RetireJapan

kuma wrote: ↑Tue Jan 19, 2021 1:08 am

Yossarian wrote: ↑Mon Jan 18, 2021 7:51 am

kuma wrote: ↑Mon Jan 18, 2021 2:58 am
Childbirth during Covid
Just to say I empathise that restrictions mean you might not be allowed to be present at the birth. Happened to me, though not for my firstborn child.

Yes, I won't be allowed present at birth or to visit during the time my wife is staying in the hospital. Unfortunately, the first time I meet my son will be 5 days after he's born.

I met my daughter in a cafe at the entrance of the hospital four days after birth. The only time I was allowed beyond hospital security was to pay the bill several days later (I wanted to do this in person so that my daughter could have a hospital card issued; this had not been possible prior to her being named, and the naming wasn't going to happen until Daddy had met her)! That's all a distant memory now.

I imagine there must be some fathers stuck in different countries to their other halves with no timetable on when they might be able to meet their newborns (or not-so-newborns).

Feel free to message (either group post or PM) during those five days (or whenever) if you want to. Wishing you and your family a healthy, happy time. 

Our child was born in March. I was only allowed in for the birth and for 10 minutes every day thereafter.

I consider myself very lucky considering what the situation is like now.

This was during the mask shortage and I had to beg and borrow to get a mask to visit her. It feels so long ago now.

Our baby has still not seen my parent or spent any time with his mother`s grandparents. It has just been the two of us for the last 300 days.

If anyone needs support or advice I can definitely provide some tips about what worked for us.

There are some things you can buy to make it easier.

Top picks.
1. Dishwasher
2. Dryer
3. Steam sterilizer.

Kanto wrote: ↑Tue Jan 19, 2021 1:29 am ...

Off-topic, but congrats on your 500th post

Kanto wrote: ↑Tue Jan 19, 2021 1:29 am Our child was born in March. I was only allowed in for the birth and for 10 minutes every day thereafter.

I consider myself very lucky considering what the situation is like now.

This was during the mask shortage and I had to beg and borrow to get a mask to visit her. It feels so long ago now.

Our baby has still not seen my parent or spent any time with his mother`s grandparents. It has just been the two of us for the last 300 days.

If anyone needs support or advice I can definitely provide some tips about what worked for us.

Congratulations!

I fully feel for you. Our child was born in September. I could attend the birth. The hospital rules had limits of visiting of 30 min per day, but the nurses in the child birth section didnt enforce it, because they think fathers should also be as much as possible with their family after birth. So I was very very lucky there.

And while our baby is just 4 months old, like yours, he hasnt seen my parents, nor the grandparents of my wife. But we are doing fine so far.

On the same time, there are countries who refuse the return of some of their residents, but can held international sport events. Establishing business travel bubbles seems to be more important than letting families reunion for some countries. We are living in a time with strange priorities.

mule96 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 19, 2021 2:05 am

Kanto wrote: ↑Tue Jan 19, 2021 1:29 am Our child was born in March. I was only allowed in for the birth and for 10 minutes every day thereafter.

I consider myself very lucky considering what the situation is like now.

This was during the mask shortage and I had to beg and borrow to get a mask to visit her. It feels so long ago now.

Our baby has still not seen my parent or spent any time with his mother`s grandparents. It has just been the two of us for the last 300 days.

If anyone needs support or advice I can definitely provide some tips about what worked for us.

Congratulations!

I fully feel for you. Our child was born in September. I could attend the birth. The hospital rules had limits of visiting of 30 min per day, butthe nurses in the child birth section didnt enforce it, because they think fathers should also bee as much as possible with their family after birth. So I was very very lucky there.

And while our baby is just 4 months old, like yours, he hasnt seen my parents, nor the grandparents of my wife. But we are doing fine so far.

On the same time, there are countries who refuse the return of some of their residents, but can held international sport events. Establishing business travel bubbles seems to be more important than letting families reunion for some countries. We are living in a time with strange priorities.

