A newborn, a doctor daddy, and I quarantined together due to COVID-19, but perhaps not for much longer.
It's official: I'm a new mommy! Exciting right?! I could just shout about it from my apartment window! Actually, that's really all I can do right now...
My beautiful baby girl was born in the midst of the COVID-19 quarantine, so no one but her mom and dad have had the chance to hold her. Yet even that might not be the case in the coming days. Soon it may be just me and my baby.
Our hospital experience was certainly not what I had always envisioned. Recovery rooms full of family and friends sharing in our excitement, ooo-ing and ahh-ing over the first grandchild on both sides, the sweet smell of flowers, and giant balloons that would block our rearview window on the drive home...we had none of that.
Instead, my husband and I were the only ones allowed at the hospital. While we did get a lot of extra bonding time with our newest little family member, we longed for others to share in our joy, especially during these tough times.
The pediatrician recommended we not see anyone even once we returned home. I had assumed as much. The real punch in the stomach was when she recommended my daughter and I find somewhere else to live once my husband returned to work. He's an Internal Medicine resident for a local hospital dealing directly with swarms of COVID-19 patients.
Update:
Following her 1st month birthday, she and I moved out of our apartment, leaving my husband there alone. For me, that's the worst part of all of this. Healthcare workers risk not only their lives to help others, but have to make sacrifices no one should be asked to endure. Not being able to hold or be with your newborn daughter? I miss her when she's upstairs napping! How can he stand being apart from her for months at a time?
Parents are strong. We do what we need to do for the sake of our children.
Our family is fine. We're doing the best we can. We rely on video chatting, pictures, and text messages. Warm, Spring, Jersey weather allows for socially distant visits in the fresh air but watching him walk away from us each time is heartbreaking. I want to hug my husband. I want my daughter to see her father every day and feel how much he loves her.
Sure, being the mom of a baby born into quarantine is challenging, but it's nothing compared to the heartache our essential worker parents are facing.
So thank you to all of our first responders and essential workers. We appreciate and miss you every day.
