HELENA — Expecting moms in Montana are seeing a new way of normal, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Some of those changes include being alone at doctor visits, to seeing new doctors bi-weekly that are not their normal Obstetrician.
And there is a big reason why, that’s related to both the expecting mother and the baby.
“For expecting moms, they are at an increased risk of developing complications from the Covid virus,” said Betsy Williams who is the Director of the Women and Children Unit at St. Peter's Health.
One of those expecting Montana moms is Taylor Schraudner who is in her third trimester.
“It's added a little bit of stress in terms of, you know, the Coronavirus could peak in Montana around mid-April and that will be the time the baby will come into the world, so, wanting to make sure we get in and get out,” Schraudner said.
To help combat the potential spread of the virus, St. Peter’s Health is limiting the number of visitors, down to one at the hospital.
This limit also extends to hospital visits, “Normally, the waiting room is packed, and you know you get to see cute babies or other mothers. Now it's nobody,” Schraudner said.
It's also reported that pregnant women are not always granted the same doctor. Women who have bi-weekly appointments are seeing different doctors.
“One is in the hospital for two weeks, and one is in the office, and they are rotating every two weeks, because they assume one will probably get sick. And so, I met with a new provider, that I never met before last week, which was different, and that could be the person who delivers my baby. Who knows?” Schraudner said.
“This a really special time, in people’s lives, and it’s something that is going to continue. We can’t slow it down, I mean, this is part of life. And we want to be able to support that and help moms anyway we can,” Williams said.
For Schraudner, she is staying the present and trying to be as positive as she can, “I have two outcomes, two objectives; baby is healthy and that I am healthy, and so if that means having a baby by myself with a doctor, so be it.”
