THE LOCK DOWN BABIES
They were born into a pandemic, their entire lives lived under the grim shadow of Covid (one even caught the virus at just 3 weeks). And their parents have endured the unbearable pain, angst... and joy of
BORN into a pandemic, these lockdown babies are still blissfully unaware of the unique circumstances in which they have spent the first months of life away from the outside world.
But for their parents, pregnancy and birth have proved particularly challenging, with many fearfully facing the prospect of hospital on their own and, since their baby’s arrival in the early weeks of the first wave, having to raise them without the usual back-up and hugs from a support network of family and friends.
As for the newborns, for a large part of the past nine months, they have got to know their grandparents’ voices only through Zoom or FaceTime and have been denied contact with other children their own age.
Parenthood is no easy feat at the best of times but, as families have found out, economic uncertainty, missing out on significant firsts and the anxiety over the virus, have all added to a rollercoaster period in their lives where they have juggled the lows of isolation and teething with the joys of having a new baby.
‘I FEARED GOING INTO HOSPITAL ALONE TO HAVE MY BABY’
Charlotte Carlin, 29, a teacher, who lives in Falkirk with partner Barry McQuade, 27, and baby Ruaridh, born May 7, 2020. AT the very beginning, it was really quite frightening. There was a lot of uncertainty because nobody knew what the impact or effects of the virus could be on pregnant women or if babies could catch it.
I remember starting to feel quite sad about it because I’m the first out of my friends’ group to have a baby and I couldn’t have a baby shower with them or with my work colleagues. Not that it was ever about the presents; it was about sharing that special first-time moment with people.
The biggest fear was that I was going to have to go into hospital completely alone, that Barry wouldn’t be able to be there at all. Luckily, that wasn’t the case.
I laboured at home as long as I could and then went to hospital. But I had to go in myself, while Barry stayed outside in the car for 45 minutes until I was in ‘established labour’.
Always in the back of my head still, I feel sorry for Barry that he missed the first few vital hours and days of Ruaridh’s life because Covid restrictions meant he had to leave soon after the birth. I spent two days in hospital and we could only communicate by text message.
He remembers it being a horrible time for him and he would go out for a cycle every day to take his mind off it.
I’ve never had a baby before, I don’t have a huge family and I’d never really been around a newborn. So, for me on my own without Barry there, it was an exhausting mix of anticipation and fear, along with the realisation that it was now just going to have to be me and Ruaridh.
When coming to pick us up, Barry couldn’t even come to the ward to meet us and, once home, there could be none of the usual visits from friends or family. Instead, we would take Ruaridh’s crib to the window for our relatives and friends to see him.
It was so sad because he’s the first grandchild on both sides, so for my mum and Barry’s mum, not having the experience of holding him was really tough for them.
Since then, it’s continued to be quite surreal. I suppose I don’t know any different – this is just what my maternity experience is like but it was great when things opened back up and we were able to go to baby classes. But even that was difficult because everyone wanted to go to them. I remember having to set my alarm for 6am one morning to get in because they were so oversubscribed. I try to look back and be positive because I don’t want Ruaridh’s first year to be a time of sadness and uncertainty.
‘OUR BABY WAS THE YOUNGEST IN UK TO CATCH COVID’
Tracy Maguire, 27, a business studies student, who lives in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, with husband AJ, 29. Their baby, Peyton, was born on March 26, 2020. OUR baby made headline news because at just three weeks old she became the youngest person in the UK to be diagnosed with Covid. She’d been born eight weeks premature at 3lb 5oz, a few days into lockdown, because I had pre-eclampsia and the medical staff were worried about losing us both.
Immediately after my Caesarean section, they took her away to the neonatal ward and we didn’t get to see her for four hours because it was only one set of parents allowed in there at a time.
In the end, we got only half an hour with her on the day she was born. Even though I stayed in the hospital, I was still only able to see her for one hour the next day, while AJ was completely on his own at home.
I had been out of the hospital for ten days, having to leave Peyton there, when we were told she had Covid. They said ‘don’t panic – she’s fine’ but it was devastating not knowing if she would live or die. But she’s a wee fighter and survived.
Thanks to the time we’ve spent at home, AJ now has an amazing bond with her but still feels upset that he missed out on so much. At Christmas, I remember starting to cry because I was just so grateful she’d made it through.
I think because Peyton had the virus when she was tiny, it gave us a bit of reassurance because we knew she could come up against it and win.
At the same time, with things getting worse and lockdown happening again, it’s tough. I’m a student and having to do online lessons at home while looking after Peyton.
I keep trying to look at the positives, that AJ and I get to have more time with our daughter. But when you’re at the point when you’ve got no more energy left, there is now nobody to step in and say ‘don’t worry, I’ll take her to give you a rest’.
Peyton’s never known anything different. She’s never been swimming or to a play area or been with other kids who are her age. She’s missed out on it all and now she’s back to not being able to see her grand-parents. We’re dealing with teething and she’s waking up every hour, so we feel shattered.
