Ashburton Courier: April 09, 2020

Page 4, Ashburton's The Courier, Thursday April 9, 2020
Ada born during lockdown
By Toni Williams
Ashburton author Rachel Nixon and newborn Ada Haley Nixon.
Ashburton author Rachel Nixon and
her husband, children’s librarian
Jonathan Nixon, have welcomed a
new addition to their family.
Ada Haley Nixon was born on
March 28 at Christchurch Women’s
Hospital weighing 2.75kg (five
pound 9oz). It was day three of the
national Covid­19 lockdown.
“She’s just awee dot,” Mr Nixon
said.
Ada, named after acharacter in
the Charles Dickens’ novel Bleak
House, has the middle name of Mrs
Nixon's 93­year­old grandmother’s
maiden name. She lives in Auckland.
Back at home in Ashburton now,
Mrs Nixon and Ada are doing well.
But, like any good story, Ada’s
arrival has been full of interesting
twists with a birth experience
nothing like when they had son
Caleb, two and ahalf years ago.
Mr Nixon said the plan to birth at
Ashburton Hospital was scuppered
because of concern around Ada’s
limited weight gain.
Aplan was made to be induced at
Christchurch Women’s Hospital but,
during lockdown, that meant tight
restrictions on access.
“There was a huge amount of
stress added around Covid­19.”
Mr Nixon had to be registered as
birthing partner and could not be
unwell in any form to attend.
They had Mr Nixon’s sister, in
Christchurch, who has no children
yet, lined up as abackup to step in as
support if he got sick.
He thought she was probably
quite happy not to be needed in the
end.
The Nixons had a clear run to
Christchurch for the planned induction,
but their midwife was stopped
twice by police checking on her
reason for travelling during lockdown.
She missed the birth by one
minute.
“It was aquick birth,” Mrs Nixon
said.
“And she was really good with
after (birth) support.”
At the hospital no visitors are
allowed except during the birth. Mr
Nixon was not allowed in the
maternity ward.
Once the birth was over he had to
leave.
Mrs Nixon, in the maternity ward
for two and ahalf days, said it was a
different experience, from arrival to
leaving.
They were greeted at the hospital
entrance by staff with hand sanitiser
and had to register the birth partner
all the while practising social distancing.
Some staff wore masks, some
did not.
“Jonathan was not allowed into
the maternity ward at all (but) the
midwives were really, really good.
“It would have been nice to have
Jonnie, there but that’s the way this
goes.”
Now home, the couple and son
Caleb, have the added support of Mr
Nixon’s mother Vivian, who arrived
from Christchurch for the lockdown.
Mrs Nixon’s mother, in Auckland,
was unable to come.
Regular home visits from the
midwife also have astrict process to
follow to minimalize touching contact
and any Covid­19 risk for the
family, and their midwife.
Mrs Nixon said the only time a
midwife had touched Ada was for
the initial testing at birth. Breastfeeding
support is being done online
with alactation consultant via the
video platform Zoom.
The silver lining is having
Jonathan home during the lockdown,
Mrs Nixon said.
Local news at www.starnews.co.nz
Workers back on CBD
revamp as soon as able
Contractors working on
Ashburton’s CBD revamp will be
backonthejob as soon as they
are able, says Ashburton mayor
NeilBrown.
The CBDproject,atwo­year
roading and footpath programme
aimed at leading the
revitalisation of Ashburton’s
mainshopping area, is being
undertaken by WestCoast
company TruLine Civil.
Mr Brown said work teams
weresent home when the country
wentinto alert level 4onMarch
26. Work wouldresume when the
company wassafely able to have
itsworkers back on the job.
He said the project wasnot
deemed essential work but would
continue as soonaspossible.
None of council’s major
construction projects, including
thenew library and civic building,
hadbeenput off because of the
virus, he said.
Councilwas aware of the
concerns of local businessowners
about the impact of restrictions
andworking on a‘‘buy local’’
campaign to encourage Mid
Canterbury people to support
local businesses strugglingto
keep their doors open.
Hakatere residents only
The Hakatere community
is urging
people to stick to the
rules during lockdown
and to stay
away from the coastal
settlement.
Hakatere Community
Emergency
Response Group
member Kaylene
Donaldson said
people should not be
going out for adrive
to Hakatere, not be
biking on the river
trail, or fishing at the
river mouth.
The rules should be
adhered to and anyone
not living there
should stay away.
At the weekend
fishermen, bikers and
‘‘No entry’’ signs made by the Hakatere
community.
day trippers had been
spotted and the
police were informed
and visited, she said.
Mrs Donaldson
said the public toilets
were closed and the
community had made
their own ‘‘no entry’’
signs to keep others
away.
‘‘We’re very happy
for people to return
when things are back
to normal, but not
now.’’
HEALTH UPDATE
Newadmissions
processatAshburton
Hospital
To helpslowdownthe spread of
COVID-19,we’ve changedthe waywedo
things at AshburtonHospital.
When youget to thehospitalyou’llfind
ourdoors areclosed. We’llask youto
phone us or pressthe doorbell.
We’llvisit youinyourcar to confirm
whereyou should go next.
We need to keep peoplesafebymaking
sure anyone whomight have COVID-19 is
away from otherpatients.
Thankyou forhelping us keep our
patients andstaffsafe.
Look after your
wellbeing
If youorsomeone youknowneeds
wellbeingsupport or advice,callortext
1737 to speakwithatrainedcounsellor.
This confidential serviceisfreeofcharge
andisavailable24hoursaday, seven
days aweek. There’susefuland practical
informationavailable forthose at home
in isolationonthe government’s website
COVID19.govt.nz
Be kind
Canterbury hasbeenthrough alot,and
we will getthrough this as well.We’re
strongertogether.Remembertocheck
in on the elderlyorvulnerable. Make a
differencebydroppingoffsuppliesto
those whoare home sick and‘virtually’
checkinwithwhānau, friendsand
neighbours whoare in isolation.
Stay home
Youmuststayhomeunlessyou work
in an essentialservice. Weall need to
do everything in ourpower to break
the chain of possible transmissionof
COVID-19 (and otherviruses)inour
communities.
While in isolationathomeyou canstill go
outfor awalk, butplease keep at least
twometresawayfrom others.
Together we canslowthe spread.
Seecdhb.health.nz/COVID19for
further information