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In addition to several health care professionals, I spoke with four newly postpartum women in reporting this piece.
Morgan Johnson
Each one described feelings of fear, anxiety, and lonelinessin some cases while holding back tears.
Here are their stories.
At 2 p.m. the next day, a nurse entered.
I remember thinking, Thats strange, they were just here at noon, she says.
The nurse had news for her: Because of thecoronavirus,the hospital was about to go on lockdown.
We became really grateful to leave when we did, she says.
Jenny Lentz, of Mount Kisco, New York, delivered her second child on March 16.
It felt eerily quiet, she says.
Gone were the floorwide breastfeeding and discharge classes she remembered attending after having her older son.
I didnt see one other patient when I was there.
We could hear the babies, but that was it, says Lentz.
Her entire experience was marked by how lonely it felt.
To not have somebody thereeven just to hang out with!was very, very strange, she says.
The isolation triggered an intense protective instinct over her newborn.
I didnt want him to go anywhere.
And Id say, Id rather the doctor come in here.
Id rather you guys do the blood work in here.
And instantly I was like No, dont hug me!
It was such a sad moment, she says.
Leaving the hospital was another strange, sobering moment.
It was like walking into a funeral with a newborn, she says.
Everyone is so sad.
I feel like Ive been robbed of the joy that comes with having a baby.
And all of this is even more difficult for new parents without partners in the first place.
It was absolute tears.
The idea of my mom and dad not seeing my child after she was born was too much.
We decided to have them stay at our house for a while, she says.
But were kind of all by ourselves.
My mother-in-law was hoping to visit next week, and weve asked her to stay away too.
So its been a little much on us, she says.
I know its heartbreaking for them to not see our baby.
Social distancing is making it much harder for them to access that kind of support too.
I only got one lactation consultation in the hospital since we were released early, says Despathy.
She showed me how to pump, but I never got to ask any of my follow-up questions.
Despathys hospital is launching virtual lactation sessions, which she is considering signing up for.
I have definitely been on the edge of opting into one of the videos.
Im so grateful that this is my second baby, says Kristin.
But Kristin is missing their full-time nanny, who is no longer coming into their home.
I was so looking forward to having her support and help on my maternity leave, she says.
We dont order takeoutweve been making meals for four people.
There are all these little concerns.
I should be focusing on my baby, but I cant.
Now, in many places, theres a mandate to stay home.
That isolation is bound to create anxiety, which may hit new moms even harder.
You have to check in with yourself.
Ask: How do I feel?
Am I finding ways to connect with people?
Am I taking care of myself and maintaining my emotional wellness?
Where am I relative to where I was when I was feeling my best?
Its easier than ever for worries to spiral out of control.
I have so many concerns, says Kristin.
What is my life going to look like?
Are my parents going to die?
Honestly, the idea of having a newborn is the least of my worries.
Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders still exist during the time of COVID-19, Dr. Birndorf says.
Its more important than ever that we take care of our mental health.
Everything you had planned for is different.
Going into the second time, I felt like I could get through the pain of childbirth.
I had a better sense of what was coming.
But this is challenging in a totally different way, she says.
All four women have said despite the challenges, theyve put considerable effort into focusing on the positive.
Lentz, who has been seeing her parents and younger sister, said theyve stepped in tremendously.
Everybodys around and not really going into work.
My mom and my sister stocked our fridge with food.
My mom went and bought us toilet paper.
We have what we need, she says.
We can do hard things, says Jendrik.
Ive been trying to stay positiveI cant go down that dark road, especially with my toddler around.
He can sense it, she says.
There will come a day when my brother can meet my child.
Im hanging on to that one.
