January 8, 2022
I was 37.5 weeks pregnant and covid positive.
I avoided covid for 2 years and then when my health mattered the most, for not only me, but for my baby... I got sick.
You can’t even search the damn hashtag PregnantWithCovid on social media to read anyone else’s stories, as it’s been removed! There is nothing to read on the internet about pregnancy and covid! I was wanting to read stories from other women who have had covid while pregnant, I wanted reassurance. I wanted facts. I wanted information!
It’s a scary world for someone who’s pregnant. Covid hasn’t been around long enough to know the long-term effects on you or effects on a newborn. It’s scary to be so close to delivery and now have even more concerns.
I couldn't see or talk to my doctors as they were on Christmas holidays. It was hard to find covid test kits and even harder to book a covid test... even though I was considered high risk, and was technically covid testing for 2. We placed online orders for food and other supplies... but all our online orders were being cancelled, if we could even get a time slot!
I called labour & delivery... and just got transferred around. I finally went to the hospital, was there hours, never got to see a doctor, was hungry & thirsty, so I left... without any answers. The nurses were lovely and hooked my belly up to check the baby’s heartbeat! Each cough caused pain, contractions & his heart rate to fluctuate. Poor guy! But he is doing okay!
I wore a mask, face shield, even protective eyewear. I socially distanced. I’m vaccinated. I didn’t see friends, barely saw my family. If I did go to a store, I went before the sun was up to avoid crowds. Ate healthy, exercised etc. How could I have been more cautious?
I had to turn to social media to find help and answers... the result was incredible!
We were overwhelmed by comments and messages across all platforms, from people all over the globe. You were all so amazing and we appreciate you SO much!
Through my post on social media we were in touch with labour & delivery nurses, OBs, physicians, other pregnant people, women who had covid and delivered healthy babies!
I was unsure about sharing my story. I struggled with what to say and how honest to be. But boy am I happy, because the outpouring of support was incredible!
Social media can work in magical ways sometimes, connecting people when they need it the most!
They monitored the baby and I for hours during each hospital stay. He was always doing well! His heart rate was normal and he was moving good. The contractions were not regular so it was not labour yet!
I was praying to God that my breathing would get better before delivery so I could be strong for this little man!! Laboured breathing, coughing, covid, wearing a mask AND labour… oh my! But we tried to mentally prepare ourselves for anything!
Fast forward a week… I then had shingles at 38 weeks pregnant…. plus covid, plus laryngitis!
I wasn’t going to tell anyone about this, because, well it’s shingles and who wants to talk about shingles! Buuut at that point we had no choice but to try and smile and shrug about what life as throwing us!
I was at the hospital for hours again (wearing my husbands pants cause nothing else fit)! The baby was still good!
When I was leaving the hospital one of the nurses said
“No more shenanigans okay?”
I said “Gosh I hope not!”
The nurses and doctors at HSC have all been amazing at helping me through this wild journey, especially when Jordan isn’t allowed into the hospital during these stints due to covid regulations.
My body however was going through some major traumas! It’s nuts that I could be that sick and our baby was still safe and sound inside my belly! Isn’t it mind blowing?! Pregnancy and the human body is an amazing thing!
Okay… Here’s when things get really ridiculous and my cat Winnie comes into the story… when we got home from the hospital and finally got into bed at 1:45am. Winnie pushed a glass off the bathroom counter (on purpose… with her paw) and it broke everywhere. She stepped in it, then I stepped in it. I cut my foot and I was bleeding in 2 places!!
So we had to clean that up even though we were both exhausted!
But, it doesn’t stop there… Winnie also pushed my reusable straw into the toilet… into my own pee… So it’s safe to say we threw that straw away!!!!
Is that it? Well no of course not! Then Winnie got scared of the handheld vacuum sitting on the bathroom vanity.. she backed up off the vanity and fell right into the toilet.. She couldn’t get out of the toilet and was panicking! At this point thankfully the toilet had been flushed.. but there was water everywhere and she was soaked!!!!
Too much information?! At this point I feel like I may as well share the honest truth and nothing but the truth! Because hey.. why the heck not?! Its making for an interesting journey!
What’s next for #LeanneJordanAndWinnie?! Hopefully literally nothing!
-Leanne