BORIS JOHNSON’S fiancee Carrie Symonds is said to be doing well following the birth of a healthy boy in London.
But what is it like having a baby in the middle of a pandemic? Here, LYNSEY HOPE tells how she welcomed daughter Ivy during lockdown – and brings you some other amazing “quaranteenies” sure to put a smile on your face.
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Ivy, born on April 16
JOURNALIST Lynsey Hope, 38, lives near West Malling, Kent, with husband Nick, 40, a police officer, and children Jacob, five, Olive, three, and new baby Ivy. Lynsey says:
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“I was incredibly anxious in the run-up to Ivy’s birth. There were so many “what ifs”.
We knew if any of us developed the slightest hint of a cough, I’d have to go in and have the baby on my own. Fortunately, we were all well when I went into labour.
The midwives were amazing. All wore face shields – which they constantly apologised for – but you could see the kindness in their eyes.
My husband was allowed in the delivery suite, after having his temperature taken, and Ivy was born around 8.30pm on April 16, weighing 9lb 1oz.
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The hardest thing is not being able to share our little bundle with friends and family.
Ivy met her grandmother Jean, 68, through the lounge window. It made me teary to see Mum waving through the glass but that’s what we did to protect everyone.
These are tough times for pregnant women but one thing I’ve learned is that most of us are tougher than we think.
The sleepless nights will feel like a breeze!”
Harlow, born on March 21
FULL-time mum Chloe Agnew, 27, lives in Glenavy, Co Antrim with her partner Damien, 30, a lorry driver, and daughters Freya, four and Harlow, five weeks. Chloe says:
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“When Harlow was a few hours old, I watched in terror as hospital staff appeared on the postnatal ward wearing masks to take another mother and her newborn away.
The mother had a high temperature and as I held Harlow in my arms, the woman’s bed and surrounding area were scrubbed down. It was terrifying and my heart went out to the staff too.
Harlow was born on March 21 at the Royal Maternity Hospital in Belfast. I was induced a few days after my due date because I had gestational diabetes.
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As my contractions began, a midwife said there weren’t staff around to administer an epidural. It was frightening knowing some pain-relief options weren’t available.
We’ve isolated as a family since Harlow was born. It’s heartbreaking not being able to introduce her to our families.
When she is older, I’ll tell her we were lucky to be cared for so well by the NHS at such a strange time.”
Paisley, born on March 25
REBECCA Pebble, 31, is a student and lives in Norwich with fiancé Scott, 32, a chef, and their five-week-old daughter Paisley, who was born on March 25. She says:
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“From the moment I’d found out I was expecting my first baby, I knew I wanted to deliver her at home in a birthing pool.
I was more than a week overdue when my contractions began.
That evening, as they became more intense and frequent, we set up the birthing pool but when Scott called the hospital, he was told no one was available to come out.
Staff shortages because of Covid-19 meant a home birth now wasn’t possible.
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Trying to cope with the pain and process [the situation] left me stressed and upset.
I had no choice but to go to hospital. I had a long and difficult labour, ending in a spinal anaesthetic and forceps delivery.
I was cared for really well by the midwives, though. They knew it wasn’t the birth I’d planned but they listened and helped me to feel in control as much as possible.
We’re looking forward to the time when it’s safe to take Paisley out and introduce her to the world.”
Nava Mae & Scarlett Rose, born on April 12
CHARNEL JOHNSON, 21, from Barnsley, South Yorks, had twins Nava Mae and Scarlett Rose on Easter Sunday. Her partner Connor, also 21, a construction worker, was not allowed in the hospital. Charnel says:
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“When I went into labour, I had to get a taxi to Barnsley Hospital all by myself.
The hospital had said they wouldn’t allow partners in because of coronavirus. I felt incredibly nervous by myself.
I was taken to a labour room, where I started having contractions. It was hard being in that much pain on my own. I had no one to hold my hand.
I finally had Nava Mae, who weighed 5lb 3oz, at 10.08pm. Scarlett Rose followed, weighing 6lb 3oz, at 10.20pm.
