Guidance for Doula UK members on PPE

The guidance below is for Doula UK members who are supporting a birth and it is intended to keep you, your family, the family you are supporting and health care workers safe during the pandemic.

The RCM, RCOG and RCOA have developed the following guidance for birth partners below which you might find helpful to adapt when you support a family at a birth:

We are asking you to follow the guidance below to keep yourself, your family, other families and NHS staff as safe as possible during the pandemic:

• We fully support women having at least one symptom free birth partner with them during labour and birth.
• During the coronavirus pandemic, all hospitals have been restricting visitors, but there has always been an exception for a well birthing partner during active labour and birth.
• Birth partners will be required to wear a mask or face covering when entering a hospital. This applies to birth partners when they are in the labour and birth room and in other clinical areas. Women in labour will not be asked to wear a mask.
• To help prevent spread of coronavirus to other women, their babies and key front-line healthcare staff, it is very important that you do not attend the maternity unit if you have any symptoms of coronavirus or have had any in the previous 7 days.
• If you are unwell, protect your family and NHS staff, and stay at home. To prepare for this, women and their current birth partner(s) are being encouraged to think about an alternative birth partner(s), if required. This person does not need to be from the same household as you.
• If you are supporting a woman during labour and birth, please be aware of the strict infection control procedures in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus to other pregnant women and their babies, as well as other people within the hospital and the maternity staff.
• Please wash your hands regularly with soap and water and use hand sanitiser gel in clinical areas as available.
• If you cough or sneeze, please cover your mouth with a tissue and dispose of it in a bin immediately.
• Stay in the labour room with the woman you are supporting. Do not walk around the maternity unit unaccompanied – use the call bell if you require assistance.
• If you are asked to wear any additional personal protective equipment (PPE) in addition to a mask or face covering during the labour or birth, please follow the instructions carefully and take it off before you leave the clinical area.

You can read the full document published by the RCM here

The above guidance is predominately aimed at a birth partner who lives in the same household as the birthing person. A doula would be outside that household and therefore our guidance goes further and we recommend:

• that doulas be ready to source and have PPE supplies on hand before attending births at home or MLU/labour ward. This may take the form of a face mask / covering, disposable gloves and apron.  Please try to source your own PPE so that we are not using NHS supplies.
• that doulas consult with the midwives caring for the family about PPE.
• that doulas have a conversation with the family they are supporting beforehand about their expectations and the challenges posed around wearing PPE

For antenatal and postnatal visits, doulas should refer to the government guidance on working in other people’s homes  Steps that will usually be needed:

1. Using remote working tools to avoid in-person appointments.
2. Only absolutely necessary participants should attend appointments and should maintain 2m separation.
3. Avoiding transmission during appointments, for example, from sharing pens and other objects.
4. Holding meetings outdoors or in well-ventilated rooms whenever possible.
5. Wash hands for a minimum of 20 seconds on arrival and before you leave the appointment.

You can read more in depth advice and check the restrictions in your area by visiting the following websites.

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Reviewed 17 December 2020