A story of going through pregnancy and birth during a global pandemic.
SPRINGDALE, Ark— As the new year began, things started to look a bit different for soon-to-be new parents, Paige and Matt Heffron. Once they heard the Coronavirus that originated in China was becoming an issue in the U.S., they realized it could actually impact their birth plans and beyond.
Through all of the planning and anticipating, having a baby during a pandemic was not a part of the agenda.
Plans to have her mom, Susie Johnston, in the delivery room, plans to have her three sisters visit as soon her baby was born, plans for friends to visit at the hospital. All of them were in question. Heffron explained her love for her friends and family, and that “not being able to share my new bundle of joy with everyone around me right away seems really tough.”
As positive cases grow in the U.S., so does the concern. Arkansas has 946 confirmed cases so far. The disease has shown to be more dangerous in adults over 65 and those with immune disorders, but pregnant women remain at risk because pregnancy affects the immune system, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.
There is not much evidence showing the virus could be passed on to the unborn baby or be harmful to a baby during delivery, but new information is coming in daily, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Nirvana Manning, obstetrician and gynecologist at UAMS Health in Little Rock, Arkansas, said what they know is that “it doesn’t appear as though pregnant women have an increased chance of contracting” but in the event that a pregnant woman does contract COVID-19, “they’re at increased risk of complications” because of the weakened immune system.
Unlike other pandemics, like the H1N1 pandemic in 2009 that had pregnant women at an increased risk of contracting, COVID-19 does not appear to have that same effect, Manning said.
Regarding transmission from mother to baby, “it’s such limited data, but we think the risk is at about 20 percent,” Manning said. From what she has seen, the virus has not been found in amniotic fluid or breastmilk but has been spread through the air. UAMS “is currently separating mom and baby at this time, but the mother can still pump breast milk to be fed to the baby.”
Though Heffron did not contract the virus, she said the lack of knowledge is discouraging and the uncertainty of COVID-19 is scary. “My anxieties have definitely been higher,” Heffron said.
The uncertainty of visitor policies at Washington Regional left Heffron on edge, but she was hopeful to have two important people with her during delivery– Her husband and her mom.
Johnston lives in Midlothian, Virginia, and has been concerned about traveling from Virginia to Northwest Arkansas for her granddaughter’s birth. Her original plan was to fly but by mid-March, she wasn’t even sure flying would be a possibility. In a few short days, “it became apparent that flying was not a wise option since it seemed like that was a common way of transmitting the virus,” Johnston said.
That’s when she took it upon herself to drive 18 hours, by herself, without splitting up the time and staying in a hotel. She wanted to avoid as many places as possible until she made it to her daughter.
Johnston set up a bed in the back of her Toyota Highlander, and “packed all the food and drinks I would need, and packed latex gloves for every bathroom and gas stop,” and with the help of “excitement, coffee, and maybe a little fear that if I stopped anywhere, I might catch the virus,” she finally made it to Springdale.
Johnston said she knew there was a chance that she may not even be allowed in the hospital during the delivery, but she was determined to be there for her daughter, no matter what.
Heffron said her friends started “calling and asking, ‘oh my gosh, are you even going to be allowed to have any visitors in the hospital, even Matt’?”
Manning said telling an expecting mother that she can’t have her spouse or support person with her is the last thing she wants to do “because it’s such an amazing time for families. I’m not ready to say your significant other can’t come into the room.”
The Heffron’s place their faith above everything, both wanting to live life for the Lord, and that is what they strive to do every day. They pray together and hold firm to their trust in Jesus. Heffron’s husband said, though whatever may come, they “let the peace of God, which passes all understanding” direct their lives.
“Paige and I decided at the beginning of our pregnancy to keep a good attitude,” Heffron’s husband said.
When they learned more about COVID-19 and the unknown effects on pregnant women and babies, they became fearful, but their faith did not waver. “Paige and I had to cry it out a little and then go back to our source,” which is Jesus, Heffron’s husband said.
Manning explained that because lung capacity is less during pregnancy and because COVID-19 attacks the lungs, “pregnant women are at increased risk of complications” if they contract the virus. She also said babies to those who are COVID-positive run more of a risk of having a NICU stay or getting incubated.
On March 30, Heffron went into labor. The plan was to have both Heffron’s husband and her mother, Johnston, in the room during delivery, but when they arrived at Washington Regional in Fayetteville, Arkansas, “the hospital did change their policy and I was unable to go to the hospital for the birth or to see the baby,” Johnston said.
Johnston was left waiting and after a long two days, the Heffron’s were released from the hospital with a healthy, 7lb 12oz baby girl.
