The babies born in Wales during lockdown

Finding out you're expecting a baby is often an exciting yet daunting time for many parents.

But in recent months, thousands of parents across the country have been forced to deal with an added element that no-one could have predicted.

Coronavirus has divided countless families in recent months.

The lockdown has meant that expectant parents haven't been able to attend scans together, apprehensively wait on the hospital wards together and, in many cases, not even allowed them to introduce their bundle of joy to family members and friends.

Soon-to-be dads have had the anxious wait for a phone call from hospital car parks, while their partners' are going into labour inside.

While grandparents, family members and friends who would normally be rushing to meet the new additions have had to sit tight at home instead.

These are just some of the babies that have been born in Wales during the lockdown.

Thomas Charles Osborn

Kate Osborn and her husband Charlie, from Gowerton in Swansea, had been trying to have a baby for 11 years before she fell pregnant in August last year.

The couple met 20 years ago in Disneyland before tying the knot two years later.

"We had been trying for 11 years with all different types of fertility treatment and then last August it worked," Mrs Osborn said.

"We had tried IUI (intrauterine insemination) and IVF and we had been to Singleton Hospital, Bristol, Neath Port Talbot and we were finally successful at the London Women's Clinic.

"When we found out we felt amazing but scared at the same time. It's just the most amazing feeling ever to think 'this is happening to us'.

"The first couple of months were fine and I'd had my scans and then in March they were saying 'partners aren't allowed in anymore'."

During her pregnancy Mrs Osborn, aged 41, also suffered with gallstones, gestational diabetes (high blood sugar that develops during pregnancy) and dehydration but nothing could have prepared her for the realisation that she would have to be separated from her husband when she went into hospital to give birth.

"In the last month when I went to see the midwife I would have to go in around the back of the surgery and have my temperature checked and only I could go in," she added.

"It was really, really good and the midwife had the mask, apron and gloves on but it was just the fact that my husband couldn't come with me.

"My husband is always away anyway because of work but he did find it hard not coming to appointments because he wants to be involved as much as he can be.

"I went in to Singleton Hospital on Tuesday, April 28 to be induced and my husband dropped me down and left me there.

"I was on a ward with three other women and our partners weren't allowed in. I did cry because I thought 'my husband should be with me' but the more I talked to the others I felt better.

"The midwives were brilliant and I knew I was safe there.

"When I started having contractions I was thinking 'I just want my husband here' and then knowing that he was coming made me so much more at ease."

Thomas Charles Osborn was born the following day on Wednesday, April 29, and weighed nine pounds.

Mrs Osborn said: "It's been quite nice because it's just been the three of us but it's heartbreaking because my mum can't hold him and family can't be anywhere near him.

"That's the thing that's killing us the most is that we can't be together. I think it's going to be a very emotional day when we can.

"It's an unique situation. It's been absolutely crazy and I've never experienced anything like it - none of us have.

"It's been the craziest time of my life but I got a beautiful little boy out of it."

Ava Rey Roderick

Just weeks before starting her final year of university, Stacy Burgess found out that she was expecting her first child with her partner, Liam Roderick.

The 21-year-old juggled working in a shop and completing her health and social care course at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, in Carmarthen, all while preparing to become a mother.

"I was isolating for two weeks before we went into lockdown as I was about 34 weeks and they were unsure about the risks to pregnant women," she said.

"Through January and March we heard of it [coronavirus] getting worse and it was getting scary so I started to isolate myself more.

"I work in a shop so I was using hand sanitiser even in January just to be cautious.

"My partner was able to come to all of my scans because I had my last scan before the lockdown. He just couldn't come to any more midwife appointments with me and I found it scary going in on my own.

"It was also hard with shopping because I didn't want to go but also Liam didn't want to go in case he got it and brought it back to me. We tried to get online shopping but it was hard to get slots because we weren't classed as vulnerable."

On April 22 the couple, who first met at school, made the journey to Withybush Hospital before welcoming Ava Rey, weighing six pounds and 15 ounces.

But since returning to their home in Narberth, Miss Burgess explained that she has been unable to share many of the experiences with her daughter that she had hoped due to the lockdown.

"We have only recently lived together because I was living with my mum before but we're in a large property and Liam's mum is in an annexe next door so we have that support," she added.

"Ava is my mum and dad's first grandchild. My mum has been to the gate to see her but she said that made it harder because she couldn't hold her.

"Going from being in lockdown and getting up at any time to then having to try to find a way to stay up and look after a newborn has been hard.

"It's also been hard to be stuck in all the time because it does effect you mentally just being in the same place all the time.

"Ava's just been in babygrows all the time because I've not been dressing her up to take her out and I can't really do the mum support groups that I wanted to.

"My friend's just had a baby as well and we wanted to meet up so it's been hard in that way.

"Especially when it's your first child, you don't expect this to happen."

Gruffudd Gwyn Jacobs and Robin William Jacobs

Sam Jacobs and his partner Rhian Môn have been together for the last five years.

The couple, both aged 38 and from Llandeilo, went through five rounds of IVF treatment before finding out that they were finally expecting their little boy.

Rhian gave birth to Gruffudd Gwyn Jacobs, who weighed eight pounds, on May 25 at Glangwili Hospital but he wasn't the only new addition to the family.

Mr Jacobs said: "We decided to tell my mother way before the lockdown and then we told my brother and his wife and she said 'I'm pregnant too'.

"We were about eight weeks along and they were six weeks.

"We had Gruffudd on May 25 and then my brother and his wife had Robin four days later on May 29.

"It's been a bit of a nightmare with the pandemic. We've been holding the baby up to the window to see people.

"Gruffudd and Robin have been able to see each other through windows and we're doing a lot of speaking on the phone and WhatsApp."

Despite the two cousins being able to meet at a distance, the brothers have still not been able to hold their nephews because of social distancing measures.

"As soon as a baby is born everyone wants to come and see it so it's been quite nice not being bombarded by people," Mr Jacobs added.

"We are just trying to be overly cautious but we have managed to have a distanced walk.

"My mother is in a customer facing job so we have kept her away.

"She only lives 200 yards up the road but she can't hold him which has taken its toll but it will be all the more special when we do meet."

Sam's brother, Matthew, also became a dad for the first time just four days later after his wife Sioned gave birth to baby Robin William Jacobs.

The 35-year-old new dad said: "It's a little bit surreal and it's just been mental.

"We said that it was the right time to try for a baby and then five pregnancy tests later it happened.

"Sioned's pregnancy was really good until the last four weeks where she started to get uncomfortable but we were lucky."

The couple didn't want to know the sex of their baby until he arrived at Glangwili Hospital on May 29, weighing seven pounds and eight ounces.

"I went to drop Sioned off and within 10 minutes I was asked to come back in because she was ready to go," Mr Jacobs added.

"The staff were amazing and so professional.

"Since we've come home we've been stuck in the house and nobody has held the baby. It is hard but that's the sacrifice you've got to make.

"We've gone for walks but there's nobody in contact with him and everybody has been respectful.

"It's been tough not seeing family but we've got social media and Zoom calls which have been a positive."