Newborns in city give us focus for recovery

Alittle bit of joy goes a long way. And any new baby born into the world brings far more than just a tiny bit of happiness. Amid the gloom, little rays of sunshine are arriving every day into the skilled hands of midwives in Portsmouth.

As we know, life during the lockdown goes on.

Expectant mums and dads nervous about their first child, along with seasoned parents, are finding themselves in the same situation with all the uncertainty coronavirus brings.

Proud parents will be cradling their newborns that bit tighter as, frankly, they protect and shield their little ones from the crisis and all the disruption it is bringing.

But who knew there were so many babies arriving in just a few short months? FromMarch23toTuesdaylast week, there were 1,041 born at Queen Alexandra Hospital alone.

We must cherish the happiness they bring.

And that almost indescribable overwhelming feeling you get while looking at a newborn – even if the child is not your own – is why we’ve put some of their faces on our front page today.

Among those babies are, as it’s ever-so-twee to say, our future doctors, nurses, teachers and captains of industry.

Midwives do what must be a thoroughly rewarding but difficult job, and behind each baby’s face are city maternity teams.

Clearly the tots won’t know the worries their parents will undoubtedly be going through, and the isolation some are facing without their extended families there to lend a helping hand.

When they grow up they will be able to point back to 2020 and thank their parents who are now, as you read this, doing the best they can to nurture new life in the world.

So when finally we can start thinking about the recovery from Covid-19 – economic, social, political – let’s remember the beaming rays of hope and joy created during this crisis.