“It was difficult to wait for them to come home,” Johnston said. “The worries continue about staying healthy and self-isolating.”
Heffron said “there’s something about new birth and new beginnings” and that in the midst of difficult times, it brings a sense of hope.
Arkansas has yet to hit its peak and “we’re not anticipated to hit the peak for another two to three weeks,” Manning said.
The stress of the unknown has lessened some for the Heffron’s and they feel fortunate their baby arrived before the worst of COVID-19 hits. Johnston said she is thankful to be helping them at home and that “now it is time to hunker down and just enjoy every moment” with their brand-new addition.
Anna McKinney|University of Arkansas Journalism Student 
POWERFUL PHOTOS EVEN IF THEY’RE NOT YOURS. GOOD CHOICES. GOOD CAPTIONS
New Life and the Unknown
A story of going through pregnancy and birth during a global pandemic.
Paige and Matt Heffron with their dog, Jake, announcing their pregnancy in Springdale, Arkansas. August 2019. Photo by: Paige Heffron
SPRINGDALE, Ark– Splashes of pink and gray fill the room. Photos of dainty wildlife animals hang on the wall with Bible verses quoted below. Plans to be surrounded by their family and friends when she’s born are made. RATHER THAN THE SCENE SETTING,LET’S USE THIS SPACE INSTEAD TO TALK ABOUT THOSE PLANS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT IS BEING DISRUPTED — NOT THE COLOR SCHEME OF THE ROOM. WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THERE TO CELEBRATE? TO HELP? TALK ABOUT WHAT PAIGE AND MATT HAD EXPECTED IN THOSE TERMS AND HOW THAT IS NOW UPENDED Paige Heffron and her husband, Matt, anxiously await the arrival of their first baby girl in April.
But through all of the planning and anticipating, having a baby during a pandemic was not a part of the agenda.
As positive cases grow in the U.S., so does the concern. Arkansas has 704 confirmed cases so far. Though the disease has shown to be more dangerous in adults over 65 and those with immune disorders, pregnant women REMAIN AT RISK are not out of question, but there is not yet enough information for pregnant women and those with newborn babies, according to the Arkansas Department of Health. GOOD SOURCE. BUT NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION TO DO WHAT, EXACTLY? AND DOES THE WHO OR CDC HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT? WHAT ABOUT MAJOR MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS? AND WHAT ARE THE RISKS EXACTLY? IS JUST BEING IN THE HOSPITAL RISKY BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL CONTAMINATION? WE NEED MORE HERE
Paige Heffron, center, running during the 2014 Track and Field season at the University of Arkansas. Photo by: Paige Heffron.
Normalcy
Heffron has always maintained a healthy lifestyle. Running has been her passion and it is the thing that keeps her mental health in check, she said. She ran track for the University of Arkansas in 2014 and is now a girl’s track coach, as well as a counselor, at Springdale High School in Springdale, Arkansas.
MOVE THIS RUNNING MATERIAL DOWN. WE NEED A NUT GRAF HERE THAT EXPLAINS WHY WE CARE ABOUT HER SITUATION NOW. SHE IS HAVING A BABY DURING A PANDEMIC. THAT POSESCERTAIN RISKS, ALSO, THE BIRTH SHE HOPED TO HAVE CAN’T HAPPEN. WHAT ABOUT HELP WITH HER BABY, ETC. ALL THAT GOES HERE . THEN TALK ABOUT HER USUAL LIFESTYLE,
Six miles per day, 30 miles per week, Heffron runs with her Golden Retriever, Jake, and her “little peanut,” a nickname they gave their baby.
“Running is my thing,” Heffron said through the windedness WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? IS SHE RUNNING AND TALKING TO YOU? of her daily 6-mile run. “I’ve been able to run throughout the whole pregnancy.”
Whitney Bell works with Heffron at Springdale High School and is due in April with her second baby. Her announcement came right before the Heffron’s announced theirs. “I was so excited to have a coworker and friend who was pregnant at the same time,” Bell said, making this a journey they’ve been on together.
“One time, while I was waddling with my husband and son at Lake Fayetteville, Paige came sprinting by with her belly band looking amazing as ever,” Bell said.
Everything was smooth sailing for the both of them, but then panic from China crept into the picture.
Paige Heffron and her dog, Jake, running at Lake Fayetteville in Fayetteville, Ark. March 2020. ALSO YOU DON’T NEED THE COLON: Photo by: Paige Heffron.
Keeping Faith HOW DID SHE TAKE THIS PHOTO IF SHE IS IN THE PHOTO AND RUNNING?
“Paige and I decided at the beginning of our pregnancy to keep good attitude,” Matt, Heffron’s husband said.
