Striking image shows Royal Free midwife checking newborn baby over at height of coronavirus pandemic
Anastasia in the hands of midwife Laura Halpin at the Royal Free. Picture: Hannah Maule-ffinch - Credit: Archant
A picture of a newborn baby being checked over by a PPE-clad midwife at the Royal Free has been entered in a competition, run by the Duchess of Cambridge, to find images which sum up life in lockdown.
Baby Anastasia was born in April, and the Royal Free Hospital’s labour ward co-ordinator Laura Halpin was on hand to check her vital signs.
And photographer Hannah Maule-Ffinch was there to capture the moment.
Hannah’s striking image has been entered into the Hold Still competition the duchess is running on behalf of the National Portrait Gallery.
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Laura, 36, said the photo shows a “top-to-toe” examination of the newborn baby, adding: “While I was carrying out the checks I was turning Anastasia over. Her face is clearly saying: ‘What are you doing?’”
She said the maternity team – to whom she paid tribute – adapted quickly to Covid-19 measures, though wearing full PPE throughout long labours was a sweaty task.
