I was overjoyed to be pregnant with our third child but faced intense anxiety giving birth during the pandemic, praying constantly to keep my baby and family safe.
COVID hit our household in May and I was due in June. My husband got sick, and we kept him separate from the rest of us. Once my kids fell asleep, I had this unexplainable time with Navy in my belly. I would talk to her, sing to her, and pray to her. I created such a deep bond with her, and I had not even met her yet.
I was scared to bring her into the world, but God knew I needed her. He knew she was my miracle. She calmed me through so many breakdowns. She made me keep going when I felt like giving up. In a world of complete chaos, she was my peace. I could feel God’s love through her, and she wasn’t even born yet. I knew His hand was on us. I knew He had a bigger plan. I still had no clue what was ahead of me, but I knew we would be okay.
My husband got better, and all of June was dedicated to getting ready for baby Navy! Although we still were afraid of the pandemic, we did the best we could to get ready to bring her home! On June 19th, I awoke from my sleep with contractions. My husband drove us to the hospital to find out I was only 1 cm dilated and sent home. They told me it would probably happen in the next couple of days.
So annoying, right? I got to the elevator and BAM, a contraction much worse than any before. I pushed through because I thought the doctors would think I was crazy if I turned around right after being discharged to tell them they were wrong. So, at 1 a.m. we drove home. The whole time I was in pain, having stronger contractions closer and closer together. By 5 a.m. I woke up my husband and said I couldn’t take it anymore, and back to the hospital we went.
The staff was surprised to see me again, but once I got checked they said, ‘Chelsea, you’re having a baby today.’ I cried so hard when they said those words. I was scared, excited, relieved so many emotions at once. All I wanted was to meet my baby girl! This birth was not what I envisioned. All my birth’s I have had my mom and sisters and husband by my side. But here we were, just me and my husband alone about to give birth to our 3rd baby in 2020, the year of so much negativity, sickness, and grief. The year of history, the year no one would have ever predicted or planned for. I was overwhelmed with joy. I was so excited amid all this because I was about to bring life into the world.
Navy was born June 20, 2020; birth was quick but challenging and I cherished immediately breastfeeding and skin to skin bonding.With 2-3 pushes, she was here! The moment I heard her beautiful cry, every inch of my body relaxed. Hearing her cry for the first time caused an overwhelming sense of peace. She was placed on my chest, and I fell so, so in love.
Moments after she was given to me, the doctors took her away to check her out. I figured they were just clearing her airways and getting her weight and height, and I would get her right back. Time was going slow, and what was supposed to be an after-birth checkup felt like forever.
I knew something was wrong. They kept reassuring me everything was okay. My husband was walking back and forth from me to Navy. He was telling me how beautiful she is, and how much she weighed. I wanted to hold her again so bad. I lay there a little longer and with tears streaming down my face I yelled out, ‘Someone tell me what is wrong!’
A nurse and my husband came over together to hold my hand. My husband said he knew without being told anything. The nurse told me Navy’s oxygen levels were low, and they believed she was having some heart issues. They told me they had her on oxygen and they were going to stabilize her to get an ultrasound on her heart.
They named a few other things and advised it would be best if she were transferred to a paediatric hospital. There I was, lying there hearing all this about my little girl, scared to death everything I feared was coming into reality. The room was spinning, my head felt like it was exploding, my heart sank to the bottom of my feet, and then they told me they suspected she had Down syndrome.
I was terrified when Navy was born with down syndrome and other conditions, but her love, milestone and unique spirit have made my life infinitely richer.
