Kate Middleton surprised Rebecca Attwood, who had recently given birth to her son at a maternity unit. Photo / Twitter @KensingtonRoyal
Kate Middleton surprised Rebecca Attwood, who had recently given birth to her son at a maternity unit. Photo / Twitter @KensingtonRoyal
A British mother had none other than the Duchess of Cambridge congratulate her on the birth of her child.
Kate Middleton surprised Southwest London resident Rebecca Attwood after the birth of her son Max, with a congratulatory video call, the Mail Online reports.
Middleton called in from her home at Amner Hall in Norfolk. The conversation was included during a video call to the maternity unit at Kingston Hospital where the Duchess spent two days on a work placement last November.
Attwood was wowed by the experience and says they discussed what it was like having a baby during the Covid-19 pandemic the struggles mothers are facing mentally.
Kate Middleton surprised Rebecca Attwood, who had recently given birth to her son at a maternity unit. Photo / Twitter @KensingtonRoyal
"The Duchess asked us about having a baby at such an unusual time. Our experience on the maternity ward was that all the midwives made it as normal as possible - apart from the masks.
"Having a surprise conversation with the Duchess of Cambridge after two hours' sleep was particularly surreal," she said. Attwood had her son at 10pm the previous night.
The Duchess began the call by saying "Hello! Very nice to meet you".
She asked Attwood: "He is so sweet. Congratulations, when did you have him?"
Attwood told the Duchess she had had him just 16 hours before the video call.
"My goodness, you must be exhausted," she told Attwood.
The Duchess spoke to midwives during the call to Kingston Hospital in South-West London. The video was released to raise awareness about mental health issues new mothers may experience.
She asked the midwives about their main concerns for new mothers.
Kate Middleton spoke to midwives and postnatal mental health experts in the call. Photo / Twitter @KensingtonRoyal
"There are women that have no mental health history that are becoming incredibly anxious because of the situation," mental health midwife Jo Doumouchtsi said.
The Duchess had previously revealed her own struggles with motherhood during a podcast.
"The challenge is when you're then sent home with your newborn baby, particularly as a first-time mother, you're like 'Oh my goodness, am I okay to do this?'."
The video was shared on Kensington Palace social media accounts.
"The Duchess of Cambridge has spoken with midwives, health visitors, parents and leading sector experts ahead of the UK's Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week," the post read.
Director of midwifery Gina Brockwell said the call was "an honour", Hello Magazine reported.
"She's clearly very interested in maternity services. She spent quite a long time with us in November so really seemed to have a good understanding of our role, but also around the challenges of having a baby and a new family and the raising of people's awareness of the sorts of challenges that people have to go through."
🏥 The Duchess of Cambridge has spoken with midwives, health visitors, parents and leading sector experts ahead of the UK’s Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week #MaternalMHmatterspic.twitter.com/Oup43xquXX
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 2, 2020
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