MAINE, USA — Heather Freeman had her son Cory in March at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said at the end of her pregnancy, her husband was no longer allowed to go to ultrasounds or other checkups with her. At the time, she was going multiple times a week.
When her son was born, there were some complications.
"It's both my husband and I's first baby and to have anything go wrong was just horrible and we definitely could have used the support from our family," she said.
"New moms, they're facing motherhood with less support," Dr. Kathryn Wadland said.
Wadland is an OBGYN at Northern Light Mercy Hospital. She said becoming a parent these days isn't what it used to be, but she's encouraging her patients to stay connected with friends and family, even if it's through a screen, to spend time with people outside as much as possible, and to attend counseling if and when needed.
"New motherhood is just so hard to begin with. The sleep deprivation and nursing and caring for a baby is so challenging, but it's especially hard this year," Dr. Wadland said.
As for babies being born into a pandemic, Doctor Wadland said it's probably strange to meet people with masks but, "they're getting used to it, sadly."
A challenging experience for Freeman and other new parents but still a rewarding one.
"The most important part is they get to come home and you get to have them there with you and just enjoy the time because they grow crazy fast," Freeman said.
The U.S. CDC reminds women who are pregnant that it is still safe to go to prenatal visits and they should be continuing to do so.