Deliveries During COVID-19

Written by Patient Kimberly Fambrough

It was worth it….

December of 2019 and we see those two pink lines. She was our secret from the world until we heard “there is a heartbeat and everything looks great”. We were around 8 weeks. We waited until we reached 12 weeks to tell our families.

It was worth it… Then March 2020 hit. An unprecedented pandemic where no one knew what to believe. I remember having so many mixed emotions, but hope being the biggest. Desperate hope that the pandemic would disappear come August. I’d go to doctors visits alone and thinking “this won’t last the whole pregnancy, we will be okay.” As the months continued and new protocols were put into place, I began to get nervous. It was worth it.

I’d think of all the questions I needed to ask. I’d try hard to remember all details and report back to my family. It was overwhelming on my own. Having a second person there to support or help me remember information was supposed to be a given, yet suddenly I missed it and wanted it desperately.

It was worth it.

Ultrasound after ultrasound and scan after scan, I was alone. I looked forward to getting my temperature checked and masking up to see this sweet girl. By July, we are still battling this virus and reality sinks in that it will indeed “still be a thing” when I deliver.

It was worth it.

I find out only my husband can be with me. I was anxious.

It was worth it.

The big morning comes. It’s 5 am induction time and I was nervous about the process, the Covid test, not having my family waiting to rush in to meet her. I was sad knowing that they would meet her through a hospital window. I was worried that her sister would feel less important not being able to see us or meet this new baby for days during our hospital stay.

It was worth it.

She makes her arrival, my husband announces that she is here and we are all doing well. As soon as my family rushes to lay eyes on her, I realize in that moment, it was all worth it. Seeing their tears and smiling faces was the most heartwarming moment. I realized it was never just me. My daughter was with me the whole time and we helped each other get through delivery until our final introduction.

My pandemic baby was perfect and healthy. Had it not been for my amazing doctors, midwives and nurses, this experience would have been truly traumatic. Their support and love made it…truly worth it.