Romeo’s first year - lived in a virus pandemic
A MUM from Greetland can’t wait for life to return to some form of normality one year on from giving birth to her little boy Romeo.
Melissa Fairbank went into labour on March 23 last year, the same day the country was plunged into lockdown for the first time.
Romeo was born at Calderdale Royal Hospital at 2.24am, weighing 6lb 15oz, and came home later that day, shortly before the first lockdown was announced.
“It was a really quick labour, I went to hospital about 12.30am, had him by 2.30am and six hours later they were like ‘right, you need to leave, we’re in a pandemic’.” said Melissa, 34, who lives in Greetland with husband of six years James, 36, and son Ralph, five.
“I was home by eight o’clock. Then it hit me then when I said ‘oh, my mum’s got my little boy so she’ll be able to have a hold of him won’t she’ but they said ‘no, your mum needs to leave, nobody can touch that baby for 12 weeks’. Then I got emotional.”
Melissa says the hardest thing about the past year is that
Romeo has been unable to mix with other children.
“Not being able to go to a play gym, any baby classes,” said Melissa, a mobile beauty therapist. “But he’s got an amazing bond with his brother and with me and my husband. Because he wasn’t at school he’s been with him every day. He can calm him down if he’s crying, he loves him, it’s so nice to see and we wouldn’t have had that had the pandemic not have happened.
“He’s always giggly, always happy, but he definitely, definitely knows what he wants,” Melissa said. “He’s definitely a character.
“It has been hard, but I’ve really enjoyed having that whole time off with him because I haven’t been able to work - I’m still not able to trade now.
“It’s been amazing I’ve had that whole time with him, but then it’s also sad you haven’t been to a zoo, or on holiday, you haven’t got those memories that your first one had.”
It has been hard but I’ve really enjoyed having that whole time off with him
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