Covid 19: 'Giving birth in 2020 was isolating and lonely'

Women have spoken about how they gave birth in "nightmare" circumstances due to the pandemic restrictions.

Sophie's baby Margot was born at 38 weeks and immediately taken to intensive care at Whipps Cross Hospital in east London because she needed to be resuscitated.

Although Sophie and her partner were able to visit briefly a couple of hours later, after 24 hours they were moved off intensive care and to a ward, where there was no visiting in August 2020.

Margot was on the ward for a week and Sophie was alone and exhausted trying to care for her, with nobody even to hold the newborn, and midwives unable to help because they were so busy.

Whipps Cross Hospital said: "We sympathise with families over the visiting restrictions put in place during the pandemic. Unfortunately, national guidelines at the time meant that birthing partners were only allowed during labour."