Never did I EVER think I was going to have a baby during a pandemic. On top of that, I was going to be a first-time mom. It was scary.
It was a week before our trip to Maui when I took an at-home pregnancy test and found out I was pregnant. COVID-19 was in it's early stages at the time in the U.S.
My husband and I made a last minute change to Maui from Japan thinking it would be a safer choice for travel. My sister even sent me an article about a Japanese couple who returned home from Hawaii with COVID-19 out of concern; they happened to be on the island prior to our trip. I didn't have too much of a concern for the case since we were not going to be staying in the same area the couple did. We continued with our plans and I remember going to the airport and seeing only a few people with masks. When we got on the plane people who took it "seriously" at the time, like us, wiped down our entire seating area. It was so strange doing this being a frequent traveler most of my life, but we did what we thought would help.
When we landed in Maui everything was "normal." No one was wearing masks or anything like that. We didn't know if it would be our last trip knowing the baby would arrive several months from then, and in this case because of a pandemic. By the end of our trip, we made our mark in the Airbnb guest book mentioning we traveled during an unknown time and who knows what would happen after.
I tell you this story first, because when we came back home to both of our jobs and the world deciding changes need to be made. That's when it hit.
I made an appointment with my family doctor to confirm the pregnancy test, which by the way was just another "home-pregnancy" type test. Then, that led to my very first appointment EVER with an OB-GYN. Who also confirmed my pregnancy by completing a urine test and an ultrasound. In both doctor visits, I came with a mask that my sister sewed. You probably remember all the hand-made masks at the time, because either masks were not available or you just needed to make one or else you couldn't leave your house without some sort of concern of catching COVID-19. It was so unusual going to the doctor in this new way and also not knowing who had the virus and if you'd get it yourself.
The appointment with the OB-GYN was a hard one. I knew from reading articles online and getting the "warning" from the doctor offices that you couldn't have any visitors with you. My husband drove me there and stayed in the car. This was our first baby and my husband wasn't going to be able to experience that first visit; the first visit where you could see and hear the baby. I felt a little alone at the visit. Fortunately, the OB-GYN allowed me to capture the heartbeat even though there were signs posted on the wall stating "No Videos or Cameras Allowed." It meant everything. I was so excited upon leaving and being able to share with him right when I got in the car.
My sadness of going to the doctor visits alone for my pregnancy slowly faded as time went on, because it was the norm now. To think about it that way is definitely not normal, because couples prior to the pandemic had the opportunity to go together and after this pandemic is over future couples won't have to experience this. I hope they don't. I think what made it the hardest was that it was our FIRST. Everyone remembers their firsts, because it was a new feeling that you got since it was never experienced before.
If you're pregnant during the pandemic or were pregnant during the pandemic, I know your experience wasn't easy. I know you felt alone sometimes. If you're a first time mom, know that it will be okay. It will be okay.
Read Part 2