Scarlett was born breech (bottom first) with the cord wrapped around her neck. She wasn’t breathing and had lots of fluid in her lungs.
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I wasn’t sure if she was going to survive. There was so much going on and I was struggling to take everything in. There were so many doctors and I felt totally overwhelmed.
I had a lovely midwife who was with me the whole time.
Both babies were taken to incubators. We stayed in hospital nearly a week, as their temperatures kept dropping.
The girls were nearly a week old by the time they met Daddy. And I really missed my older daughter Kylie, who is 11 months. Despite everything, I’m so glad to be back home now.’
Harper, born on April 13
SWIMMING coach Charlotte Smart, 25, lives in Barn- staple, North Devon, with her partner Ben, 25, a telecoms engineer, and 14-month-old son Fletcher. She gave birth to daughter Harper by caesarean after getting a cough. She says:
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“I had quite a difficult pregnancy. My waters started leaking at 23 weeks, so I was in and out of hospital every week for checks.
I was 34 weeks when I got a cough. Again my waters started leaking but there was a chance I had the virus, so I had to go to hospital alone.
A midwife in full protective gear greeted me and I was given a mask. As I was likely to go into labour early, I was given steroids to strengthen the baby’s lungs.
I stayed in hospital for 36 hours alone and was tested for coronavirus. Fortunately, the result was negative. I wasn’t having contractions at that point, so I was sent home.
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Two days later, I went into labour. As I still had the cough, we had to go through the whole thing again when I went back to hospital.
Ben sat outside in the car park. I kept telling myself: “It’s OK – you’ve got this.”
I had to have an emergency caesarean. It wasn’t until I was walking into the operating theatre that I broke down in tears. The midwife said: “I want to hug you right now but I can’t.” They were doing their best to comfort me.
Harper was born weighing 6lb 7oz. I’m so grateful to the NHS staff who risked their lives to look after us.”
Violet, born on April 20
NATALIE BROWN, a 39-year-old freelance writer, lives in Hove, East Sussex, with husband Rob, 41, also a writer, and their children Bluebell, eight, Maximilian, five, Marigold, three, and Violet, who was born on April 20 at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton. She says:
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“The one thing you think is certain in pregnancy is that it’s your body, baby, birth and choice.
Except that thanks to Covid-19, it’s no longer true.
Three days before Violet was born I discovered my dream of a water birth had gone down the plughole, as new PPE guidelines say midwives can no longer put their hands in water.
I went from being confident in my ability to birth my baby to not being able to picture the birth at all. I cried a lot.
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Happily, Rob was allowed to be with me and I was able to labour in the pool too, as long as I stood out of the water to have her heartbeat and my pulse checked.
The anxiety in the run-up to her birth was worse than the experience of actually giving birth during a pandemic.
I’m just grateful that Violet – whose middle name is Hope in light of the crazy time in which she was born – is here and we’re home safe and well.”
Isabella, born on April 7
EMILY RUSSELL, 31, a credit risk administrator, lives in Chesterfield, Derbys, with husband Paul, 49, a cold store operative, and sons William, eight, and Jacob, six. She gave birth to daughter Isabella on April 7 and says:
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“Isabella was ten days overdue. I got quite anxious when lockdown started, just as I went on maternity leave.
I worried if my husband would be allowed in for the birth, how I’d get to hospital – as I’m the only one who drives – and how hospital would be.
When I went into labour, my community midwife said it was time to go to hospital. Paul was allowed in with me. The midwife asked about my birth plan and said a pool room was free.
It was really relaxed. They put aromatherapy oils in the water.
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If it wasn’t for the protective gear the midwife was wearing, you wouldn’t have known anything was out of the ordinary.
Isabella was born around 3.30pm, weighing 9lb 6oz.
It was a wonderful birth experience. By 6pm I was showered and breastfeeding her, with a cup of tea and some toast. We were home by 9.30pm.
These newborn days are so precious – and we are enjoying the time with just the five of us.”
