TD: Maternity hospital health restrictions are 'straight-up bonkers'

As it currently stands, partners are allowed to enter the wards only after labour begins, though hospitals can implement their own guidelines. File image. 

A Sinn Fein TD has described health restrictions in maternity hospitals as "straight-up bonkers." 

In the Dáil this afternoon, Réada Cronin criticised the handling of guidelines in those hospitals by the government. 

As it currently stands, partners are allowed to enter the wards only after labour begins, though hospitals can implement their own guidelines.

"A father can wet his baby's head sooner than he can see his baby's head," she said. "When a child is born so too is a mum and a dad. A dad must be able to attend the birth and attend does not just mean being present it means attending to mother and baby."

Cork South West TD Holly Cains agreed. "I have spoken to a woman who endured 23 hours of labour without the support of a loved one. Being in labour is bad enough but it's made worst when you get bad news. We've heard horror stories where women have to ring their partner with bad news who's waiting in the car outside."

Mary Butler, Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People said that while she acknowledges that the restrictions present difficulties it is a regrettable necessity to reduce footfall in maternity hospitals. 

"There have been no covid maternity deaths in this country which suggest that this approach is working," she said.

Ms Cairns called for more transparency on the restrictions and an explanation for their existence.

"We need to see 'the why' in this case. Across the country, we've seen so many restrictions revised and ease."

 "Will we have clarity of what restrictions are there and when they can be eased?"

In her reply, Ms Butler said the case is under constant review from Health Minister Stephen Donnelly and said she would present the concerns of the two TDs to the Minister. 

Earlier this week the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Hazel Chu, also called for a review of the restrictions.

Been in contact with Master of National Maternity Hospital on below issue & have asked for restrictions of not allowing partners to attend to be lifted. He assures me he will revert with update. I will also be contacting the other maternity hospitals on Monday with same request. https://t.co/AWOdzaEYgq

— Hazel Chu (@hazechu) September 5, 2020

Mayor Chu raised the issue after Sarah Flynn, a gentle birth instructor, published a series of tweets describing the difficulties pregnant women are facing when attending hospital appointments alone.