Baby In Lockdown- Tonie's Story

Tonie shares her first hand experience of having a baby during national lockdown:

“I am an assistant headteacher and was heavily pregnant when there were talks of the lockdown. On the Tuesday, I got called into the office and was told that I would need to leave work, go home and shield. On the Friday, the whole country went into national lockdown. At 9 months pregnant I was working from home, preparing work for my class, marking and responding to parents emails. Unfortunately, I became unwell and the stress of the whole situation of lock down caused my blood pressure to soar and I was admitted to hospital.

Obviously the restrictions were incredibly strict. We weren’t allowed visitors but my partner could visit for an hour a day between 3pm until 4pm. Eventually I was induced four days before my due date. I was sent home to get my things and then admitted. I have two little girls and I was constantly upset and stressing about who would be able to take care of them, and if their father had to he would miss the birth. The midwife reassured me that because it was an emergency my mum could look after them and she did, she met us on the hospital car park with the girls excited that the next time they saw mummy she would have had their baby brother.

My partner was not allowed onto the ward and he carried my bags and there was so tearful goodbyes at the door. He was unsure whether to go home or sit on the car park but I explained being induced was a long process and to go home. The hospital was crazy busy, and they couldn’t start me off so instead closely monitored me. Eventually I got moved to my own room and induced. As you can imagine, I was so worried. At this point my partner could still only visit me for an hour a day.

The labour pains started and so did my anxiety. I worried that my partner wouldn’t be here for the birth. I was taken to the delivery suite and my waters broke and I continued to ask when my partner could come. The nurse looking after me said I could call him.  The birth was horrific, everything that could go wrong did and i spent the majority of my time crying. At 33 years old I still needed my mum to calm me down but she was not allowed to come as we were only allowed one birthing partner.

Sadly, I contracted an infection and so did my son and I was rushed down to surgery for a c section. I lay on the table and kept asking the surgeon please when can my partner come and they eventually let him in. Soon after Raef was born weighing a huge 9.7 lb. I didn’t get to see him, but dad held him briefly before he was rushed to be checked over. At that point, dad had to leave as he couldn’t come onto the ward with me. Eventually I met Raef and I was overwhelmed.

I sent dad lots of pictures as he was not able to visit and we had to stay in because we were unwell. I hated being on my own. When we finally got the all clear, dad had to bring the car seat and wait outside. His face lit up when we walked out.

The weeks that followed were lonely. Dad had lost his job, so I had him around to help which was lovely. I had one visit off the midwife and another off a nurse to remove my stitches. Raef has been weighed once since birth and for the first four months we were stuck in. I found it really hard as people were unable to meet him. My grandparents still have not held him because they are too vulnerable.

I have had to go back to work early and Raef now attends a nursery. He is thriving despite the lack of social interaction and things we couldn’t really do. I have hated maternity apart from spending time with the kids, and Raef is definitely the best thing to come out of this pandemic”