Experts at caring for all mothers-to-be, the staff of Lyndhurst Gynecologic Associates had the pleasure of expanding its own family during the pandemic, as last year we met several Lyndhurst employees who were expecting! Now, these new moms share their insights on motherhood at an especially challenging time—and we asked them to comment on both the challenges and the blessings of the past year, plus how they focused on self-care and relating to their patients.
Brooke Scott, RDMS, gave birth to Lyndon, a little girl, in May and says she and her husband loved that their hospital experience during Covid allowed them to focus on their sweet newborn, just the two of them. “The most challenging part was the stress of not wanting to get Covid close to delivery and risk exposing the baby, and worrying my husband would get it and not be at the hospital with me,” says Brooke. She also says being pregnant during such an unusual time made it easier to empathize with patients and their understandable fears.
Jessica Stewart, CNA, new mom to Bessie, born last August, knows how important self-care is, especially during the last year. “Having a time set each day for myself improved my mental and physical health during postpartum,” says Jessica. “Just having 30 minutes to go out for a walk lifted my spirits!” She’s also thankful her own experience has helped her relate to patients going through the same scenarios. “Throw a worldwide pandemic into the mix, and mothers can sometimes feel there’s nothing they can do to keep their babies safe!” she says.
Olivia Gillis, RDMS, delivered a little boy, Lewis, in October and found the biggest challenge of giving birth during Covid was not having her mother and sister in the delivery room with her. “But, now that I have experienced being pregnant and delivering during a pandemic, it makes my patients feel more comfortable asking me questions,” she says. She also explains the upside of giving birth during the pandemic would be growing stronger as a couple, and learning how to cope with this crazy time together. “We are able to take everything in and enjoy the little things that we otherwise might have taken for granted,” she explains.
Rebecca Peeples, CMA, welcomed baby boy Lennox in December and says the most difficult part of having a baby in 2020 has been worrying about making sure family members were wearing masks when they met the newborn. “I felt like I was almost scolding them, but they’ve been great around the baby,” she says. When asked by patients how she felt about having only one other person in the delivery room, she says it was actually a blessing in disguise! “You can have all that special time with your newborn and can rest and recover without visitors in and out all day! As for self-care, she reminds other new moms they can’t take care of someone else to the fullest without also taking care of themselves!
Addison Oswalt, RN, BSN, whose baby girl, Baylor, was born last July, is quick to point out there’s no instruction manual for having a baby during a pandemic! Moms-to-be typically have books, blogs, relatives, and friends to rely on for expertise, but this was so different. “It was overwhelming because I was sleep-deprived and recovering from delivery, while also worrying about keeping my family healthy,” she says. “There are still people I care about who haven’t been able to meet Baylor because of Covid!” she explains. She’s also found a deep connection with other moms who delivered this past year, knowing they are a unique group. “These pandemic babies are bringing so much light and joy to the world—that’s what we need to focus on!”
Jamie Petty, LPN, new mom to baby boy, Graham, born last September, discovered the joys of FaceTime as she and her husband introduced their newborn to family members who weren’t allowed to visit. “I can’t thank my friends and family enough for their text messages and phone calls to check on us and show their support,” she says. “Although we haven’t been able to be together in person, I feel strongly connected with them, more so now, and appreciate the effort they put forth to keep us in their lives.” She also found it easy to relate to patients who were missing family—and even the joy of traditional baby showers.
Ashley Haynes, RN, BSN, says fear of the unknown was the most challenging part for her as a new mom to Tate. “It’s just hard to know what’s the ‘right’ thing to do,” she says. “My husband and I really watched who we were around, and it was hard for us. Also, the stress that comes with pregnancy is a lot in a normal world, much less a Covid world, and I’ve had to make myself invest in my self-care,” explains Ashley. She reminds patients self-care might look different these days, but it’s still important, and that simply having been pregnant was a wonderful gift. Life wasn’t normal and appointments weren’t normal, but the gift of motherhood was still there! “I’m also grateful for the time our little family of three got to have together in the hospital,” she says.
Since opening its doors in 1970, Lyndhurst Gynecologic Associates has served three generations of women in the area with the finest care and compassion. Visit their website at lyndhurstgyn.com, or call the Winston-Salem office at 336-765-9350, the Kernersville office at 336-993-4532, the Mount Airy office at 336-789-9076, or the King office at 336-765-9350. The Winston-Salem practice is located at 111 Hanestown Court, Suite 151.