They place their faith above everything, both wanting to live life for the Lord, and that is what they strive to do every day. They pray together and hold firm to their trust in Jesus. Though whatever may come, they “let the peace of God, which passes all understanding” direct their lives.
Heffron has made the whole pregnancy look easy, her husband said. Jokingly, he said he has lost all personal comfort in their home for the time being.
“She needs the house at 60 degrees,” Matt Heffron said. “It’s been that way for nine months. I live with hot packs and blankets draped on me at all times.”
RELEVANCE?
Recently, because of COVID-19 becoming a pandemic, their lives and expectations of the pregnancy look a bit different than they did a few months ago, Heffron’s husband said. YOU STARTED THIS IDEA A FEW GRAFS UP WHEN YOU MENTIONED CHINA AND THEN GOT DIVERTED. STAY ON TARGET.
Limitations on family members, multiple restrictions, self-isolation, all the things that come with the virus have changed what they originally thought the process would be like.
“Now it’s just going to be… ‘different’,” Heffron’s husband said. The kind of different that is now being seen as the new normal.
Paige Heffron with her husband, Matt, during their maternity shoot at Lake Fayetteville in Fayetteville, Ark. February 2020. Photo by: Paige Heffron.
Reality
From January on, things started looking a bit different. ANOTHER START ON THIS IDEA. SAY IT ONCE AND PROCEED CHRONOLOGICALLY FROM HERE Heffron said once she heard the Coronavirus was becoming an issue in the U.S., that’s when she realized it could actually impact her and her growing family.
Heffron said she began feeling concerned about things when her friends started “calling and asking, ‘oh my gosh, are you even going to be allowed to have any visitors in the hospital, even Matt’?”
She explained how social she is, and the fear of not being able to share their new baby with those they love is really tough to grasp.
Bell also expressed the same concerns, saying her parents who live in Dallas, Texas, will not be able to come up for their baby’s birth.
That’s when reality hit. The plan of sharing this life-changing moment life with family and loved ones was gone.
At Willow Creek Women’s Hospital in Johnson, Arkansas, patients are now limited to one support person in the room, according to Northwest Health. GET STATEMENT EXPLAINING THIS POLICY AND WHEN IT WAS ENACTED.
That was a huge blow to Heffron’s plans. When you have a baby, you share that joy with others you love, but with that not being possible, “that’s one big change to my expectations already,” Heffron said. WHOM DID SHE WANT TO HAVE WITH HER? WILL THEY STILL ALLOW THE GRANDPARENTS IN THEIR HOME? CARE FOR THE BABY?
Dr. Britni Ayers, assistant professor in the College of Internal Medicine at UAMS Northwest, said healthcare professionals are taking “all possible precautions with all patients, including pregnant women.” NOT A GREAT QUOTE BUT A GOOD SOURCE
Babies must continue to be born, and doctors are “pushing through” and “doing all that we can for the community,” Ayers said.
As the new normal continues for pregnancy and birth, Ayers said that, though they can’t deliver babies remotely, “we will see a move towards telehealth during this time,” which could be a “great resolution to get the care and information patients need remotely.” GOOD BUT ELABORATE. MAKE THIS PART OF THE CHRONOLOGY. DID THEY HAVE TO MOVE TO TELEHEALTH FOR PRENATAL CARE? SHOW US WHAT THAT WAS LIKE
Heffron said, though her anxieties are much higher, she “keeps thanking God,” and believes that, in all of the unknown and fear that everyone is dealing with, maybe there is a “blessing in disguise.”
THIS IS A GOOD START. WE NEED MORE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC UPENDING THE NORMAL ROUTINE/EXPECTATIONS OF CHILD BIRTH. WORK ON STRUCTURE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR REVISION.
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New Life and the Unknown
A story of going through pregnancy and birth during a global pandemic. THE DECK NEEDS TO TELL US WHAT YOU’RE SAYING ABOUT HAVING A BABY DURING GLOBAL PANDEMIC
Paige and Matt Heffron with their dog, Jake, announcing their pregnancy in Springdale, Arkansas. August 2019. Photo courtesy of Paige Heffron.
SPRINGDALE, Ark— As the new year began, things started to look a bit different for soon-to-be new parents, Paige and Matt Heffron. Once they heard the LOWER CASE: Coronavirus that originated in China was becoming an issue in the U.S., they realized it could actually impact their birth plans and beyond.
Through all of the planning and anticipating, having a baby during a pandemic was not a part of the agenda.
THERE WERE SO MANY PLANS: Plans to have her mom, Susie Johnston, in the delivery room, plans to have her three sisters visit as soon her baby was born, plans for friends to visit at the hospital. GOOD DETAILS All of them were in question. Heffron explained her love for her friends and family, and that “not being able to share my new bundle of joy with everyone around me right away seems really tough.”
