 19 + then so is the mother so all risks are still there even with the father being absent
Having had 1 child I cant even begin to imagine how much more scared I would have been without my husband there. As someone who suffers with anxiety I think it would have caused me incredible unnecessary stress which would have been dangerous for me and the baby.
Let women be supported on their pregnancy journey
A birthing partner is a right not a privilege. They are entitled to be there for support and to bond with partner and baby.
Sign Petition
We never post to your account. Social sign-in is used only to verify your signature.
Add a comment?
Your signature will be added via . Tell others why you're signing — it's optional.
By signing, you accept iPetitions Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
Copy link or share directly
Due to these crazy times being pregnant and preparing to bring a new life into the world is an already stressful situation.
According to World Health Organisation Guidelines a labouring woman (even with Covid -19) has the right to a birthing companion. However Mullingar Regional Hospital have decided to disrespect this right and ban all partners from delivery. (Even perfectly healthy ones and mom too)
This is causing so much distress for mothers to be. It also means that due to the strict visitor guidelines fathers(other parents ) will not be able to meet their newborn for possibly days after they are born. This can effect the binding process.
Studies have shown time and time again how vital a birthing partner is during the labour and delivery process. Yet these are being ignored now when we need their support the most.
Additionally it doesn’t seem to make much sense seeing as birthing partners will be in constant contact with the labouring women right until she enters the hospital doors and if they have contracted Covid 19 it is most likely mother has too.
Could birthing partners not be enforced to wear protective clothing, masks, wash their hands every 20/30 mins, practice social distancing from midwives and obs and only be allowed into the delivery room and stay there until baby is born and leave soon thereafter?
My due date was Friday so I may just face this harsh reality but if this petition could change one mother and her partners situation it would be worth it.
Please sign and give it a share.
Thank you.
Updates
April 2, 2020
I just looked at the screen and saw 1000 names which feels like a total fever dream because I was just staring at the wall earlier today trying to handle everything. It is just so wild that all of you decided to click on this because you actually care about what is happening in those delivery rooms and it honestly makes me want to cry thinking about all the moms who should be holding their partners right now.
Reached 1,000 supporters
March 31, 2020
March 30, 2020
I just looked at the screen and saw the number one hundred sitting there which is honestly just wild because I did not think this would go beyond my own circle. I am sitting here in my nursery finishing up little details for the baby and it is kind of surreal knowing so many people feel this same ache about the hospital rules.
Reached 100 supporters
March 29, 2020
345 Comments
Putting women and babies at risk, im sure many will now choose to stay at home rather than attend hospital. All hospitals in Ireland should be doing the same thing lead by government and WHO reccommendations and not making up their own rules.
Due in 10 weeks and the fear of having to labour aka possibly deliver alone has absolutely terrified me and destroyed my pregnancy journey! I also don’t think it’s fair on dads to miss out on the start of their babies life’s
If you take away a womans right to have a birth partner, then there is going to a rise in interventions, birth trauma and ptsd. I hope the trust has set aside funds to deal with this future pandemic of mental health problems the trust will will cause!
Mental health is just as important. Birthing partners are important and essential in labour and birth for support and reassurance of mother. They know the mother better than midwifes and doctors to help the mother remain calm and focused.
Pregnancy and child birth is terrifying enough without have the support of your partner. This ban is outright cruel even with everything that's going on. If the father is covid 19 + then so is the mother so all risks are still there even with the father being absent
Having had 1 child I cant even begin to imagine how much more scared I would have been without my husband there. As someone who suffers with anxiety I think it would have caused me incredible unnecessary stress which would have been dangerous for me and the baby.
Let women be supported on their pregnancy journey
A birthing partner is a right not a privilege. They are entitled to be there for support and to bond with partner and baby.
Help this petition grow
Share it with friends to help reach 2,500 signatures.
Sign Petition
We never post to your account. Social sign-in is used only to verify your signature.
Add a comment?
Your signature will be added via .
Tell others why you're signing — it's optional.
Signing with Google or Facebook verifies your signature instantly — no email needed.
By signing, you accept iPetitions Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
Petitions like this
Other petitions you might want to support
Scan to share
Anyone who scans this can sign the petition.
Putting women and babies at risk, im sure many will now choose to stay at home rather than attend hospital. All hospitals in Ireland should be doing the same thing lead by government and WHO reccommendations and not making up their own rules.