New fatherhood could have made Boris Johnson more likely to ease lockdown restrictions after his illness brought an ’emotional epiphany’ about the importance of physical contact for families, a psychologist has claimed.
The Prime Minister’s, 55, fiancée Carrie Symonds, 32, today gave birth to a ‘healthy’ baby boy at a London hospital – weeks earlier than anticipated and just 16 days after Mr Johnson battled coronavirus in intensive care.
Mr Johnson is said to have been by Carrie’s side throughout the labour in the early hours of this morning and thanked ‘the fantastic NHS maternity team’ who brought their son into the world.
Behavioural psychologist Jo Hemming told FEMAIL that the experience may have been an ’emotional epiphany’ for Mr Johnson, revealing: ‘I think he will have become hyper aware of the psychological needs for families and loved ones to have closer physical contact and – within safe boundaries of course – he will relax the lockdown as soon as he can for those families and loved ones.’
She explained that the combination of his own battle with coronavirus and his new fatherhood would have had a great impact on the Prime Minister, saying: ‘I do see his own emotional epiphany as having a huge influence on him, driving him to to ease the emotional burdens placed on families, missing their nearest and dearest.’
A psychologist has revealed how Boris Johnson, 55, may be more likely to ease lockdown restrictions to allow families to see one another after welcoming his newborn son with partner Carrie Symonds, 32, today
Jo revealed that Mr Johnson would have found ‘new reserves of strengths’ during his coronavirus battle which could serve him well during his new challenging fatherhood.
She revealed: ‘This sort of experience shapes us and makes us more resilient. Mr Johnson will have found a reserve of strength and a number of coping mechanisms that will have got him this through this illness, and they will serve him well as a father to a new-born.’
Meanwhile she said his own illness may have also already shaped him as a father, revealing: ‘Under normal circumstances we would expect anyone who has been seriously ill to be more protective of their new baby.
‘He will certainly have had a moment – whether religious, spiritual or just life-affirming that will inevitably have changed his outlook on life moving forward.
‘He will undoubtedly have a much greater respect for the work of the NHS – perhaps tinged with a little guilt for his previous lack of concern – and this, along with a new-born baby, will give him a certain emotional conflict of interests.’
Jo went on to reveal how Mr Johnson may feel more conflicted than ever over lockdown restrictions, explaining: ‘On the one hand he’s likely to be more empathetic to families and their suffering in general.
Jo revealed how Mr Johnson’s own recent battle with coroanvirus would likely make him a more protective father to his newborn son
‘The basic human need for hug, touch and physical affection between them and how much anything virtual, like video calls or waving from a distance, is really quite a poor substitute and can cause deep seated distress and a greater longing for real touch.’
And parenting expert Rachel Fitzd agreed, explaining: ‘New dads, like new mums want to turn to his own family for support at this time to help him cope with these emotional, only to find, like all new parents right now, that they are isolated and vulnerable – Zoom doesn’t quite cut it when you don’t know how to soothe your crying newborn.’
Jo went on to reveal how she believed Mr Johnson would ‘continue to take the scientific advice and do whatever it takes for however long it takes to ensure the physical health of families.’
She said new fatherhood may have also made him ‘more likely as a consequence, because of health and safety reasons, to perhaps prolong the lockdown measures for general socialising amongst friends and acquaintances.’
She added: ‘His overriding need to preserve life and keep the nation as healthy as possible, for as long as possible to enable people who are yearning to have that physical affection, sooner rather than later, will also be paramount.’
Mr Johnson welcomed his new son, who is believed to be his sixth child, days after returning to work amid the coronavirus pandemic
The safe arrival of their child, Carrie’s first and officially Boris’s sixth, has come as a shock because Miss Symonds was expected to give birth in the early summer, although a due date was never confirmed.
Mr Johnson, who missed PMQs this afternoon, said in early March that he would likely take his two-week paternity leave when their child was born – but he will now delay it until later in 2020 as he scrambles to get a grip on the coronavirus crisis.
There are also concerns that key decisions over the lockdown and how to ease Britain out of it will be delayed because of the Prime Minister’s new baby.
Announcing the birth of their son, who has not been named yet, his spokesperson said: ‘The Prime Minister and Ms Symonds are thrilled to announce the birth of a healthy baby boy at a London hospital earlier this morning. Both mother and baby are doing very well. The PM and Ms Symonds would like to thank the fantastic NHS maternity team.’
Mr Johnson and partner Carrie Symonds have been engaged since the new year, and announced they were expecting in March (pictured, watching the Six Nations on 7 March)
The couple got engaged while holidaying on the exclusive Caribbean island of Mustique over the new year and announced they would marry and were having a baby on February 29, days after the PM’s divorce from Marina Wheeler was confirmed.
The birth came after an extraordinary month for the couple, who were self-isolating separately, first because of Carrie’s pregnancy and then when Boris fell ill. Mr Johnson then spent a week in hospital, including three days in intensive care, and Miss Symonds was also briefly bedridden with symptoms of Covid-19, but made a full recovery. They were only reunited last week at Chequers before she went into labour.
It is also just over two weeks since the PM was discharged from intensive care where he had been battling coronavirus. Miss Symonds also suffered symptoms of the disease.
Mr Johnson is said to have been by her side throughout the birth. She sent him scans of the baby while he was ill with coronavirus earlier this month to raise his spirits.
Miss Symonds and Mr Johnson are believed to be back living at Number 11 Downing Street after isolating seperately
Miss Symonds has been back living with Mr Johnson at Number 11 Downing Street as the Prime Minister leads the Government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
She had previously been self-isolating in Camberwell, South London, with the couple’s dog Dilyn, after suffering from symptoms of coronavirus.
The 32-year-old former government adviser then joined Mr Johnson at the PM’s country home of Chequers in Buckinghamshire while he recovered from the virus.
Mr Johnson returned to work on Monday after being photographed back at Downing Street on Sunday evening.