Coronavirus MUMS REVEAL GIVING BIRTH
WELCOMING a new baby to the world is a thrilling, daunting, and challenging experience for anyone at any time. But at the moment, with the NHS under enormous strain due to a global health pandemic and a full lockdown preventing almost all travel, the challenges are arguably even bigger than usual.
In normal circumstances birth partners are allowed to stay with the pregnant mother throughout their labour. However due to the current situation most maternity units across Wales are now only allowing this once the expectant mum is in established labour, which can be a much shorter process.
To keep everyone safe there are also much more stringent restrictions than usual on things like the length of time birth partners can stay following the delivery.
And even when mum and baby are safely home things are dramatically different with changes to midwife and health visitor appointments a common feature – not to mention the fact families and friends are unable to visit.
Here four new mums take us through their experiences of the reality of giving birth and getting used to life with a newborn during lockdown.
NADIA DARGRAVEL AND
OWEN SIMMONS
Nadia Dargavel’s partner Owen Simmons missed the birth of their second child, Noah, by just 15 minutes when he arrived on April 1.
“They limited it to no visitors, so I couldn’t have anyone there,” she said. “My mother dropped me off outside the hospital and I started crying, but when I was sat in the bed on the ward with the others chatting it was okay.”
Nadia was induced a week before her due date and laboured within four hours: “I kept on saying I was in labour. Noah is my second so I know what it feels like,” said 20-year-old Nadia, who is also mum to threeyear-old Theo Simmons.
Nadia said the midwives told her that her partner would be called to come to the hospital when she was 6cm dilated, but as they live in Tonypandy, which is 45 minutes away from Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil, Owen didn’t get there in time.
“When you are giving birth you want someone with you. It was a gutting feeling. It wasn’t a bad experience but it was not pleasant,” she added.
Nadia said one piece of advice she would give to expectant parents was to stay as close to the hospital as they were legally allowed to, especially if the journey there is a long one, as you never know how long the labour will take.
Luckily for the couple Nadia was able to leave hospital the next day, so she didn’t spend long on the maternity ward without any visitors.
However the no visiting rule also exists at home and Nadia’s mother, who works for the NHS, decided to move out of their home to prevent potentially spreading the virus to her daughter and grandchildren.
“I have come home and literally haven’t seen anyone. We are a bit wary to go out yet too, so we have only walked down the street. My nan lives a few doors down so she has seen him through the window.
“When my mother dropped us a food shop I showed him to her through the window.”
Another big change for new mums is the reduction in contact they would have with midwives and health visitors.
Nadia has had one visit from the midwife who carried out the essential heel prick test. She said she felt reassured the midwife was in full PPE and was in and out as fast as possible.
“Obviously with a newborn you worry whether you’re doing it right whether it is your first or your fourth. You can call a health visitor up to ask them questions, but it is different to having them there in person.”
CALEIGH AND CRAIG PRIDAY Caleigh Priday gave birth to twin girls Olive and Willow by emergency caesarean on March 26.
As the babies were born prematurely, at 34 weeks, they were rushed to the special care baby unit (SCBU) in the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, where only one visitor is allowed.
This meant her husband Craig Priday didn’t meet his baby girls until nine days after they were born.
“They were in SCBU for six days and then two more nights on the ward, as they had lost so much weight. The day they got admitted onto the ward was the first day partners weren’t allowed on the wards. It was all very bad timing,” said 34-yearold Caleigh.
As Olive and Willow were born prematurely they are still having regular health visitor and midwife visits. Following a visit from the midwife on Monday the girls were taken back to hospital for another two days as their weight had dropped.
“They are doing great now. We need to keep an eye on their weight so they’re receiving top-ups after every feed in the hope we can avoid