The birth of a child is a critical and potentially stressful experience for women, entailing several changes both at the individual and interpersonal level. This event can lead to different forms of distress, ranging in intensity and duration. Many studies highlight medical, psychological, and social variables as risk factors potentially influencing the onset or aggravation of perinatal maternal conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures adopted by government to prevent the spread of infection may negatively affect mothers-to-be and new mothers a high frequency of maternal mental health problems have been reported potentially increasing the likelihood of anxiety, depressive or post-traumatic symptoms to develop with likely limitations on the access to professional services to support them.

Surveys have shown that some parents struggled enormously and described feeling abandoned or falling through the cracks, while others thrived. Some services were badly affected, others stepped up and did more than ever. Many families with lower incomes, from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities and young parents have  been hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is likely to impact inequalities in the early experiences and life chances of children. For those parents who have experienced overwhelming stress, with little social support/ support from family, friends and/or local services, the pandemic may cast a long shadow both in terms of their child’s early development and their own health and wellbeing.   This, however, is not inevitable with the right support in place.

The first 2 years of a child’s life, from pregnancy to age two, lay the foundations for a happy and healthy life. The support and wellbeing of babies during this time is strongly linked to better outcomes later in life, including educational achievement, progress at work and physical and mental health. For generations, no other group of parents has had to navigate pregnancy, birth and beyond under such extraordinary circumstances.