It’s a dream come true to announce to a community I love, that I’m pregnant. My husband and I are thrilled to be expecting a little girl in July!
As a KSAT anchor and reporter, I’ve always worn my heart on my sleeve but I’ll be honest, even for me, this seemed like an unconventional announcement -- writing an open letter to thousands of KSAT viewers about something so personal and private.
But this is an unconventional time, and I suppose that’s the point.
For so long now this frightening virus has kept us isolated. Although social distancing is effective in slowing the spread of COVID-19, and it’s for our own safety, it can be hard to find social support for the many things we’re going through -- big things like pregnancy, trying to conceive, or parenting.
I’m definitely not the only pregnant woman making heart-wrenching decisions about whether to get these brand new vaccines or wait and risk being infected with a potentially-deadly virus that poses even more unknowns to ourselves and our future children.
It’s not a decision I made lightly, especially considering I’m THAT pregnant lady calling every restaurant we order from, asking if all of their cheeses are pasteurized! (Thank you San Antonio restaurants for bearing with me.)
Every time I go to the doctor to hear my daughter’s heartbeat or see her on a sonogram, my husband can’t be there. In the era of COVID we’re prepared for these protocols, but seeing him smile on Facetime instead of next to me holding my hand isn’t what I always dreamed of.
The bottom line is that this is tough, and we all need each other even more than usual right now.
By confiding in the amazing support system I’m lucky to have, I realized the reason I’ve felt more at ease about the decisions I’ve made is in great part because of my job. I have gathered so much information and have been able to personally ask the experts about these difficult choices I’m facing.
That research and the time spent talking with my own wonderful doctors is what led me to get the vaccine, and it’s the most relief I’ve felt so far in this experience. It may not be the same decision that every pregnant woman makes right now, and that’s okay. I just want to offer the information and clarity that helped me make my decision.
I want to share what I’m learning with you. I’m not just talking to you mommies-and-daddies-to-be but also to all couples trying to conceive or dealing with infertility during this mess of a situation. I’m also talking to the concerned family members and friends of those who are expecting.
I’m hoping to create a space where we can all ask our questions, admit our anxieties, and realize it’s okay to feel shaken up from time to time. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t seen anyone handing out copies of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting During a Pandemic!” This is new territory for us all.
So over the next several months, you can submit your questions in the prompt below about pregnancy, infertility, and parenting during the age of COVID-19. We may not be able to find definitive answers to every single question, but we’ll contact the experts and try our best.
We’ll hold some town halls and gather those experts together for collaborative discussions.
We will turn some of the topics into stories you’ll see on TV and on our website.
You will be able to see your concerns aired out in the open, and commiserate with others going through similar circumstances. Hopefully, that transparency will make us all feel a little more human, and a lot more at ease.
After all, they say it takes a village to raise a child, and when it comes to the children that will one day shape our future, I think the all-for-one effort is more than worth opening up unconventionally and shedding a little privacy.
So I want to thank you, KSAT viewers. Your unwavering support for our team’s hard work is what makes me feel comfortable opening up about this in the first place. I’m excited to learn alongside you and hope to offer you that same confidence and comfort that I’ve been able to find.
With love,
Courtney