Missed daughter's birth due to sore throat

The water goes. In the conversation with childbirth, Viktoria Asp and Emil Stenström get an answer to the question they are worried about: Will Emil be able to follow along even though he has a sore throat? It becomes a no.

The couple who will soon become two-child parents must move on to plan B.

- It's great to be part of a delivery. But you cannot risk being infected by corona with good conscience, says Emil Stenström.

Hospitals in Sweden have imposed restrictions on the coronary pandemic. At childbirth, only one person, who is completely healthy and without symptoms of covid-19, can usually come along as support to the person who is to give birth. Many who are expecting children right now live in worry and uncertainty.

At the university hospital's maternity wards, it has so far only been in isolated or no cases at all that a relative has been denied attendance at birth.

Regarding the BB divisions for the country as a whole, the rules differ. In Norrbotten, for example, a healthy relative may follow BB, but not in Västerbotten.

When Viktoria Asp and Emil Stenström get no from the birth on that April evening, they call in Joanna Nordin, Victoria's sister-in-law. She is ready for several days back, with the highest volume on the mobile phone.

- I think she understands how I work. She dares to take care - if it were to be demanded she would fight for me. And she is good at footing, says Viktoria Asp.

Joanna Nordin walks towards the Södersjukhuset in Stockholm tonight towards Friday the third of April. With her she has a crib from the book "Food without fear", which Emil Stenström has sent with. She is also aware of Victoria's birth certificate and social security number. Once inside the birth, she updates Emil via text message, but most of the time she is present in the room.

- We try everything possible. I'm close when I feel it is needed. She gets to hang on to me and we stand head to head, says Joanna Nordin.

After about four hours inside Södersjukhuset in Stockholm, Astrid is born.

- I am impressed with myself that I once again felt so strong and cool, says Viktoria Asp, whose first childbirth was much more difficult.

How would you describe your experience of childbirth, which happened without your partner?

- I think back to the birth with great joy. Although I obviously lacked Emil, I had good support in place. The important thing is that you get some kind of support, after all, it is you yourself who give birth to do the job.

Prior to the birth, Viktoria Asp was a little worried that the corona crisis would be marked inside the hospital.

- The staff was fantastic and apart from my partner not being able to participate in childbirth or at BB, I did not notice the crisis, she says.