A BABY boy who was born just hours into lockdown has been described by his mum as “thriving” despite living his full life amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Cormack Murphy was born on March 24 last year at 03.42am – not long after it was announced that the UK was placed into the first lockdown.

When his mum, Marissa, and dad, Derek, left the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital with their new baby, they entered a world of uncertainty.

The first-time parents did not expect that a year on, the country would still be living under tight restrictions.

Glasgow Times:

Marissa, 31, said: “Derek was the last dad to be allowed in for a full labour.

“We were taken down at half seven to have Cormack and the midwife that just walked in for her shift said, ‘that’s us in lockdown’ and she looked at Derek and said, ‘you’ve just made it’.

"To think that it could have been totally different is scary.

"When we came out of the hospital it was just a totally different world. It was mad. I had seen online that there was a milk shortage. I had a new baby and there was no guarantee there was going to be any milk.

“I couldn’t get help with breastfeeding. We were supposed to get a midwife appointment the day after we came out of hospital, but a phone call was all we were given, and they told us someone would be out in four days to see us.

“It was very much fend for yourself. Nobody knew what to do, nobody knew much about it, whereas now we know we have to social distance and wear a mask.”

Despite having lived his full life in lockdown, Cormack is coming on leaps and bounds.

Marissa, from Paisley, added: “He doesn’t know a lot of things; he’s never seen the inside of a shopping centre. He’s missed out on meeting people – some family members haven’t met him yet which is so sad.

"He’s never been to soft play or swimming, just general things that we take for granted.

“Basically, his full life he’s spent in lockdown. It’s so hard to think that he’s missed out on so much, but he’s such a good wee boy. It’s the only thing that’s got me through - he’s been a blessing.”

Glasgow Times:

Marissa, who works alongside her mum for the Scottish Ambulance Service, went back to work last month while Cormack attends at nursery.

She said: “I was so fortunate to be able to go back to a job and have security. It’s been good to go back to work, it’s been great to get back to normality. Having a routine has been valuable for us.

“Cormack is in nursery with the kids, and he’s getting on great, so that side of it has been fantastic.

“But, I wasn’t able to go in for his settle in days. I had to stand at the window and watch – that’s just something that you shouldn’t be doing.

“Even registering him, Derek went in himself. We’ve missed so much as a family. Cormack is coming up for a year, and the whole family has been Covid-free so I can only take it as a total blessing that I’ve kept him safe.

“It’s so hard to look at it positively and know so much has been missed but we’re just trying to make the most of it, like everybody else.

“It’s just been such a crazy time, I feel as if a lot of women have been forgotten about, and all these wee babies that don’t know any different.”

Just the month before giving birth and being put into lockdown, Marissa married her husband Derek while 33 weeks pregnant.

Glasgow Times:

She added: “We feel as if we have had so many challenges. There was a storm that day and we just kept saying ‘it’s fine, we’re just so grateful to get married’. Looking back, that would have been one of the last weddings.

“We still have a lot of celebrating to do. We were given so much to celebrate but not given the chance. It’s a year later and we’re still postponing things – Cormack’s christening and his first birthday.

“Me and Derek have been together for 11 years and when we decide to have a baby it’s in the middle of this, but I just can’t imagine life without Cormack now.

“A lot of my friends have got mum guilt – they think they’re not stimulating their baby enough or socialising them enough.

“We feel like we can’t get anywhere or doing anything, so the kids aren’t coming on, but they are.

“They come on in their own way, there’s been absolutely nothing that’s held Cormack back, he’s developing every day. I don’t feel like he’s missed out on anything that I couldn’t have prevented.”