Covid in Wales: Support bubble call for families of babies

Megan Chhabra: "Parents are often alone"

A mother is calling for families with babies under the age of one in Wales to be allowed to form support bubbles during lockdown, as England has done.

The whole of Wales went into a level four lockdown on Sunday, which meant forming extended households was no longer allowed.

Only single people or single-parent families can form support bubbles.

The Welsh Government said families were still allowed to use family or friends for informal childcare in level four.

However that rule does not allow people to behave as an extended household, with guidance stating it should only be used where no other option is available and that adults dropping off children for childcare should not enter someone else's home.

Arlo Chhabra was born in August

England expanded its eligibility for support bubbles on 2 December to include families with a child under one, a child under five with a disability who requires constant care or a single adult carer living with adults with a disability requiring care.

Megan Chhabra, from Cardiff, gave birth to her first child, Arlo, in August.

She has started a Senedd petition calling on the Welsh Government to change its rules, which has attracted more than 5,000 signatures.

It includes support from Olympic cyclist Becky James, who had her first child with Wales rugby player George North in May.

The World Champion gold medal winner posted a link to the petition on her Instagram page, saying: "To all the parents of 2020, we need your help.

"As we all know, Wales has now gone into tier 4 restrictions. England has introduced rules to allow parents of an under 1 year old to form a support bubble, but Wales has not.

"If you have children, you'll know how much support is needed in that first year (& beyond)!"

Megan Chhabra and Arlo were previously in an extended household with her parents

Ms Chhabra told BBC Radio Wales' Breakfast a change to the rules would allow people in her position to spend more time with family whenever they wanted and overnight.

"I think it's important to recognise that parents with babies are often alone during this time, even though there might be two adults in the household.

"One of them is probably at work, or working at home, and having a baby to look after by yourself isn't a particularly easy task.

"You've had very little sleep during the day or the night. Going from not having children to having a small baby to look after can be quite daunting.

"Your life's completely changed."

When extended households were allowed prior to the level four restrictions beginning, she was in an extended household with her parents.

"That's been really helpful, to have them just to come over and have someone else for him to interact with as well, because I think especially for the babies they haven't seen many people during this pandemic," she said.

"I do worry that they'll suffer eventually not having that many social interactions. Being able to include another household, for instance grandparents, will be beneficial for them as well."

The Welsh Government said: "To help parents with newborn babies and young children, our rules currently allow for informal childcare arrangements with friends or family to continue and they allow you to meet your immediate family if you need some extra support and help."