Giving Birth Alone During A Pandemic, Mom Cuts Cord!
THIS BIRTH WAS UNLIKE ANY BIRTH I HAVE EVER SHOT BEFORE!
Mom cutting her own cord!
I heard from this mama shortly before she was scheduled to be induced. During a very scary time for a mom of 3 and one on the way, her partner leaves her right before her due date. During this pandemic the hospitals are only allowing one support person and moms support person just walked out the door.
Normally this mama has her whole family attend the birth but with restrictions she would now be alone while her parents watch the children.
She reached out to me in hopes that I could tell her birth story so that her family could relive the moments that were stolen by a virus.
Mom walks alone to go be induced
As we wore our masks through the hospital it all started to really sink in. Mom is seeing this hospital for the first time as her original hospital closest to home was closed to take Covid patients. So not only is she alone but also in an unfamiliar hospital and without her doctor.
Contractions really start to kick in
When the contractions came, they came hard and fast. Moms pain hits its threshold and she requests her epidural.
I waited in the corner out of way while they prep the site for the epidural. Camera off since i’m usually kicked out of the room at this point by medical staff, but today I am the support person.
As they try to insert the needle mama starts saying “Shes coming! Shes coming” mama is shaking so hard trying to keep baby in until the doctor can arrive. I can still hear her voice in my head saying over and over again “shes coming, shes coming”. I bit down hard on my cheek just to hold back my tears. Her partner or family should be here I keep thinking. No one deserves to go through the pain of child birth alone. I try to coach from the sidelines.
The doctor arrives and mama starts to push. The humanity in me had to put the camera down during this time just to hold mamas hand and try to say the right things.
Baby starts to crown and it breaks my heart to peel away and do the job I was asked to do. I let mom do the rest of the work alone. The camera comes out and I get to capture a moment I won't forget.
This mom was a warrior during labor! She then asked to cut her own cord! What an empowering move!
I am truly grateful to get to witness such strength. I love that each birth is unique. This mamma really had to stay strong during heartbreak and a pandemic. She really kept herself so composed and her birth was truly beautiful and I am so glad that I was able to capture that for her and her family!
