Today’s birth story was one that took place back in May in the first couple of months of the pandemic in a Manhattan hospital, and it was recorded mid-June. Alissa initially hired a doula to help her remain calm, but due to the pandemic the hospital wasn’t allowing more than one support person, so she shifted that support to postpartum virtual support. Despite not having doula support for the labor, Alissa is surprised when she finds most of her 8-hour labor so manageable that she questions being in labor at all for much of it. She also explains how surprised she was at how wonderfully everything went and how her fears were unnecessary, and will also share some of the surprising ways the pandemic positively affected her experience. From there, Alissa goes on to share how deeply challenging breastfeeding was for her. When she realized it was having a hugely negative impact on her mental health and hurting her relationship with both her daughter and her husband, she ultimately decides to stop nursing and switch to bottle feeding. She’ll explain how, while it was a very difficult decision, ultimately it was an important and wise one to protect the wellness of their whole family.
