What It’s Like to Give Birth Now
In labor for 37 hours while wearing a mask
I was just entering my third trimester in March. The weekend before everything happened (the stay-at-home order), I started to keep a low profile, refrained from going to the store, and just started being cautious. In your third trimester, you have to start going to the doctor every two weeks—and I had heard, based on what was happening in New York, that there was a chance your significant other may not be able to be there for your appointments. But since I hadn’t heard anything from my doctor, I remained hopeful. We went to my next appointment, and once we arrived, they told my husband that he couldn’t come in. I thought, This is serious. And what does that mean for me? This is my first child.
But eventually, he was able to come to the appointments once they had screenings (such as temperature checks) set up. I felt lucky to have a doctor who was allowing significant others—I had friends who were expecting who had to FaceTime their significant others during their appointments.
Another thing I was worried about was delivering without my husband there—I had heard about women having to deliver their baby alone, or even talking about having home births. It definitely brought up a lot of anxiety and sleepless nights.
My doctor told me that things were changing by the day, and finally he was able to assure me that I wouldn’t have to deliver my baby alone, if I tested negative for COVID-19.
Family Ties
At the beginning of the pandemic, I was just starting to show. When I was far along, my family couldn’t come and see me. Our moms, sisters, and best friends would like to have felt the baby kick, or see me pregnant (in person), but they couldn’t. Also, I wanted to have a baby shower—that couldn’t happen either. My family did put together a “drive-by” baby shower. It was nice to at least say hi and bye to everybody.
I didn’t leave the house, other than going to the doctor, until early June. I’m very lucky that my husband was working from home. He also carried the burden of running all the errands, doing all the grocery shopping.
Yariela Freeman (right) and Amara Gigi Freeman born June 24, 2020 at 8 pounds, 21 inches
Delivery Day
The day I was admitted to the hospital, one of the first things they did was test me for coronavirus. I was induced, and my husband couldn’t come into the room for about an hour—I had to have my tests and IV done.
Except for when my husband and I were alone in the room, I had to wear a mask the whole time, even while delivering my daughter, and I had a 37-hour labor. My mind was so focused on pushing, and after a while you’re hot, but I didn’t have a hard time breathing with it on. It did feel constraining, and I felt smothered by it at times because I had to wear it for so long. After I delivered my baby, I was able to take it off to kiss her and talk to her. So I was able to have that moment.
Normally, significant others can leave the hospital and come back, but my husband was confined to my room the entire time. He couldn’t go to the cafeteria, or out to the car if he forgot something. We packed up practically my entire house to prepare, to make sure he had food, snacks, clothes. Being in there as long as we were, he was definitely getting tired of the hospital.
What Other Mothers Should Know
Find that community of mothers who have given birth during the pandemic and have this discussion with them. It was hard for me. At the time, some people didn’t understand why I was being so cautious. Do what’s right for you and your family, and don’t allow anyone else to dictate that.
What It’s Like to Be Pregnant Now
A mom-to-be works through the worries of a pandemic labor
Top Doctors 2020 / Pregnancy Amanda Thomas
Amanda Thomas anticipated the typical nerves of a first-time pregnancy: wondering about the labor, the long nights, and the health of her baby. What she didn’t anticipate was giving birth during a global pandemic. “All moms are anxious about germs and the safety of their new babies, but the pandemic makes things a little scarier.”
As part of a long list of safety measures from the hospital, only one person is allowed to be with her—her husband, Dalton. While some women may miss sharing the experience with more family members in the room, Thomas finds some comfort in the policy. “There’s a lot of pressure on new parents because everyone wants to see the baby, but it can be a lot to navigate,” she says. “In a way, the pandemic has helped me realize it’s okay to set boundaries and do things in our own time.”
And though it won’t be the birthing experience she anticipated, she has found a lot of strength in knowing that many others are going through the same thing: “Wearing a mask during labor and dealing with the unknown of COVID-19 makes us pretty badass.”
Top Doctors 2020 / Pregnancy
