The mother gave birth to her kids at 32 weeks and hasn't been able to take them home from the NICU yet.
More and more people are learning that it is hard to have control over everything in these times. For a young mom, giving birth during a pandemic can be alarming but fighting that fear is a crucial part of our lives now. For this Houston mother, it became one of the biggest life lessons.
Maggie was 28 weeks pregnant with triplets when she arrived at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas on May 8, 2020, for her scheduled admission. She received a COVID test, which is standard in the admission process, to safeguard patients and those who provide care, the hospital said in a statement on Facebook.
Just 48 hours later, on Mother's Day, she found out that her test was positive. The young mom was "perplexed" how she got infected as she had been quarantining at home since March 23. "As an incredibly kind and selfless person, Maggie’s main concern was everyone but herself. She worried about the health of the triplets, her husband, and their 5-year-old son, as well as the nurses and physicians caring for her," the statement read.
She spent weeks at the antepartum unit, during which time she FaceTimed with her family and bonded with the nurses, who would spend an hour with her sweating in their personal protective equipment (PPE) just to give her company. She also learned that her husband had also turned out to be positive for the virus.
After a month and five tests later with the final two being negative, she learned that "Baby A’s" cord was wrapped around her neck, and she would have a C-section that day at 4 p.m. Meanwhile, her husband hadn't received a second negative test yet. So, her mother and the nurses became her support system. The rest of the family was supporting her virtually. Her father called her to pray with her and a nurse hugged her tightly until her epidural was complete.
Her babies were born two minutes apart. At 4:51 p.m., "Baby A," Isabella, was born at 3.11 lbs, "Baby B," Nathaniel, was born at 3.7 lbs, and "Baby C," Adriel, was born at 2.1 lbs. "The doctors and nurses were amazed by how well Maggie did. She and her babies, who arrived in perfect ABC order at 32 weeks, were healthy, safe, and undeniably resilient," the statement said.
A month later, her babies are still at the NICU in the hospital, and she visits them every day, something she had to adjust to. She said that while it was difficult to not have her children at home with her, she is assured that they are receiving the best possible care. She also shared some advice for other expecting moms. "As a mom, you want control, but right now, you have to accept that you don’t have control of everything. You have to let other people help you and remember you aren’t alone. Look forward to each day and celebrate every small victory," said Maggie.
On the Facebook post shared by the hospital, one person shared that they had crossed paths with Maggie during her stay. "Congratulations to Maggie! We didn’t meet, but we shared one day in antepartum as I delivered on May 9. I agree, the nurses in that unit are phenomenal and really helped emotionally during such a crazy time. Your babies are adorable!" she said.
Maggie asks new moms to take their pregnancy day-by-day and not allow the fear of the virus to overpower their emotions. She tells them to not be scared or ashamed if they think they have the infection, and to get help whenever and however they need it. The hospital representatives called this mom-of-four a "strong firecracker" whose "attitude remained brighter than fireworks on the Fourth of July."
Not everyone has been so lucky during this difficult time. Another Texas mom, AnaLise Long, who had triplets passed away on June 25 after battling the infection for weeks, reports NBCDFW. She had been hospitalized for many almost two months, during which she showed signs of improvement. However, her health complications like diabetes and past history of spinal meningitis made her more vulnerable. Her family believes that she would live on through her daughters.
References:
https://www.facebook.com/TheWomansHospTX/photos/a.10150220121896048/10157530732721048/
