Anonymous wrote:ACOG only recommends being masked if positive with COVID and even then notes masking may be difficult while pushing and that medical providers should wear protective gear.

https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/coronavirus-covid-19-pregnancy-and-breastfeeding (see the section about Labor and Delivery - what happens if I have COVID-19).

Last time I had a baby I needed supplemental oxygen and was nearly passing out from pushing. No way could I have worn a mask. This is one of those policies where we are taking COVID precautions beyond anything reasonable. We have vaccines that work very well. Healthcare providers should be well vaccinated by now and can wear medical grade masks. Maybe make unvaccinated pregnant women mask, but no way would I be happy about pushing a baby out of me, struggling to breathe and being told to wear a mask when I’m fully vaxxed.

Virtually EVERY hospital in the DMV is requiring masks upon entry to their facility - hard stop. Breakthrough and community transmission is a real thing. Even moreso in a hospital. Also, try to think about other patients for a second. THe nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers are going room to room, caring for others. They are masked to protect you and themselves.

We aren't talking about going in to a grocery store to buy food; we are talking about a hospital where sick people are - much sicker than a woman giving birth.

We should really talk about the medicalization of childbirth and how births are taking place in hospitals nowadays vs 150 years ago when most women gave birth at home. Male doctors convinced us we should all comply and deliver in a hospital. Well, hospitals are petri dishes of infection - so yes, wear that mask to protect you.

Many of you must have had easy deliveries if you think pushing for hours while wearing a mask is no big deal- my OB encouraged me to take mine off (pre-vaccine) in 2020 because I nearly passed out. She’s vaccinated and had a negative test. You’ve got to be kidding me with these comments.

Lol at the op coming back to say she knew the policy but expected not to have to follow it. Comedic gold here.

Anonymous wrote:ACOG only recommends being masked if positive with COVID and even then notes masking may be difficult while pushing and that medical providers should wear protective gear.

https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/coronavirus-covid-19-pregnancy-and-breastfeeding (see the section about Labor and Delivery - what happens if I have COVID-19).

Last time I had a baby I needed supplemental oxygen and was nearly passing out from pushing. No way could I have worn a mask. This is one of those policies where we are taking COVID precautions beyond anything reasonable. We have vaccines that work very well. Healthcare providers should be well vaccinated by now and can wear medical grade masks. Maybe make unvaccinated pregnant women mask, but no way would I be happy about pushing a baby out of me, struggling to breathe and being told to wear a mask when I’m fully vaxxed.

+1

Anonymous wrote:OMG OP had to wear a noninvasive mask.

OP you need parenting classes the first rule of parenting your kid's health comes first.

Shame on you.

I've had six kids gladly would have worn a mask.

Six kids, and yet still a terrible person. Sad.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would complain to hospital management.

For what? Staff following hospital.policy? I'm sure they'd give you a conciliatory pair of hospital branded slipper socks.

I know! These comments are so laughable.

ACOG only recommends being masked if positive with COVID and even then notes masking may be difficult while pushing and that medical providers should wear protective gear.

https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/coronavirus-covid-19-pregnancy-and-breastfeeding (see the section about Labor and Delivery - what happens if I have COVID-19).

Last time I had a baby I needed supplemental oxygen and was nearly passing out from pushing. No way could I have worn a mask. This is one of those policies where we are taking COVID precautions beyond anything reasonable. We have vaccines that work very well. Healthcare providers should be well vaccinated by now and can wear medical grade masks. Maybe make unvaccinated pregnant women mask, but no way would I be happy about pushing a baby out of me, struggling to breathe and being told to wear a mask when I’m fully vaxxed.

OMG - THIS is what you're focusing on in your immediate post partum period? Lady, you got a looooong road ahead of you.

Anonymous wrote:I am so shocked by the responses here.

I am sorry, OP. This is absurd.

I remember being in labor back in 2018 and a grouchy, controlling nurse tried to tell me that I had to remove my bra during labor. I have a large chest and did not want to go braless for 48+ hours of labor (long, slow, induction). She tried to tell me that it was hospital policy and I told her I didn’t care. I had to escalate it up 3 levels of authority and finally they said it was fine. So freaking bizarre. I would not have been able to push with a mask on. I remember them putting an oxygen mask on me during pushing and I kept trying to take it off because I didn’t understand and I didn’t like it.

What?!? I wore a bra for 3 deliveries. I would never have wanted to go braless

I just delivered and they drove me crazy with this. Like my hot meal would get delivered and then nurses would come in to do tests and such and would force me to wear a mask. I don’t think I ate a hot meal the whole time. Sounds dumb but I was irrationally upset about how every meal got ruined.

Pushing didn’t bother me too much but sleeping in a mask and then putting a mask on in the middle of the night when a nurse came in was crazy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I pushed out an 8 lb baby while wearing a mask in 2020. However, no one complained when it slipped down. It also sounds like you were treated disrespectfully. That was not my experience.

Were you fully vaccinated in 2020? It’s harder to wear a mask when it seems quite pointless.

I mean it might be emotionally harder but it is no more physically challenging now than it was in 2020. Someone having trouble breathing while pushing I have sympathy for—not someone who just doesn’t want to.

I am so shocked by the responses here.

I am sorry, OP. This is absurd.

I remember being in labor back in 2018 and a grouchy, controlling nurse tried to tell me that I had to remove my bra during labor. I have a large chest and did not want to go braless for 48+ hours of labor (long, slow, induction). She tried to tell me that it was hospital policy and I told her I didn’t care. I had to escalate it up 3 levels of authority and finally they said it was fine. So freaking bizarre. I would not have been able to push with a mask on. I remember them putting an oxygen mask on me during pushing and I kept trying to take it off because I didn’t understand and I didn’t like it.

Some labor nurses are sadistic power-tripping b—-s.

Anonymous wrote:I pushed out an 8 lb baby while wearing a mask in 2020. However, no one complained when it slipped down. It also sounds like you were treated disrespectfully. That was not my experience.

Were you fully vaccinated in 2020? It’s harder to wear a mask when it seems quite pointless.

I pushed out an 8 lb baby while wearing a mask in 2020. However, no one complained when it slipped down. It also sounds like you were treated disrespectfully. That was not my experience.