Some background pre-pandemic:

I taught 5th grade at the time, and the school year had just begun as any other year would. I was on a new team with a new curriculum, new classroom, and now another little (and by little I mean microscopic) body to take care of - not known to anyone else yet. The first few weeks felt glorious. My team and I were bursting at the seams with fresh ideas for lessons, collaboration and ways to connect with our students. A few weeks into the school year we found out some devastating news. Our principal who we knew to be full of life and healthy, was in the hospital.

The next weeks went from the effervescent glow of a new year to exactly the opposite: long days filled with tears, hope, prayers and worry. I found out I was pregnant the day before we got the news about my principal. It was a difficult time to deal with the new life budding inside of me, while coping with the fact an incredible person, leader and mentor was slipping away. She passed later that month. The coming weeks involved coping with the grief while supporting families at my school and simultaneously trying to take care of myself. I honestly still don’t believe the tragedy we all went through at that time and the way our community came together. I am so grateful for that.

Fast forward to March of 2020, we were on spring break and I was 2 months from giving birth. My pregnancy was actually very easy all things considered and I was enjoying teaching still. The students were so invested in the gender reveal, what we were naming the baby, and all the excitement that comes with pregnancy. I like to think it was a little spot of sunshine my principal left with us to celebrate new life in the wake of her passing. Days before heading back to my classroom for the final weeks before maternity leave, we were notified we were going on lockdown. I did not know that March 6, 2020 would be the last time I saw my kids at school in person. I was heartbroken.

Preparing for birth

My focus had shifted to the challenges I was about to face. I started preparing my body and mind for birth. I was obsessively checking my pregnancy apps’ discussion boards and my hospital’s website daily for changes on their birth support person policy. Feeling frantic at the beginning of April, I knew that many states had started taking the birthing mother’s support person away, lessening traffic in hospitals. Thankfully, here in Arizona, that never happened. Still, I struggled with the fact that we would have basically zero familial support to help care for our baby in the first months of his life.

Was I going to have to wear a mask in labor? Would my baby and I catch COVID-19 in the hospital? Would my partner still be fed and supported during our hospital stay? What could I even bring in my hospital bag?

I googled and googled trying to find answers but there really weren’t any yet. I cried when our birthing class was cancelled. I felt so alone not knowing what to expect. Even after reading all the articles, scouring all of my pregnancy apps and watching all the youtube videos I could, this circumstance would be something totally different. No one could predict the outcome.

I will have another blog post about Baylor’s birth story, but here I will mention some things that happened in the hospital that would not be typical protocol pre-pandemic in case you are going to deliver in 2021 under similar circumstances. Although it has been a year since the pandemic was announced officially, some or all of these protocols may remain the same, at least in Arizona. I am sharing these in hopes to better prepare some of you if you aren’t sure what to expect. Sometimes it’s comforting to have an idea of what you are walking into. Here is what my experience was like:

• Our temperatures were taken at the door

• Masks required

• Main entrance was closed - we had to enter through the back of the hospital - make sure you know which entrances at your hospital are open before you go!

• One security person stopped my husband with his camera at the entrance and told him he could not have it out in the halls - this is something that stuck me as very eerie at this time and I still don’t really understand why they asked this as I was having contractions, might I add. Yay! Just put your camera in your bag if you have one.

• We were escorted in the halls and were not allowed to walk anywhere alone. We had someone with us from the entrance to triage, triage to delivery, delivery to postpartum, and postpartum to check out. My husband had to call for an escort if he wanted to go to the vending machine even. SO surreal. But, I understand the safety precautions. It just felt like we were in another dimension.

• Cafeteria was closed to the public, but we could still Postmates (an escort would pick it up from the front door and bring it) or get food delivered from the cafeteria to the room. I was so grateful we could still have anything we wanted brought to the room and that I didn’t have to pack a few days worth of meals.

• I don’t THINK babies went to the nursery with other babies, but I can’t be sure since we could not walk the halls.

• I did not wear my mask during labor and delivery but all staff and my husband did. I have heard of lots of women who have had to wear their mask during delivery though - holy moly props to you! They didn’t question me when I took mine off.

• NO visitors - honestly, I don’t think I will ever have visitors for any babies I’d be blessed to have in the future. I cannot imagine having family and friends smushed into that tiny room as I have nurses coming in to check my bleeding, pushing on my stomach, testing the baby, all while we are attempting to get some sleep. The experience with just us three was quiet, pretty peaceful and beautiful in its own way. I enjoyed not having the chaos or the constant worry about visitors in our room, what I looked like, etc. We were able to Facetime close family and friends which was just as nice in my opinion.

If you have any questions about my experience or want to follow along on my motherhood journey, follow me on instagram and Pinterest @motherhoodbymalorie.

I hope you found some clarity after reading about my hospital experience. You got this, mama!