PREGNANCY
Eight months ago, I found out I was pregnant. I had just finished teaching my PalFish students in China (who were ironically taking more classes because they were being impacted by COVID-19 and schools had begun to close). I was about to get my 1 and 2 year olds ready for daycare before I started my full time job of teaching virtual school. This was the start to a normal day for me. After work, I typically went to workout with my husband at our gym and then picked up the kids from daycare after which we’d usually go walk around Target toy aisles, grab dinner or something else to keep them busy and out of the house for a little while. I think I miss these simple things the most.
Never in a million years did I imagine in just a few short months that we wouldn’t be able to take our frequent Target trips, that I’d be required to attend prenatal visits without my husband, that my kids and parents wouldn’t be standing behind the door during my delivery, that my family and friends wouldn’t be visiting as soon as we got back home and that still at almost 2 months, most of my family hasn’t met my baby girl. Everything has changed.
Being high risk this pregnancy made things that much more challenging as I required monthly ultrasounds to monitor Leila’s growth and had to do so on my own each time. Pregnancy is a beautiful thing but can also be terrifying – add the need for frequent ultrasounds, needing to wear a mask and gloves to avoid catching covid-19 and risking not being able to hold your baby at birth and not having a hand to hold as you wait to hear everything is okay. Then add the hormones and stress that come with any pregnancy and combine it with not being able to see family and friends, financial losses to your business being closed and being stuck in your house without being able to get your little ones out to get a change of scenery or to get fresh air outside of the space within your yard – to say this pregnancy was different is an understatement.
Preparing for and labor and delivery were different in other ways but still a strange experience. Prior to my scheduled induction, I was required to get tested for COVID-19. The doctors and nurses who took care of patients who tested negative in the weeks prior to their delivery would only need to wear masks where those who tested positive or didn’t get tested at all, had nurses and doctors who had to wear a full get up of protective gear during delivery. Yep, one of the most important and “personal” moments of your life becomes extremely impersonal.
On the day of testing, I went to the drive up center at my hospital – A LOT of people were getting tested. I pulled up to a few tents with doctors covered in head to toe gear and after a quick license check and swab of the throat, I was good to go (I was grateful that they had decided not to do the nose swab on that day). Thankfully I found out the next morning that I tested negative with just a week left until my induction.
INDUCTION/DELIVERY
Upon arriving at the hospital for my induction, my husband and I were greeted by hospital employees in masks who asked us a series of questions and took our temperatures. Once we arrived upstairs at labor and delivery, we were asked the same questions and had our temperatures taken again and then temperatures were taken again several times each day. One of the hardest things about everyone wearing masks other than the discomfort is not seeing any smiles, especially at a time as overwhelming as preparing for and giving birth. I’d say the most difficult thing about delivery during a pandemic was not having my parents at the hospital as soon as I gave birth as they had been there for each of my other children and are such a huge support system for me. Otherwise, it was kind of nice to have the quiet and not having a ton of people in and out.
SKIP TO BEING BACK HOME WITH MY HUSBAND AND ALL OF OUR BABIES– Click HERE to read my full birth story
After my previous births, we had days of visitors – family and friends were in and out to entertain the kids, bring over food, help clean up, you name it. Now don’t get me wrong, at times this too can be overwhelming but having NO ONE was strange. I can’t say it was lonely, I had my husband and my kids, and this whole situation has allowed us to spend an unbelievable amount of time together which truthfully has been amazing. BUT I come from a massive family, have a HUGE support system and not being able to see them and not having them get to meet my sweet girl has definitely taken a toll.
My baby girl is now 7 weeks old and still hasn’t met most of the people closest to me which is almost surreal and makes me sad. Typically I’d be meeting with friends with other toddlers, my cousins and their little ones and simply enjoying summer with my three babes surrounded by family and friends- this isn’t the case.
It’s isolating and I’m literally dreaming of the days when things are better. I’m dreaming of the days where I can take my kids to Target again, where we can go to music classes and farmers markets without a suffocating mask. I’m dreaming of the days where I can schedule appointments and not have to stress about leaving my nursing babe home without food because she cannot attend with me. I’m dreaming of the days where hand sanitizer isn’t sold one per household and smiling faces aren’t covered by masks.
What are you dreaming of?
Mamas who are pregnant and/or giving birth during this pandemic, you are not alone. You feel alone but I promise, I am with you as are so many other women around the world. Stay strong and hold on, we will persevere and come out stronger in the end. WE got this!
XO,
Work at Home Chaos 