Journalist and broadcaster Aideen Finnegan says nothing replaces the human contact new parents need.
She gave birth to her baby a year ago, and says she was fortunate in the timing.
She told The Hard Shoulder some days are tougher than others.
"I actually had quite a unique experience, in that I was fortunate enough to give birth before the lockdown.
"I had maybe two months of being a regular mom on [maternity] leave before everything closed down".
But she said she now knows what she's been missing.
"What I can say is, though, is that I know exactly what I'm missing out on now - in terms of I was able to get to a few classes before everything closed down."
She said weight-check groups, where public health nurses keep an eye on baby's weight, offered a point of contact with health experts as well as other mothers.
"I don't really know a lot of other new mothers in the area: I am very lucky that my sister actually had a baby as lockdown happened.
"So we've had each other, and I really don't know how I would have fared without that - and I don't know how mum's have been doing when they haven't had that support".
"You're just missing out on all that contact with other people that can help you.
"Sure you can Google stuff, but nothing replaces that human contact".
She said the restrictions in general have been a double-edged sword.
"It was great because you couldn't have any visitors - and then it was really bad because you couldn't have any visitors"
She said simple things, like asking her mother or father to go to the shop for her, are complicated.
"I don't want to send them to the supermarket, and I don't want them leaving the house more than they have to go.
"Even with family close, it's not nearly that you can avail of it".
She added: "I remember seeing somebody on YouTube saying 'By the time I got to seven months, I was like 'I've got this!'.
"And I'm thinking: I'm a year, and I don't got it at all!
"I'm still feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all, but I guess that's just being the first-time round - it probably gets easier after that".
