I’m supporting the #ButNotMaternity campaign, which is raising awareness about the devastating effects of facing maternity appointments and labour alone due to Covid restrictions.
Currently, many hospitals across the UK only allow birth partners to be present for the final stage of labour. This means women can be in labour for hours alone, with birth partners missing the birth of their children, or even worse, women receiving heartbreaking news about their pregnancy.
I understand we need to stay safe during the pandemic, but if you can go shopping wearing zero PPE, to the pub with five friends or attend a wedding with up to 30 guests, why can’t you have your partner with you at the birth of your baby?
Women are attending scans, experiencing stillbirths, finding out their babies have died, going through difficult and traumatic labours or operations alone. I heard that on the day the pubs had reopened, a woman went to a scan alone and found out she’d had a miscarriage. She had to call her husband to tell him the baby they had tried for for 18 months was gone after 11 weeks.💔
Research shows that stress is incredibly damaging for an unborn baby’s development, and there is a link between stress in pregnancy and severe postnatal depression. We are creating a future epidemic of poor mental health among mothers by not lifting these restrictions.
Please show your support by sharing your #butnotmaternity photo, also sign and share the petition. (link in bio) Our government needs to address the issue and allow all NHS trusts to ensure women have partners with them at all stages of pregnancy and labour. Thank you x”
Instagram: @Katelawler
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