I had a relatively easy pregnancy. I was exhausted and a little nauseous during my first trimester, had occasional aches and pains, but physically it really wasn’t too bad. I was very anxious through most of it though after having two miscarriages. The anxiety subsided after some 20 weeks but picked back up around the middle of my third trimester. I tried not to obsess over kicks but some days it was hard! Luckily she was a pretty active baby in there. On March 16, at 34 weeks pregnant, the city went into quarantine. By the end of that week my husband was furloughed. I guess I was naive in the weeks leading up to this, but I was just in shock by all these changes and what this would mean for birth.

At first I threw myself into work and productivity, but as the days (and weeks) drew on, I grew more anxious and sad about delivering during a pandemic. I wanted to be with my parents during the final weeks of my pregnancy, to share it with friends and family. I wanted to go on final dates with my husband. Go shopping. So many things I thought I’d be doing. My husband kept us on extra lock down out of concern for myself and the baby and I felt so out of control. There were days I would just cry and cry, mourning the fact that we wouldn’t have hospital visitors, that my mom wouldn’t feel baby kick, trying to figure out how we could safely have them meet their first grandchild after we returned home. I began to have this feeling that baby would come early (mostly due to my husbands grandmother saying I’d dropped and baby was coming any day now… this started around 35-36 weeks!) and maybe just wishful thinking, “I was ready to meet my girl!”

On Tuesday, April 14, I went to my 38 week appointment. I was about 1cm dilated and 75% effaced. I had a membrane sweep and went home really not sure what to expect. Soon after I got home, I started having pretty intense cramping. I finished up my final work projects, while keeled over — starting to think maybe this was it! I started counting contractions and they were about 5 minutes apart. I could still talk through them but I was surprised how uncomfortable it was (I thought I had a high pain tolerance but labor definitely tested that!). I decided to call my OBGYN and they said to drink water and lay down for an hour or two and if the contractions kept coming, to head to the hospital. Two hours later they were still coming strong and steady, so I got Tyler and we got going (stopping at Chick-fil-A on the way haha!). I’d heard he wouldn’t be able to leave to get food and didn’t want him to be hungry.

I was now having a hard time talking through the contractions and really had to focus on breathing. We got to the hospital around 5:30pm and got checked in. I was still at 1 cm and 80% effaced, so they sent me to go walking for two hours. Such a struggle but we did it! When we went back in, there weren’t any changes so they sent us home. I was SO SAD. I was embarrassed that it was a false alarm and was just ready. But then really I was grateful to be in my comfy house to go through these contractions. They got more and more intense and I wasn’t sure how I was going to get through the night. I went back and forth between lying in bed, showering, sitting on the ball... finally I was able to get short bits of rest. The next morning I tried to get up and move but was in so much pain that I ended up just lying on the couch and focusing on breathing. I was so afraid of another false alarm but couldn’t imagine that this wasn’t labor! I went upstairs to take a nap around 11:30am. Shortly after, I felt a little pop and then a gush... my water broke!!! I called Tyler and said it’s definitely go time! I managed to strip the bed and put on clean clothes and we were off again (no Chick-fil-A this time) — I needed to get there ASAP. So much pain! Contractions were coming hard and faster. Everything went much quicker at the hospital this time. I was wheeled back to triage and was 4cm at 1:30pm. I couldn’t believe how intense the contractions were.

Once we got up to the delivery room, I said I wanted an epidural as soon as I could (I always thought I’d try to go naturally - but after 24+ hours of contractions, I was exhausted and ready for a break. I’m so glad I got the epidural). The anesthesiologist came around 3:30pm and soon after i was able to relax and breathe normally and felt such relief. Tyler and I chatted and relaxed in the room - so excited it was time! At 6:00pm they checked me and I was 7cm. At 7:30pm I called the nurse in as I was feeling some pressure and they said it was go time! Fully dilated and ready to push. I started pushing at 7:56 pm and she was born at 10:14pm sunny side up. The pushing time really didn’t feel that long and the nurse kept commenting how great of an epidural I had. I really felt nothing which was so bizarre. I was so happy and relaxed and just excited to see my girl. I even watched her come out, which I never thought I’d want to do. My husband cut the cord (which I also wasn’t expecting). When she was placed on my chest, I cried. I felt so whole. I’ve wanted to be a mom for as long as I can remember and now she was here and so perfect. It was such a magical experience.

We stayed in the hospital then for two nights, leaving on Friday morning. My husband was required to wear a mask the whole time, but I didn’t have to. I felt very safe and taken care of. I only wore a mask when I was wheeled to the car to go home.

Now two months later, she has met some family members, but they always wear a mask and they’ve all also been following social distancing rules. It’s ultimately been such a blessing to give birth during this pandemic. My husband has been home with us the whole time and otherwise he would’ve only had a few days off. We’ve had so much quality time together, learning to parent, snuggling our girl, not having to worry about rushing back into normal life. It is sad that more family and friends haven’t been able to meet her, but I know that they will soon enough.

I am so completely in love and so thankful for a healthy, happy baby girl.

- Katie