Birth Story

ANNE BUCKLAND  BIRTH STORY

The months since lockdown started had put a very different spin on the pregnancy experience. I’m an older first-time mum, and after years of trying for a child, we knew that this season was going to be memorable. What we didn’t know at the start, however, was how ‘unprecedented’ (apologies for that overused word) those memories were going to be. When the lockdown kicked in in March, my husband was suddenly shut out of the baby’s process and could only join certain appointments through facetime, and missed moments that we had assumed would be accessible to him. I think really in this season, the people who’ve lost the most have been the partners, as all the moments that are there to help them see the growth, were suddenly taken away. Other things that I had assumed would happen just because they always do, haven’t. Antenatal classes were canceled (we were halfway through the course as lockdown kicked in and so we lost

key information and sessions), family members couldn’t visit when the new arrival arrived. Our available support network became very small, and we’ve had to work out what our ‘new normal’ looks like as a family, amidst the wider and complex new normal that COVID-19 has brought. Added to this, I found out that I needed to be induced, and so faced 4 days in the hospital with no partner, as partners were only allowed in for active labour.

On 20th June at 10:55 pm we greeted our first child - the wonderful Kelyn Buckland. It has been a truly life-changing journey, and I’m loving the new role of being a mum. In my work life, I’m a content producer, historian, and blogger, and can recognise that it’s a fascinating and historical season to be greeting our first child in, and not in the least slightly daunting. We’ve tried to make the most of things where we can. I must confess that the enforced isolation has actually been a blessing- although Kelyn still hasn’t met key grandparents and close family, it has meant that we have had the first precious weeks to focus on our new nuclear family, which has been lovely. Having fewer people around has also meant that less well-meaning advice has been given, which for one, I’m grateful for as it’s helped us have the space to work out things for ourselves, and what works for us; reaching out to key friends as and when advice is needed. I’ve tried to be proactive so that we have memories for Kelyn too - keeping a diary through the process so we have something to pass onto him to show him the historic time he was born into, and taking photos of the hospital in isolation. It’s certainly not been ideal, but I’ve been so grateful for the ‘Quarantine Mums’ Facebook group for both community and baby necessities. Our community is certainly more virtual than it would have been, but there certainly is still a sense of collaboration and support from the other new mums out there. It has been a very different birth experience for us, but it’s certainly one we’ll remember!

Antenatal Services

Classes and support online, or individually in person, in BIRTH, BABY CARE & INFANT FEEDING

Antenatally, BABIES provides online group and private classes, as well as in person support:

Be Ready for Birth: encompassing birth physiology, comfort measures, tips for birth partners, variations within birth and the immediate postnatal period Be Ready for Baby: practical baby care, including handling, washing, dressing and changing, information on topics such as sleep, feeding and crying and detailed discussion within areas such as maternal well-being and infant development Be Ready for Breastfeeding: a more in-depth look at breastfeeding, how it works, tips to optimise a successful journey and creating a good understanding of actions and resources if needed Doula services available to help prepare you for labour and to support you during your baby's birth

BABIES is proud to provide: INFORMATION to guide you through, EDUCATION to prepare you and tailored SUPPORT as you navigate this new chapter in your life

www.babies.uk.com 07985 500707 @babiesuk @b.a.b.i.e.s_uk

Pregnancy 9