With all attention focused on the coronavirus, parents are raising concerns about the health and wellness of their newborns during this pandemic. While the National Health Service (NHS) has implemented new practices to keep both mother and baby safe, the reality is that the support networks put in place to help new parents simply aren't available.
According to a briefing paper from Anne Longfield's office, birth registration, and basic information about newborns aren't being gathered due to the new protocols. Longfield reports that in some hospitals, up to 50 percent of health visitors have been redistributed to battle the virus elsewhere. Parents report numerous helplines being set up in their area, yet these resources are less than helpful.
The Institute of Health Visiting's executive director, Dr. Cheryll Adams, is very concerned about the lack of accessibility mothers and babies have to support and developmental check-ups. Essential developmental health checks have been postponed by weeks, which could be potentially devastating to some families. After all, these early checks pick up on urgent developmental needs.
"In some areas, the six-week GP (general practitioner) baby check hasn't been available or parents haven't wanted to attend it due to a potential risk of infection," Dr. Adams said.
Newborns aren't the only ones in need of wellness check-ups. Mothers also face a slew of postpartum issues and need to be looked in on as well. Postpartum mental illnesses are a real concern for many mothers- and without the support of extended family and friends, isolation can become unbearable.
While the majority of mothers will cope and survive this challenging time with the help of their spouse, there are many mothers who will find the strain of a new child too much. A particular concern has been raised for children living in poverty, or in situations where there's domestic violence and/or mental illness. With health services either shut down or allocating all their time to pandemic-related issues, where are these families to turn?
"Many community nursing services have been provided virtually and innovatively during the Covid-19 response," Public Health England chief nurse Prof Viv Bennett said.
While this may be true, everyone knows that virtual support is far from the real thing. We must weather this storm. Many new moms are anxious for help and support from medical professionals. Many doctors and nurses are just as anxious to get back to working with their patients. This is a challenging time for our healthcare workers as well.
The bottom line is that mothers and newborns deserve access to the greatest quality treatment and resources. However our world is in the midst of a health crisis that's engulfing the vast majority of medical professionals. Mothers should continue to advocate for themselves and their children.
Source: BBC