She faced criticising for being allowed to see her grandchildren during COVID-19 lockdown in Melbourne, while many other grandparents didn’t have the privilege.
And on Wednesday, Patti Newtown explained that she and her husband, Bert, were granted ‘permission from the doctors to look after the little ones’ because their daughter, Lauren, was going through a difficult pregnancy.
Lauren was in hospital for three months, and the authorities ruled that Bert and Patti had an essential role to play in taking care of their grandkids.
Clarification: Patti Newton (pictured with her daughter, Lauren) has revealed why she and her husband, Bert, were allowed to see their six grandchildren throughout the COVID-19 lockdown in Melbourne
In ordinary circumstances, grandparents weren’t allowed to see their grandchildren during the lockdown.
‘[My daughter Lauren] had a very difficult pregnancy and she went into hospital, and was there for three months,’ the 75-year-old told Now To Love.
‘To make everything easier, Bert and I got permission from the doctors to look after the little ones,’ she said, adding that her son-in-law, Matt Welsh, was ‘doing lots of things’ and couldn’t handle all five children on his own.
Family matters: Patti and Bert were granted ‘permission from the doctors to look after the little ones’ because their daughter, Lauren, was going through a difficult pregnancy. Lauren is pictured with her husband, Matt Welsh, and their newborn son, Alby James, in August
Bert and Patti were quick to step in while their 40-year-old daughter prepared for and recovered from the premature delivery of her sixth child, Alby James.
The little boy was welcomed into the family seven weeks early, in August.
The showbusiness veterans are also grandparents to Lauren’s five other children: Sam, 11, Eva, nine, Lola, six, Monty, two, and Perla, 18 months.
Sharing responsibilities: The showbusiness veterans are also grandparents to Lauren’s five other children: Sam, 11, Eva, nine, Lola, six, Monty, two, and Perla, 18 months
Patti, who stripped off for The All New Monty: Guys and Gals in September, recently shared an Instagram tribute to other grandparents doing it tough during the coronavirus pandemic.
‘I know a lot of us grandparents have been missing out on seeing the little ones the past few months,’ Patti captioned her post.
‘We’ve been lucky to keep in touch with ours, but I can’t imagine not getting to see their smiling faces every day.’
Kind: Patti, who stripped off for The All New Monty: Guys and Gals in September (cast pictured), recently shared an Instagram tribute to other grandparents doing it tough during the coronavirus pandemic
Reaching out: ‘I know a lot of us grandparents have been missing out on seeing the little ones the past few months,’ Patti captioned her post. ‘We’ve been lucky to keep in touch with ours, but I can’t imagine not getting to see their smiling faces every day’