PREGNANT women fear they may have to give birth alone as hospital restrictions get tighter in a bid to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Expectant mums are already facing cancellations to antenatal appointments, a ban on visitors to the postnatal ward following labour, and a reduction in after-birth home support visits, in a bid to protect mums, babies and stretched NHS staff.

Rachel Conaghan, 29, who is expecting her second baby in just four weeks, told the Post: “My fear is that they may change the rules to ‘no birthing partners at all’, which would be upsetting.”

The Duntocher mum added: “As it stands I will be allowed one birthing partner who will be my child’s father.

“When we arrive at the hospital I will go to the maternity assessment alone and once I am taken to the labour suite my partner will be allowed in where he will stay for the duration of labour.

“He won’t be allowed to leave and if he has any cold- or flu-like symptoms he won’t be allowed in at all.

“Once I am transferred to the ward my birthing partner must leave and there will be no visitors until I am discharged.

“I don’t feel I have been given any extra support, but I think the midwives are also unsure at the moment, as no one can really predict what will happen over the next few weeks.

“The community midwives will also only be coming out to the house to see the babies for the first couple of days.

“They usually come out every couple of days for the first 10 days.

“I don’t think this is ideal, especially for first time mums.”

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Rachel said her appointments, for the moment, have continued as normal. But she has been warned that as the peak of the virus outbreak still hasn’t been reached, she should prepare for sudden changes to appointments and birthing plans.

Rachel also spoke about how other mothers, who are not due as soon, had routine appointments cancelled or postponed.

Pregnant women are in the high risk category, along with those aged over 70, and have been advised to isolate for 12 weeks to protect them – and their unborn child – from the potentially deadly pandemic.

Another mum, Nicola Power, 33, from Faifley, told how she was lucky to give birth on the day Boris Johnson announced the lockdown (March 23) as she was allowed her partner Alan with her throughout the birth.

However, he was not allowed to attend the labour ward until she was due to deliver.

Nicola said: “After my waters broke I called maternity assessment and was advised to attend but without my partner - he had to sit in the car until I was in active labour.

“We were very fortunate as he was able to come to labour suite and ward after my son was born. My son arrived at 9.33am and we were discharged at 9pm, and my partner was with me the whole time.

“Boris announced lockdown that day and I believe things changed so much after that and dads are now unable to stay after birth and attend the ward, so I am so happy that wee Liam decided to come a few days earlier than his due date.

“As a first-time mum my partner being there was a big thing for me.”

However, Nicola’s postnatal midwife appointments have been carried out over the phone, and she only had a home visit on her first and third day at home. These appointments usually continue well into the second week postpartum but have been cut back to limit one-to-one contact.

She told the Post: “As for midwives appointments after the birth, we have had a visit the day after my baby was born, then again two days later. Everything else has been over the telephone and I was discharged over the telephone too.

“Again, as a first time mum, this is hard, as you are wondering ‘what if I’m doing something wrong?’, but my partner has a 17-year-old and has been through it all before.

“I work in NHS24 and I have friends from work who are nurses and midwives, so it’s good to have them to contact when I need a bit of reassurance.”

Another mum told the Post that her partner received scan photos with the cute message, “Hi daddy, can’t wait to meet you” from her midwife after he was told he would not be allowed to attend the 20 week scan of his first child.

The mums and soon-to-be mothers praised the local hard-working NHS staff.