Masking during labor and delivery?

[Anonymous]

WHC made me mask during C-section earlier this year. They didn’t say anything when I pulled it down to kiss the baby.

[Anonymous]

Not normal anymore. I would be so pissed if this happened to me. My mom (postpartum nurse) used to let her patients pull down their masks.

[Anonymous]

Just gave birth at VHC two weeks ago. Once my Covid test was negative I didn’t need to wear a mask at all (except if you left your room).

[Anonymous]

I had my son in May, 2021 and none of the nurses enforced the mask rule for me, until the very last nurse that I had who kept telling me to put it back on while I was literally pushing for 2.5 hours. I don't recall many of the details but basically it was on and off, especially since the nurse was in and out of the room during that time (BTW one thing they don't really tell you is that they often leave you alone while you are pushing, which is just crazy to me).

[Anonymous]

Oddly enough, I masked during my entire labor + pushing. Made me feel very secure and safe in ways that I cannot explain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had my son in May, 2021 and none of the nurses enforced the mask rule for me, until the very last nurse that I had who kept telling me to put it back on while I was literally pushing for 2.5 hours. I don't recall many of the details but basically it was on and off, especially since the nurse was in and out of the room during that time (BTW one thing they don't really tell you is that they often leave you alone while you are pushing, which is just crazy to me).

Wait, what? The doctor is in and out for sure, but I always had a nurse by my side while I was pushing at INOVA Fairfax. And I pushed for over 3 hours with my first.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had my son in May, 2021 and none of the nurses enforced the mask rule for me, until the very last nurse that I had who kept telling me to put it back on while I was literally pushing for 2.5 hours. I don't recall many of the details but basically it was on and off, especially since the nurse was in and out of the room during that time (BTW one thing they don't really tell you is that they often leave you alone while you are pushing, which is just crazy to me).

Wait, what? The doctor is in and out for sure, but I always had a nurse by my side while I was pushing at INOVA Fairfax. And I pushed for over 3 hours with my first.

I was never left alone without a nurse when pushing (gave birth at university teaching hospital in another state). Then again I was high-risk. That is crazy to me.

[Anonymous]

I gave birth in April at INOVA Alexandria, and masks were still required then, including when I was pushing. At one point I took it off while sleeping, and when the doctor came in to check me she got angry that I wasn't wearing it.

[Anonymous]

I had to wear one in November 2021.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I gave birth in April at INOVA Alexandria, and masks were still required then, including when I was pushing. At one point I took it off while sleeping, and when the doctor came in to check me she got angry that I wasn't wearing it.

that is completely insane. I can’t believe we made women mask while *delivering babies*. one of the more absurd covid interludes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I gave birth in April at INOVA Alexandria, and masks were still required then, including when I was pushing. At one point I took it off while sleeping, and when the doctor came in to check me she got angry that I wasn't wearing it.

She isn’t your mother. She was a prick.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I gave birth in April at INOVA Alexandria, and masks were still required then, including when I was pushing. At one point I took it off while sleeping, and when the doctor came in to check me she got angry that I wasn't wearing it.

This is crazy. Was the doctor concerned you’d catch Covid or spread it? To keep you from catching it, you’d really need n95 and that’s not realistic for labor. If she’s worried you’d spread it, well, the medical staff should be wearing N95 to protect themselves. When I have birth I didn’t make but my doctor had on an N95. She never mentioned masking to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I gave birth in April at INOVA Alexandria, and masks were still required then, including when I was pushing. At one point I took it off while sleeping, and when the doctor came in to check me she got angry that I wasn't wearing it.

This is crazy. Was the doctor concerned you’d catch Covid or spread it? To keep you from catching it, you’d really need n95 and that’s not realistic for labor. If she’s worried you’d spread it, well, the medical staff should be wearing N95 to protect themselves. When I have birth I didn’t make but my doctor had on an N95. She never mentioned masking to me.

Stop trying to make sense of this. Americans have been running around wearing cloth masks for over 2 years now. I’m required to wear a mask at the doctor yet could walk in wearing a cloth mask. I was also forced to mask during labor. This is the same medical community that went along with people losing their jobs for a vaccine that does not prevent transmission.

[Anonymous]

I gave birth in 2020 and they put my baby on my chest and I couldn’t see her! The mask was in the way. (To say nothing about how stifling it felt having conscious surgery with a mask on). So I kept pulling it down to look at my baby (I had a c section so one of my arms was pinned) and a nurse literally screamed at me and pulled it up. I’ll never forget it. It was such an already emotional moment that I started crying and said I just wanted to see my baby and she responded that I’d have time in a couple hours when I get to my own room by myself. This was at Inova Fairfax. It may sound trite if you haven’t given birth in 2 years but what they made women go through / how they made us feel during what should’ve been the happiest time of our lives is a true outrage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I gave birth in April at INOVA Alexandria, and masks were still required then, including when I was pushing. At one point I took it off while sleeping, and when the doctor came in to check me she got angry that I wasn't wearing it.

that is completely insane. I can’t believe we made women mask while *delivering babies*. one of the more absurd covid interludes.

Well to be fair it's an activity with very heavy breathing and Covid is dangerous for babies. I'm sure it's uncomfortable though.