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Personal experience: how I gave birth in the midst of a pandemic
Our heroine shared what it is like to prepare for childbirth, when the incidence of COVID-19 is growing every day, and there are only two working maternity hospitals in the entire city with a population of one million. healthy-food-near-me.com publishes the whole story of a young mother.
I rejoiced every day of pregnancy and felt great until it became clear that the coronavirus is a disaster not somewhere out there, in distant China or Italy, but here, in my hometown. The virus wanders and infects people who walk along the same streets as me, go shopping in the same shops …
Of things – only documents
When strict self-isolation was introduced in our city, I was already nine months pregnant. From that day on she stopped going outside. The exception was trips to the antenatal clinic for examinations and tests, but only by taxi. No public transport or crowds. The husband bought the groceries, or asked the relatives to bring what they needed. I prepared a bag for the maternity hospital in advance. There were not enough things for the baby for discharge, I still had to go to the store for them.
Just at this time in our city there was an outbreak of coronavirus in the central hospital of the region. Medical institutions, one after another, began to be quarantined. The statistics of the incidence of the virus crept up inexorably. Therefore, there was no hope for an ambulance. In addition, I was afraid to pick up the “crown” after a trip in an ambulance.
Two weeks before the PDD (the estimated date of birth), I warned my relatives, who have cars, that as soon as the contractions began, I would call them to take me to the hospital. So I wanted to avoid meeting random people in a taxi or in an ambulance when the contractions began.
On the day the birth began, there were only two working maternity hospitals left in the city. Let’s go to the one in which she gave birth to her first child. The fact that strict rules were introduced in the maternity hospital due to the coronavirus, I learned in advance from the group of the institution in social networks. Therefore, I went to give birth in a medical mask, and put antiseptics in a bag with things. But a surprise awaited us in the maternity hospital. The husband was not even allowed on the doorstep of the institution, although last time it was possible to wait in the corridor, and of the things they were allowed to take only documents …
Doctors are scared too
I came to the hospital with a strong opening, so the contractions were frequent and intense. It was difficult to follow the breathing technique in the mask, sometimes I let it down in order to breathe normally. Surprisingly, because of the same mask, when the medical staff came for me, the first thing they asked fearfully was: “Coronavirus ?!” They absolutely did not expect that someone would don the mask of their own free will. Fortunately, the nurse who processed me reminded and reassured her colleagues: “So we have quarantine!”
I was lucky, the birth was attended by doctors and obstetricians who had just taken over. Everyone was in a good mood, not tired. Half an hour later, I gave birth to a son. The doctor and midwife were also wearing masks, but in their eyes I saw that they were smiling and were also happy to have a new life.
My things and things for the baby were brought later by my husband. Packages were forbidden to be brought to the hospital. The gears were left at the entrance, in a small room between the doors, which was constantly quartzized. Moreover, the packages, before being brought into this room, had to be treated with an antiseptic on their own. Only 20 minutes after disinfection, they were taken away and handed over to mothers.
Due to the closure of other maternity hospitals, there were many women in labor, 15 people were discharged a day. The wards were also packed.
“The main thing is that everything is fine with us and the kids. This is more important than all the quarantine rules and inconveniences, ”we reassured each other.
On discharge – 10 minutes
But, no matter how we cheered up, it was scary. On our floor, a mother got a high fever. This news, of course, spread throughout all the wards. We were scared: what if she has a “crown”, and everyone will be infected ?! But it turned out that the woman’s temperature rose not because of an illness, but because of complications that began after childbirth. I hope that everything is fine with her and her baby now. Well, we were preparing for discharge.
The things that my husband brought for discharge were also first treated with an antiseptic and quartzised. Another rule, which, of course, upset: only one, maximum two close people could come to the discharge. No grandmothers, grandfathers, grandchildren or other children. They were given 10 minutes for everything.
I remember when I was discharged with my first child. His swaddling was filmed by a photographer on video, which at that moment was shown on the screen to meeting relatives. Then we took pictures with everyone, hugged …
This time the baby was swaddled quickly without any filming, and I went out with him to my husband and sister. We had a couple of minutes to take a photo against the backdrop of a beautiful wall in the hospital. Either in a hurry, or because of the rules, at first we took pictures with masks and gloves. But then they took off their masks to smile at the camera at this touching and happy moment.
I want to wish all future mothers not to be afraid and take care of themselves. Try to be calm even when things are restless around you. Observe all preventive measures and self-isolation. The main thing is your health and the health of your baby. Trust us, doctors are doing everything they can to provide us with the help we need and keep us safe from the virus. Thanks to all the doctors for taking care of us even in such difficult conditions!
Read about how mothers with coronavirus give birth at .