“Listen to the voices of new parents or risk a mental health crisis”

Bethan Sayed MS says Welsh Government must intervene to ensure health boards allow proper support for women in labour and post-natal care

In a debate on Covid-19 and babies under lockdown, the Plaid Cymru Member of Senedd for South Wales West, Bethan Sayed – who herself gave birth to her first child during lockdown in April – has said that the Welsh Government is failing to ensure its guidance is being followed across Welsh health boards.

Ms Sayed also pointed out that experiences and mental health of new dads and other parents, were being badly damaged by the severe restrictions placed in maternity settings.

The Welsh Government updated guidance in November to allow fathers/parents and birthing partners limited visitation in maternity settings in hospitals. However, Ms Sayed said that the leeway given to health boards to set their own policies, means that in practice this is not always being done, with too many women feeling alone during what can be an anxious and traumatic experience for many.

Over 100 new parents have responded to a current survey being conducted by Bethan Sayed’s office. To date, the survey has found;

·       60% of respondents said that maternity restrictions have left them very concerned

·       38% said that since March 2020 they have not had enough contact with their midwife

·       62% said that since March 2020 they have not had enough contact with their health visitor

·       85% said that this low contact has been detrimental to their health and the health of their baby

It was noted during the debate that the issue goes beyond the direct physical and mental health of a birthing mother, but also the detrimental impact to the First 1000 days of a child’s life. For example, 43% of respondents told us that their decision to breast or formula feed was impacted by changes to maternity support services since COVID-19.

One survey respondent said:

“As a first time mum, it’s been a very lonely time. I’ve had to hope that I’ve been doing OK and that the development of my little girl is normal. During the first couple of months, I’ve had to guess that my baby is putting the weight on as required, and as she is very petite anyway, this has been very hard to know. Even telephone contact would have been helpful but I think I’ve had about 3 phone calls since she was born from the Health Visitor, she’s now 9 months next week.”

Just today, author Caroline Criado Perez has shared her devastating news of being completely alone whilst suffering miscarriage. This cannot continue to happen to women in Wales, nor any mother anywhere.

There has also been far too little voice for fathers during this time. 93% of those respondents with partners, said that their partner has not had an opportunity to discuss their perinatal mental health with a healthcare professional, despite 63% saying that the restrictions have had a negative impact on their partners mental health. Bethan’s office has have been consulting with campaigners like Mark Williams and the Mental Health Foundation’s dads and football project and are leading a round table event on this issue to share with Welsh Government.

During the debate in the Senedd, tabled alongside Lynne Neagle MS and Leanne Wood MS, Ms Sayed said:

“This year, thousands of women and new parents have been put into the difficult, painful and lonely position of having to go through one of the biggest moments of their lives alone. Childbirth is a big deal for any woman and her family and the experience is enormously rewarding, but also painful and potentially traumatic. Too many women – because of restrictions in Wales – have had to go through these experiences by themselves.

“As people sat at restaurants, went to the gym, went to the pub, women like me sat alone in hospital wards for days, alone, whilst our partners waited elsewhere by the phone, not allowed access.

“The claim that the Welsh Government is a self-styled feminist government has been tested to destruction this year. Families across Wales have told this government time and again, that they must alter rules and intervene to ensure proper access and support for new mothers and fathers. It has largely fallen on deaf ears. The latest guidance from Welsh Government still allows too much leeway for health boards to set their own policies on this matter.

“Too many also have clearly not been given the proper levels of post-natal care that they require, with some families not receiving any adequate follow up care and support.

“The Welsh Government must intervene to change the situation, now, or risk a mental health crisis amongst new parents in Wales.”