#6 - Pregnancy / Birth During a Pandemic

Where do I start??

I found out I was pregnant in April 2020… we were all stuck at home but I was thrilled with the news.

I had just gotten married a few months prior, I knew I wanted to start a family and I couldn’t wait to be a mum. Career wise I was very proud of my achievements and personally I felt ready to embark on a new chapter.

The first 2 trimesters were ok with the occasional wave of nausea lingering until the seventh week but I didn’t have any morning sickness or gravidarum or anything like that..

It was a strange time to be pregnant, I didn’t get to attend any pregnancy yoga classes , didn’t get to throw a baby shower and worst of all had to attend all my scans and hospital appointments on my own. I imagine this was most painful for any expecting mums with unforeseen difficulties/ issues with their pregnancies.

My NCT classes were all on Zoom and so many of my friends didn’t even see me pregnant.. not even my dad as he was abroad and couldn’t travel.

Physically, it was pretty smooth sailing until Pelvic Girdle Pain showed up… ( formerly known as symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD))

It was at about 7 months when PGP appeared. It was so painful I’d only be able to walk for about 5 mins and then need a rest.

I couldn’t get an appointment to see a physio at the NHS (Covid) so it was done online but didn’t reduce my pain.

Everything hurt, putting my shoes on, turning over in bed, getting out of the car etc etc …

I eventually forked out for a private appointment out of desperation and was given a belt to wear for some respite!

I also got carpal tunnel in my hands which meant every-time I woke up my hands were numb and not to forget the excruciating calf muscle cramps in the morning .. the cramps only happened a few times but what a way to start the day!

I was also on the verge of gestational diabetes but actually I think my well meaning midwife made me worry over nothing.

When I had the glucose test done at the hospital ,despite their assurance of a call only if concerns arose, my health visitor said I should call anyway to check what the results were in case I was borderline … the hospital didn’t call so I followed her advice and they gave me my results and I was Indeed teetering on the edge which made me spiral into obsessively checking my glucose levels every time I ate anything which in hindsight was totally unnecessary..

On my due date at 40 weeks, I caught Covid a week after my husband had also tested positive.

This really upset all my diligent planning.

I had 2 sweeps and baby didn’t arrive till 2 weeks later after I was induced at 42 weeks..

I was anticipating a water birth and that didn’t materialise either and perhaps I was being optimistic about that ..

Tragically a week before I gave birth my mother in law suddenly passed away and then a few days later her twin sister .

There were no happy hormones passing through my body at that point.

I was feeling really ill and so sad that my MIL would never get to meet our daughter and vice versa.

I was also worried about how my husband would cope with the grief and the arrival of a new baby. In addition his best friend was in hospital abroad fighting for his life ( also Covid related) so it was all a mish mash of emotions.

My amazing mum had to take my husband's place in the delivery room because they wouldn’t let him attend.

My Induction was so painful

Thank god for the epidural or I would’ve passed out.  I’ll go more into detail on the podcast because there’s just so much to talk about!

After 20+ hours my little munchkin was born on a Friday at 7am. I was so relieved when it was over.

I had about 30 mins with my mum .. I think … and then was swiftly wheeled away to a private room and wasn’t allowed any visitors

I was alone in a room with my new baby and no idea what to do with her (and hardly any reception on my phone).

They separated me from the other mums because in theory I may have still been contagious.

I was so desperate to go home but had to stay due to an infection so I stayed 1 night there and begged them to send me home the Saturday night.

They sent me home armed with some pills and some self injections and that was that!

The 4th trimester was lurking just around the corner..