My Midwives kept busy as Covid pandemic results in rise in births across Darling Downs Health hospital region

The two years of Covid lockdowns, restrictions and working from home could have resulted in an unexpected baby boom for the Darling Downs.

In her almost 30 year career as a midwife, Liz Wilkes has seen baby booms in one form or another that have kept her busy.

However, according to the managing director of national midwifery service My Midwives, the Covid pandemic has resulted in a significant increase in demand for their services.

Whether it has come from easing restrictions resulting in greater birthing freedom, or time spent in isolation and lockdown increasing the time couples spent together, Ms Wilkes said she believed the pandemic has resulted in a baby boom across Toowoomba and beyond.

“It’s been really bemusing to us to some extent, and it’s definitely a phenomenon that we’ve noticed,” she said.

“We first saw it at our Melbourne practice after their long lockdown and wondered if it would happen in Toowoomba and sure enough we’ve had this massive boom.

“Our actual demand has more than doubled in the period following lockdowns, so while we don’t think it’s an actual doubling in the number of births we are seeing a significant increase in demand for midwifery services.”

Elouise Quinlivan (left) and Kim Clancy with their baby son Quinn Clancy, Monday, April 18, 2022. Picture: Kevin Farmer

According to Darling Downs Health data on birthrates in the region, a total of 3030 babies were born in public hospitals across the region in 2019.

That number declined 4.42 per cent to 2896 in 2020, before spiking 7.21 per cent to beyond pre-Covid levels to a total of 3105 births in 2021.

Ms Wilkes said while some of the increase in demand can be attributed to relaxed restrictions on healthcare services following a lockdown, working from home and isolating with Covid can’t be ruled out as contributing to an increase in birthrates.

“From late last year to early this year there’s been a massive boom, and there was also another one that occurred when Queensland reopened its borders,” she said.

“Normally we see September as our busiest month but that wasn’t the case last year, we were really busy just before and just after that, which correlates to the peak of when people where either in lockdown, working from home or in isolation as a result of Covid or being a close contact.”

Elousie Quinlivan (left) and Kim Clancy with their baby son Quinn Clancy, Monday, April 18, 2022. Picture: Kevin Farmer

For Kim Clancy and wife Elouise Quinlivan, the pandemic resulted in their seven-week old son Quinn, who was born in St Vincent’s Hospital.

Over a period of 18 months from July 2020 Ms Clancy underwent six cycles of fertility treatment before successfully falling pregnant.

“Covid has been a very good period for us, we got married had a baby and built a house,” Mrs Clancy said.

“In 20 years time when we look back Covid will be background noise.”

Mrs Quinlivan said while having a child was always the couple’s plan, being able to work from home helped with their decision.

“I‘m really lucky and fortunate that I can work from home so I’m there to support Kim, which has been a feature of Covid,” she said.