‘DURING THE FIRST LOCKDOWN I WAS TERRIFIED’
Lucie Stevenson, 27, a prison officer, who lives in Falkirk with partner Ryan Mcelwee, 24.
Their baby Bonnie was born May 9, 2020.
I REMEMBER i n February putting up posters at work, warning people to wash their hands because of the growing worry of the virus, and not realising the impact it would have on my life and the arrival of our daughter. Before the lockdown became official, I was called in by my manager the week before to tell me to go home because of uncertainty over the effect it could have on me.
So, before my maternity leave began, I found myself suddenly on furlough and worried because my partner, who was also furloughed for ten weeks, and I had just bought a house.
I remember watching the lockdown announcement and my eyes filled with tears. It was terrifying. My last couple of appointments before giving birth I remember having to sit in the car waiting for the midwife to call me in.
When I was in labour, I had to go into triage on my own and Ryan had to wait in the car and I had to phone him to tell him when it was okay for him to come in. I’d wanted my mum as my other birthing partner, but she wasn’t allowed to come in.
I also had to have a blood transfusion as well and if things had been normal, he would’ve been by my side because I’m terrified
of needles and blood. Instead, he had to go home. There was no one to speak to or share his excitement. He just had to wait in the house to find out by text from me what was happening. When Bonnie was born, my mum and dad self-isolated for two weeks so they could eventually come to see her and help us out because the first couple of weeks with any new baby are so hard.
I remember my mum saying ‘you’ve had this life-changing experience and I can’t even give you a cuddle’. It was so hard, so upsetting. It was a first grandchild on both sides, so the experience for them has not been what they imagined.
In many ways, the last eight months have been amazing. People say the first couple of days after you’ve had a baby are quite intense, with visitors anyway, so people not being able to visit meant we were in our own little bubble.
I felt it was nice that Bonnie only knew mine and Ryan’s touch for the first couple of weeks – no one else had held her, so that was something special I’ll keep as a good memory.
The experience I’ve had is completely the opposite from what I pictured. But I think it’s made us stronger as a family because we’ve just had to rely on one another.
‘I CRIED MOST DAYS AND FELT ISOLATED’
Julianna Taggart, 27, an accountant, who lives in Kilsyth with partner Scott Cook, 44. Their baby, Charlie, was born on March 21, 2020. They also have a twoyear-old daughter, Sofia.
MY baby was born on the weekend of the first lockdown.
On the day I went into hospital all the restrictions came in so when I went in to be induced I had to go in alone. I had to book a one-hour time slot for my partner to visit. Scott came in for his slot just as I was told I was on the waiting list to be taken down to the labour ward. He had to leave but didn’t want to travel home, so he sat outside WH Smith for hours waiting to find out when I would be taken down. Scott got to stay in the labour suite with me for an hour and 40 minutes before I was moved to the other ward, as Charlie had to be kept in for observation. He was shown out of the emergency exit on my way to the ward.
He was allowed a one-hour slot that afternoon and then we next saw him when we were leaving the hospital the next day.
I actually found my experience better this time around. The ward was a much better environment to be in as all the mums were talking to each other and helping each other out. With my last pregnancy everyone sat with their curtains shut and there was no one to talk to when your partner wasn’t there. The midwives were fantastic and I couldn’t fault them at all.
I found it really hard during the height of lockdown from April to July because all of my family are key workers, so I was alone all day with two babies and it really took its toll on me mentally.
I think I cried most days and felt really isolated. It was tough as my little girl needed a lot of attention and I felt Charlie was always just in his chair as I had no one to help me out with things.
I was excited to take them both to baby classes or playgroup and haven’t been able to do any of that. I’m now back working so my whole maternity leave was in lockdown and it was rubbish.
A positive from the whole Covid experience is definitely the amount of time I have had to spend with my babies. We didn’t have any visitors bombarding us, so I didn’t need to have the house sitting perfectly in case anyone popped in. Amber Clelland, 20, lives in Motherwell with partner Stuart Brown, 25. Their baby, Carly, was born April 5, 2020.
THE start of my pregnancy was great but near the end the pandemic began and there was a spike in cases so I did worry about catching Covid and it having an effect on me or my unborn child.
I was scared of having to go in and give birth alone. I wanted both my partner and my mum there. I did have one last scan at 39 weeks and my partner wasn’t allowed to be there and we were both devastated. I hated going for the scan by myself in case there were any issues that came up.
In the end I was only allowed one birthing partner, my other half. I waited for as long as I could at home before going to the hospital so I wasn’t by myself until I was in active labour.
I cried for my mum to come with my partner to pick us up from the hospital, which luckily she was able to do. It was all we could all do since she couldn’t be there for the birth. My mum took every precaution and didn’t go anywhere just so that she could see her first grandchild safely. Since then, Carly has been able to see both my parents, in-laws and some of mine and Stuart’s younger siblings.
‘I WAS SCARED TO GO IN AND GIVE BIRTH ALONE’