HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY LOCKDOWN BABIES

WITH their cheeky personalities and beaming smiles, these birthday babies are bringing joy to the darkest of times.

All six share a special bond as they were born during the first week of lockdown last year and have only known life in a pandemic.

Their parents have had to raise them in challenging circumstances without the professional and family support networks new parents rely on.

With baby groups closed and families barred from having those first precious cuddles with the new arrival, many parents – especially those who found their finances stretched by furlough or were already struggling to home-school older children – reported low mood and isolation.

But despite the sacrifices, they all say their babies have made the long days and nights of lockdown a little less lonely.

As this unique generation of children prepare to celebrate their first birthdays, we find out what the past year has been like for the pandemic parents.

Sabrina

A MOTHER’S protective instinct kicked in when Samantha

Latchford was left holding her baby after a four-day labour and emergency C-section.

Determined to keep daughter Sabrina safe from Covid, she was discharged from hospital 24 hours after the March 28 birth and cared for her newborn alone as her key worker husband Darren returned to his NHS job a day later.

Samantha, 34, said: “The postnatal ward was full of crying women and I asked staff to help me breastfeed but they were too busy.

“I had no choice but to give her bottles, which was soul-destroying.

“But I’ve always been a positive person and I think that got me through those first difficult weeks.”

While it was a steep learning curve for

Samantha, who lives in

Llantwit

Major,

South

Wales,

FAMILY: Samantha and Sabrina today. Inset, with dad Darren at birth

the lack of distractions during lockdown meant that she bonded quickly with Sabrina.

That’s not to say it was an easy ride, though.

Samantha said: “I remember crying down the phone one day, begging my mum to break the rules and come and help me, but she was too scared.

“My mother-in-law is in Northern Ireland, so she couldn’t help either.

“It was really tough at the time but it has made me a stronger, more confident woman – and a better mum.”

Samantha, who returned to work as an emergency gas engineer in September, said an unexpected highlight of the pandemic was having 10 days of self-isolation.

“It was the most quality time we’d ever enjoyed as a family because Darren’s job has been so busy,” she said.

“Sabrina is just learning to walk and has a great personality.

“I’m planning a big tea party for her birthday and our families will join us over Facebook Live.”