Congrats to you as well! It has been a journey eh? I am so glad I am working from home during the pandemic. So much time with the baby. Infact, I have not really been away from him for more than a few hours. It will probably be tough for everyone when we start daycare in April.

Off-topic, but congrats on your 500th post

Haha thanks, this website is not in my "time-gated websites" list. So I am often procrastinating here. I may need to add it...

Kanto wrote: ↑Tue Jan 19, 2021 7:40 am

mule96 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 19, 2021 2:05 am

Kanto wrote: ↑Tue Jan 19, 2021 1:29 am Our child was born in March. I was only allowed in for the birth and for 10 minutes every day thereafter.

I consider myself very lucky considering what the situation is like now.

This was during the mask shortage and I had to beg and borrow to get a mask to visit her. It feels so long ago now.

Our baby has still not seen my parent or spent any time with his mother`s grandparents. It has just been the two of us for the last 300 days.

If anyone needs support or advice I can definitely provide some tips about what worked for us.

Congratulations!

I fully feel for you. Our child was born in September. I could attend the birth. The hospital rules had limits of visiting of 30 min per day, butthe nurses in the child birth section didnt enforce it, because they think fathers should also bee as much as possible with their family after birth. So I was very very lucky there.

And while our baby is just 4 months old, like yours, he hasnt seen my parents, nor the grandparents of my wife. But we are doing fine so far.

On the same time, there are countries who refuse the return of some of their residents, but can held international sport events. Establishing business travel bubbles seems to be more important than letting families reunion for some countries. We are living in a time with strange priorities.

Congrats to you as well! It has been a journey eh? I am so glad I am working from home during the pandemic. So much time with the baby. Infact, I have not really been away from him for more than a few hours. It will probably be tough for everyone when we start daycare in April.

Off-topic, but congrats on your 500th post

Haha thanks, this website is not in my "time-gated websites" list. So I am often procrastinating here. I may need to add it...

Congratulations all round!

Whilst sharing Covid birth stories, my daughter was born in July. My mum had been due to come to help with the childcare of my 2yo but couldn't fly out due to travel restrictions. My wife's family (150km away) are insanely busy with the harvest in July so wouldn't have been able to help. Quite late in the pregnancy, the doctors spotted a potential abnormality and referred my wife to a larger hospital. I was 3 months into a new job so had no recourse to annual leave... and no health insurance cards, as Covid + a slow insurer had delayed these. Past the due date, my son got gastroenteritis and the doctors warned that they might have to separate mother and baby at birth if the virus had been transmitted. Covid rules were in such flux that when my wife was admitted they told me that I couldn't attend the birth but could probably visit 24 hours afterwards... though 24hrs later that changed to no visits till discharge. A rollercoaster. But all worked out, and my daughter will be six months old tomorrow. Time flies.

My eldest was born just after the Hokkaido Earthquake... and just after power had been restored to our hospital. That too was an experience!

My grandson was born on Boxing Day last year, so no visits from anyone until they came home on New Year's Eve. My daughter was pleased as she got to spend Christmas and New Year's at home

Kanto wrote: ↑Tue Jan 19, 2021 7:40 am I am so glad I am working from home during the pandemic. So much time with the baby. Infact, I have not really been away from him for more than a few hours. It will probably be tough for everyone when we start daycare in April.

Same here, one of the few positive things. I also work mostly from home. It is currently hard to imagine how life will be when that ends.

Congrats everyone on your kids and getting through the tough time. Sure it'll be tough not getting to see my son for a few days but better to be safe than sorry.

Yossarian wrote: ↑Wed Jan 20, 2021 1:01 am Congrats everyone on your kids and getting through the tough time. Sure it'll be tough not getting to see my son for a few days but better to be safe than sorry.

Absolutely!

I am a little worried about socialization though, to be honest. He has not interacted with another baby before.

Returning to an old thread, am wondering how things are going, Yossarian. (And all the others who shared their births-during-Covid stories.)