NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Covid 19 coronavirus: 'Heartbroken' mother separated from her premature baby

Cira Olivier
By Cira Olivier
Multimedia Journalist, Bay of Plenty Times·Rotorua Daily Post·
27 Mar, 2020 04:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A timeline of Covid-19 as the number of confirmed cases increases around the world.

A Rotorua mother has been forced to make the heartbreaking decision to leave her premature baby in hospital and stay at home to care for her two other children during lockdown.

Stacey Brell learned on Thursday that she had to choose between staying in Rotorua Hospital to care for 8-week-old baby son Armani-John Selwyn or remain in Covid-19 isolation at home with the rest of her family.

Her partner, an essential worker, is on call and there is no one else besides her to look after their two other children, aged 18 months and 11 years.

Sign up to our daily Covid-19 newsletter for essential advice and a full summary of the day's news and developments.  Register or sign in here and select Top News Stories

The decision has torn her apart.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I was heartbroken. I can't wait to just hold him again," Brell told the Rotorua Daily Post.
"It's one of the hardest things, knowing he's going to be in there."

Baby Armani-John was born on January 30. He was 15 weeks early and weighed 952 grams, less than two blocks of butter.

He spent the next two months fighting for his life in Waikato Hospital's Newborn Intensive Care Unit with Brell, her two other children and her mother by his side.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Brell started imagining life returning to normal, the family coming back together, when she was told Armani-John would be transferred to Rotorua Hospital on Monday.

Armani-John Selwyn weighed less than two blocks of butter when he was born and his mother can't see him for a month. Photo / Supplied
Armani-John Selwyn weighed less than two blocks of butter when he was born and his mother can't see him for a month. Photo / Supplied

She imagined spending days with him in the hospital while her children were at school, holding him, reading to him and talking to him.

"But it all just changed within a day of being back."

She visited her son on Wednesday evening and was told she would be able to visit him the next evening.

Discover more

New Zealand

Covid 19 coronavirus: 2500 health professionals sign up to combat virus

27 Mar 03:51 AM
New Zealand|politics

Ardern and Robertson's strong warning for lockdown wage rule rorters

27 Mar 04:09 AM
New Zealand|politics

Covid 19: PM tries to quell protective gear concerns

27 Mar 04:37 AM
Education

Schools fear equity gap will widen during Covid 19 lockdown

05 Apr 06:00 PM

"Then I got a phone call on Thursday morning to say I either had to live with him or stay out."

Within a day of being home, she had to make a decision that would tear those dreams to pieces. She now cannot see him until the level 4 lockdown is over.

"I didn't picture it to be like this. It's been really hard."

Brell is urging New Zealanders to stay at home to help stop the spread so she can see her son again.

In an attempt to get the spread of Covid-19 under control, the Government enforced a nationwide lockdown of everything except essential services, effective Wednesday this week.

Rotorua Hospital has enforced a strict no-visitor policy to protect staff and patients.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The exemptions are that patients who are palliative and receiving end-of-life care can have one consistent visitor or family member, one parent or guardian of any hospitalised child, and one support person to accompany a woman in labour.

While at Waikato Hospital, Brell's other children lived with her mother.

Her mother, Donna Ngamotu, said the situation had left the family "broken".

Plans were being made by the family before Brell returned to Rotorua with an excited family organising how they would take turns at the hospital.

Ngamotu said it had been a difficult few months for everyone, and she saw the impact that being away from their mother had on her grandchildren.

"You're stuck between a rock and a hard place," she said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
NeedToKnow3
NeedToKnow3

But Brell knows that being in the hospital, surrounded by compassionate specialists, is the safest place for her son.

"But they can't sit with him for hours and hold him, read to him, talk to him like I can.

"I just had to leave my other two kids for two months and now I have to leave him in the hospital on his own for a month, provided it doesn't get extended."

And the thought of it getting extended is devastating - precious moments she will miss.

"I don't think anyone expected it to be this serious but it is really serious. Everything can wait a few weeks so just stay home so we can go back to our normal lives.

"The nurses in Specialist Care Baby Unit also hated having to make me make that decision. [They] have been amazing," Brell said

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

They have promised video calls and photos when they can, something she will be looking forward to through the isolation.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

New Zealand

'Amazing achievements': Hawke's Bay Export Awards finalists announced

07 Jul 04:25 AM
New Zealand|crimeUpdated

‘He’s smooth. He’s a practised thief’: Former club CEO had a secret criminal past

07 Jul 04:10 AM
Politics

Regulation Minister David Seymour responds to questions about opposition to his new bill.

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

‘He’s smooth. He’s a practised thief’: Former club CEO had a secret criminal past

‘He’s smooth. He’s a practised thief’: Former club CEO had a secret criminal past

07 Jul 04:10 AM

A criminal history check came up clean because Robert Don had changed his name.

Regulation Minister David Seymour responds to questions about opposition to his new bill.

Regulation Minister David Seymour responds to questions about opposition to his new bill.

'Massive cleanup': Fire damages Napier cocktail bar just months after opening

'Massive cleanup': Fire damages Napier cocktail bar just months after opening

07 Jul 04:03 AM
Cop kissing serial shoplifter also 'hoicked up a ball of spit' and spat at police

Cop kissing serial shoplifter also 'hoicked up a ball of spit' and spat at police

07 Jul 03:58 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP