5. Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Support for babies and new parents during COVID-19

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:49 pm on 9 December 2020.

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Photo of Bethan Sayed Bethan Sayed Plaid Cymru 3:49, 9 December 2020

Thank you, Lynne Neagle and Leanne Wood for tabling this debate with me. I'm glad you received my request to be part of it—I didn't want to miss this opportunity—and for relaying the life stories of women across Wales so passionately today. Thank you to all who contributed, and especially to Hannah Albrighton, the petitioner, who has had a baby herself in lockdown. It's no surprise that it's taken three female politicians for this debate to actually happen, to push an allegedly feminist Government into action. Lynne Neagle stating clearly that babies have largely been invisible during this pandemic, and really emphasising the fact that this has affected the maternal death rates and suicide rates here in Wales. Leanne saying that we've missed the focus on babies until now, and re-emphasising the issue that I'm passionate about, which is creating that bubble of support for new parents so that they don't have to cope alone in the future, as I had to do and many others.