Mums tell of joy and drama of giving birth in pandemic
“FROM the moment we were put in lockdown, I was anxious about going into hospital and giving birth in the current situation,” says Jodie.
“It was my second child and when my contractions started at 5am on April 1, my sister drove over to look after our son, Reggie, 20 months, and my husband, David,
36, drove me to Darlington Memorial Hospital.
“My contractions were coming thick and fast.”
The 31-year-old from Catterick Garrison, North
Yorks, added: “We quickly made our way up to the maternity ward on the sixth floor. However, the baby didn’t want to wait – she was halfway out when we were in the lift!
“All the staff had gloves on and I managed to hold her in until we got to the double doors of the maternity ward. My husband was frantically buzzing the bell for assistance before a midwife appeared.
“She ran out and quickly took off her cardigan and delivered our baby in the corridor.
“Our daughter, Rosie, was born at 6:33am. She weighed 7lb 12oz. I was very nervous because of the pandemic but the care we received at both the labour and maternity ward was second to none, they were professional, friendly and reassured you.
“My husband was allowed in the labour ward, but was only allowed to stay a short while. We had to stay 12 hours to be monitored and then partners weren’t allowed in to collect us, so a nurse helped walk me down to the car.
“I can’t thank all the staff enough – especially the midwife that took her cardigan off to catch Rosie!”
“WE’D only just come into lockdown when I started having back pain,” says Skye, 20, from Harwich, Essex. “I was 32 weeks pregnant with twins and already had a 20-month-old daughter, Scarlett. My mum took me to Colchester Hospital while Liam, my partner, stayed at home with Scarlett.
“I tested positive for pre-term labour so I was getting ready for a 24-hour stay in hospital when a massive gush of blood came out.
“Nurses sent me to the delivery suite. I’d had a perfect pregnancy so didn’t know why this had happened now, two months early. I phoned Liam and he came to the hospital. Him, my mum and my sister were with me in the birthing room.
“Liam was allowed to stay with me during the labour but
I was told they couldn’t break my waters as they didn’t have the doctors and midwives available as there was only one team working and a lady had been rushed in for a
C-Section.
No sooner had we finished the conversation than my waters broke and Miley-Mae arrived at 11:11pm. She had the cord wrapped twice around her neck and was rushed off to be checked over but thankfully she didn’t need any time in intensive care. “Miyah-Rose arrived at 11:26pm. She had a ‘sticky lung’ and was taken to intensive care for one day, then special care for seven days and high dependency for 14 days. I didn’t get to see my girls until the next day but I managed to get both births on video. “I was discharged after five days but continued to visit them every day. Liam was only allowed to see them for the first week because the virus restrictions were tightened and only I was allowed after that. For two long weeks Liam couldn’t see the girls but we spoke on Facetime so he could see them.
“It was horrible doing it on my own but the nurses were absolutely amazing. They made my experience 10 times better than it could have been due to the virus.”
The baby didn’t want to wait – she was halfway out as we were in the lift!