A mum who gave birth in the middle of the Covid-19 outbreak has spoken out about the 'fantastic' care she received at Queen Elizabeth Hospital after the pandemic left her 'nervous' and alone.

Katherine Cole gave birth to her son Max on April 27 at the Woolwich hospital, right in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The birth was a caesarian section, meaning she would have to undergo the process alone without her husband, leaving Katherine 'nervous' and 'worried'.

The birth was hit by several complications, but despite this she was full of praise for the care and supported she received from the maternity team when she spoke to Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.

"Four years we had our daughter at University Hospital Lewisham where we received excellent service, which is also run by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust so we had high hopes for a good experience at QEH," Katherine said.

"We weren’t disappointed. This second pregnancy had quite a few complications. However, the service and treatment I received throughout was great.

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"At 36 weeks I was told that the baby was in the breech position and at 39 weeks I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia (which can cause high dangerously high blood pressure) so had to be admitted to hospital."

Katherine said she felt "nervous" about going in to hospital on her own, but the "kind" staff made sure she was looked after.

Whilst she was only required to stay in for one night, the pre-eclampsia meant the date of the caesarean section was brought forward.

"When my husband dropped me off for the C-section I was really nervous as I’d never had major surgery before and I wasn’t looking forward to being alone for the delivery of our baby.

"But I needn’t have worried. From the moment I arrived the staff made me feel welcome and supported.

Katherine said the medical team made sure she knew exactly what would happen and when, and the midwife and anaesthetist kept up a constant stream of chatter to take her mind of things.

Also taking photos to show her husband later, Katherine said they were "so reassuring" and made time pass quickly.

Whilst dealing with the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic was tough, Katherine said she understood why and made the most of the time she had with her husband.

"After being wheeled into recovery, my husband was allowed to visit for two hours (not long enough) but I understand why.

"Then I was moved to the postnatal ward, where I felt nervous being on my own (I had just undergone major surgery and was in quite a lot of pain) but the midwives’ care was fantastic.

"Unfortunately, because of the pre-eclampsia I had to stay in hospital for a couple of days.

"This was the hardest part (and the most tedious). But it was fine, many of the midwives I had met previously popped in to see how we were doing, even if they weren’t the ones officially caring for me.

"Nothing was too much trouble and they were always there when I needed them and was at my most vulnerable.

"Before being discharged, both baby Max and I were thoroughly checked over, so I left knowing that everything was fine.

Katherine added that she wanted to thank the midwives who helped her.

"The names I can remember were Emily, Sam, Liz, Sophie, Leanna, Pauline, Heather and Lesley, but these were just a few of the fantastic midwives.

"This current situation is not ideal for pregnant women and women giving birth, but the support that I received from all members of staff was fantastic. Thank you!"