New mom Laura Duddy holding her son born April 17 (submitted photo/ Laura Duddy)

By Tiffany Goodwein

COVID-19: Giving birth in the middle of a pandemic

Apr 18, 2020 | 6:01 PM

MEDICINE HAT AB- Giving birth to a new baby is undoubtedly an exciting experience that brings a new life into the world. But in the middle of a health pandemic, giving birth to a child also looks a little different, according to moms who have endured the experience themselves.

Speaking on the phone from her hospital room, Laura Duddy knows the experience well, after giving birth by C-section to a little boy yesterday (April 17).

Her new son is her second child.

“It was definitely stressful going in the whole thing,” Duddy said, noting that two of her appointments prior to giving birth were done by phone as opposed to in person.

“ But once I got into the hospital, staff made it seem like it was just another ordinary day,” she said.

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But extra precautions to prevent the possible transmission of COVID-19 were still taken, according to Duddy.

“Everyone had to wear a mask, my husband and I included and I got swabbed as they were swabbing everyone that was going into the operation room,” Duddy said

“ We only had one nurse dedicated to us, like normally they kind of rotate, but there was only one nurse that would check my vitals, check baby and stuff like that,” she recounted.

Going into labour in the midst of COVID-19 also means leaving parents, grandparents, and siblings out of the hospital experience.

“We are allowed one support person, so I had my husband, but absolutely no visitors. Most of my family live in town so they haven’t been able to come see and actually my daughter hasn’t been able to see her baby brother yet except through FaceTime,” Duddy said, adding she is doing her best to keep her family connected virtually.

Kandace Nickel also gave birth recently to a baby boy on March 28.

“It was scary and definitely having limited support people in there threw a curve ball at you,” she said noting it was her first time giving birth.

“It was just me and my boyfriend that was there until we were discharged. For the most part it was nice not having so many visitors so it wasn’t so overwhelming but it was still kind of different not having family come up and see him everyday,” Nickel said, adding the experience was at times isolating.

The measures were put in place by Alberta Health Services , in March as part of an effort to reduce the spread of the virus in vulnerable populations.