Call the Midwife actress Juliet Oldfield has opened up about her worries about giving birth in hospital without her husband by her side during the coronavirus pandemic. Juliet, who is due to give birth any day now, opened up about the trials and tribulations of being 40 weeks pregnant during a nationwide lockdown, including packing PPE into her overnight bag, being dropped off at the front of the hospital by her husband, and giving birth without a partner there.
Juliet starred in the latest series of Call the Midwife
Chatting to HELLO!, Juliet revealed that home births with midwives has been postponed during the lockdown, meaning that she has to deliver in hospital and so her partner needs to stay with their daughter. "We were looking at doing [a home birth] as an option but it's postponed in this area because of the risk of ambulances not getting to you quick enough. And also when you're at home, it tends to be two midwives whereas in the hospital it's more likely to one midwife with you, so that's obviously stretching the team further. So unfortunately, that's no longer an option. So the plan is to drop me off at the door and send me on my way! Slight terrifying, slightly surreal."
Juliet opened up about expecting a baby during a lockdown
"We feel it's the safest option for us so that we don't feel that we've put anyone in a position that's uncomfortable for them. We've had wonderful friends and family who have offered [to stay with their daughter] but when we put the options forward, every single time the midwife has said, 'It's advisable not to do that, if you can.'"
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Speaking about her overnight bag for hospital, she said: "I've packed things so I know exactly where it is, and so the midwife can help me. I'm using a wheelie bag to just wheel it through so I'm not having to worry about carrying bags. I've also got gloves and a mask so that when I'm going through, because I know I have to go upstairs in the hospital where I am, so I'll have things I need to support myself in middle of labour... The midwife suggested to bring lots of snacks and lots of food because the lots of canteens and things that are not open and there might not be the time to go and get it for you because there's no one there to get it without a birthing partner." Despite the nerve-racking prospect of having baby number two in hospital without her partner, Juliet is keeping positive, and joked: "I think I'll have lots of stories to tell them when they grow up!"
She is also keeping busy with her event's company, which has recently introduced virtual chldren's birthday parties! Find out more about the lovely idea here.
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