COVID-19 & your birth plan
TEBATSO ASINA MATSHUKUDU (27) HAMMANSKRAAL, GAUTENG With everyone being so cautious about Covid-19, my last appointment at the clinic before my baby was born was lonesome and hard. This was just before lockdown, and I had to take public transport, as my husband was not allowed to come with me to the appointment. Instead of him bonding with our little one during the check-up, I had to take videos of our baby, so that he could see how little Warona had grown.
He found it hard to send me by myself and to miss the check-up.
When I realised that I was in labour and that it was time for my baby boy to be born, Iwent directly to the clinic. When I arrived, I was told for the first time that my husband would not be able to labour with me.
Initially this came as abig surprise, but there were some complications with the birth, so I had to put my grief aside. Even though I would have loved to have my husband with me, it was time to focus on the wellbeing of my baby.
I was transported to the closest state hospital. My husband kept phoning, but I could not pick up as the labour pains really drained me. I did not have the means to even cry.
