How these Edinburgh parents adapted to pregnancies and births during lockdown

From a mum who concealed her baby bump as she deep-cleaned hospital wards to anxious parents who brought premature life into the world during a time of deep health concerns, this is how a handful of Edinburgh parents coped with bringing bundles of joy into their worlds during the pandemic.

Baby Erin

On Christmas morning 2020, Donna Owens, 35, and her partner Martin Swaney, 37, from Leith welcomed their second daughter Erin into the world five weeks earlier than expected.

But this baby was no ordinary ‘Christmas miracle’, as Donna found she was pregnant in May in the midst of the first lockdown.

The lockdown babies of Edinburgh.

Donna kept her pregnancy a secret and continued to work as a domestic cleaner involved in deep-cleaning Covid wards at the Western General.

“I was hiding that I was pregnant and going around doing terminal cleans,” said Donna, “It was hard to cover up the bump but the PPE was a big help.

“It was quite a big concern and [the virus] was all over the hospital but obviously it was my job and I just had to do it.

“It was scary and luckily I never got it.”

Christmas baby Erin with big sister, 10 year-old Kendyll (Photo: Donna Owens).

Donna said she did not want to let anyone know she was pregnant in case anything went wrong.

"It had been ten years since I had my previous daughter so it was a wee bit of a worry so until I had my scan it was only me and my partner who knew.”

After receiving her 12-week scan, Donna told her ten-year-old daughter Kendyll who was “totally ecstatic” and her bosses who kept her away from Covid wards.

"It was a weight off my shoulders when my work colleagues knew and they were all great at protecting me.”

Erin who was born on Christmas morning and is coming up for four weeks old (Photo: Donna Owens).

It was only until October, when Donna was 28 weeks that she stopped working.

Born prematurely, weighing 4lbs 13oz, Donna described baby Erin’s Christmas birth as different.

"At Christmas, everyone else was allowed to be with some family so I felt I missed out on that and no Christmas dinner or being around family so it was all pretty difficult.”

Now back at home, Donna says she still worries about her baby.

8 month-old Lucas with his brothers and sisters Kyle, 14, Ellie, 13 and Orla, 7 (Photo: Laura Campbell).

“You’re fearful that people might stop and have a look at her with the virus about and I’m just so worried as she is so small.

“You have to Face Time people to see them and when someone has a new baby everyone is dying to see so it’s been really hard.”

"While being stuck at home is obviously sad, it’s brought our family closer together.”

Baby Lucas

Mother Laura Campbell, 36, from Musselburgh faced an extremely hard lockdown pregnancy when she had her fourth child Lucas on May 5, 2020 with her partner, Les Campbell, 35.

After going through a traumatic miscarriage in 2017 due to haemorrhaging, mum Laura, who was classified as a ‘high risk pregnancy’, faced a great amount of difficulty when the pandemic hit and her baby was born at 30 weeks, weighing only 3lbs 1oz.

Lucas when he was in ICU for 37 days (Photo: Laura Campbell).

Lucas had to stay in intensive care at the Simpson Hospital, Edinburgh for 37 days.

"I really did not enjoy this pregnancy - with all of the complications and when Covid first came it was all I stressed about," said Laura.

"I was in bed rest anyway at the beginning of my pregnancy as I had a cervical stitch put in place so I was stuck in the house and then when I felt a bit better in March that’s when lockdown started."

Laura said that the NHS vCreate diaries, a video messaging service which allows mothers to monitor their babies, helped when she could only see Lucas for two hours a day due to restrictions.

Although Laura says caring and home schooling their children, Kyle, 14, Ellie, 13, and Orla, 7, as well as baby Lucas, has been fine for her and her partner she can’t wait to go back to work.

Baby Zack

Louise Grieve, 41 and her partner Richard Marwick, 42, from East Craigs had their second child Zack Ronald Grieve-Marwick on August 8, 2020.

Louise conceived in December 2019 but lockdown soon changed everything about her pregnancy.

“At the beginning everything was kind of great and then come March was when everything changed.

"Nobody could share your pregnancy with you - they couldn’t see your bump growing - and when you are pregnant and tired and also have a toddler nobody could come and help. You just have to get on with it.”

Louise had to go for her twenty week scan on her own due to restrictions which was made worse when complications hit.

"I had to go myself and when the sonographer found something on the scan and sent me straight to ERI to see a consultant. But I had nobody there for support.

“The staff were amazing, however, it’s obviously not the same as having your partner there.”

Despite complications, Zack arrived a healthy baby.

Although looking after Zack and their two year-old daughter Jessica was difficult in lockdown, Louise feels the most for women going through their first pregnancies.

"It would just be such a shame for those initially going through this, wanting to see your family and the joy in that, and at least I’m getting kept busy with two.”

One positive about having a child in lockdown, Louise said, was the lack of pressure on going to social gatherings.

“You can just stay in the house and spend time with your new baby which is nice.”

However, Zack had a baby cousin born in January but due to lockdown, the family are unable to meet her in Dunfermline.

The couple also hoped they would get married in September, however, Louise said it does not look likely but are glad they have Zack.

“We are so lucky as he is the happiest, most content little baby and, if he hadn’t been, lockdown would have been so much worse.”

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