As positive cases grow in the U.S., so does the concern. Arkansas has 946 confirmed cases GIVE DATE. THE NUMBER IS ALWAYS CHANGING so far. The disease has shown to be more dangerous VIRULENT/FATAL in adults over 65 and those with immune disorders, but pregnant women remain at risk because pregnancy affects the immune system, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.GOOD. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CASES OF PREGNANT WOMEN BEING PUT ON RESPIRATORS OR HOSPITALIZED? ANY WAY TO SHOW THIS?
There is not much evidence showing the virus could be passed on to the unborn baby or be harmful to a baby during delivery, but new information is coming in daily, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Nirvana Manning, obstetrician and gynecologist at UAMS Health in Little Rock, Arkansas, said what they know is that “it doesn’t appear as though pregnant women have an increased chance of contracting” but in the event that a pregnant woman does contract COVID-19, “they’re at increased risk of complications” because of the weakened immune system.MOVE THIS UP ONE GRAF TO KEEP WITH SIMILAR INFO.
Unlike other pandemics, like the H1N1 pandemic in 2009 that had pregnant women at an increased risk of contracting, COVID-19 does not appear to have that same effect, Manning said.
Regarding transmission from mother to baby, “it’s such limited data, but we think the risk is at about 20 percent,” Manning said. From what she has seen, the virus has not been found in amniotic fluid or breastmilk but has been spread through the air. UAMS “is currently separating mom and baby at this time, but the mother can still pump breast milk to be fed to the baby.” GREAT SOURCE
Though Heffron did not contract the virus, she said the lack of knowledge is discouraging and the uncertainty of COVID-19 is scary. “My anxieties have definitely been higher,” Heffron said.
The uncertainty of visitor policies AREN’T THE POLICIES CERTAIN BY NOW? WHAT ARE THEY/ at Washington Regional left Heffron on edge, but she was hopeful ODD SYNTAX. HAS SHE HAD THE BABY ALREADY? to have two important people with her during delivery– LOWER CASE:Her husband and her mom. SO DID SHE ASK HER MOM TO COME? DID THE HOSPITAL SAY IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE OR NOT? WAS THE HOSPITAL NOT COMMUNICATING THE POLICY?
Paige Heffron, left, and her mother, Susie Johnston, right, at a family baby shower held at Winfree Memorial Baptist Church in Midlothian, VA. December 2019. Photo courtesy of Paige Heffron.
Johnston lives in Midlothian, Virginia, and has been concerned about traveling from Virginia to Northwest Arkansas for her granddaughter’s birth. Her original plan was to fly but by mid-March, she wasn’t even sure flying would be a possibility. In a few short days, “it became apparent that flying was not a wise option since it seemed like that was a common way of transmitting the virus,” Johnston said.
That’s when she took it upon herself to drive 18 hours, by herself, without splitting up the time and staying in a hotel. She wanted to avoid as many places as possible until she made it to her daughter. GOOD DETAILS
Johnston set up a bed in the back of her Toyota Highlander, and “packed all the food and drinks I would need, and packed latex gloves for every bathroom and gas stop,” and with the help of “excitement, coffee, and maybe a little fear that if I stopped anywhere, I might catch the virus,” she finally made it to Springdale.
Johnston said she knew there was a chance that she may not even be allowed in the hospital during the delivery, but she was determined to be there for her daughter, no matter what.
Heffron said her friends started “calling and asking, CAPITALIZE, COMPLETE SENTENCE; ‘oh my gosh, are you even going to be allowed to have any visitors in the hospital, even Matt’?”
Manning said telling an expecting mother that she can’t have her spouse or support person with her is the last thing she wants to do “because it’s such an amazing time for families. I’m not ready to say your significant other can’t come into the room.”
Image may contain: 2 people, people standing and outdoor
Paige Heffron, left, and her husband, Matt, posing for their maternity photoshoot at Lake Fayetteville in Fayetteville, Ark. February 2020. Photo courtesy of Paige Heffron.
The THIS IS PLURAL NOT POSSESSIVE Heffron’s place their faith above everything, both wanting to live life for the Lord, and that is what they strive to do every day. They pray together and hold firm to their trust in Jesus. Heffron’s husband said, though whatever may come, they “let the peace of God, which passes all understanding” direct their lives.
“Paige and I decided at the beginning of our pregnancy to keep a good attitude,” Heffron’s husband said.
When they learned more about COVID-19 and the unknown effects on pregnant women and babies, they became fearful, but their faith did not waver. “Paige and I had to cry it out a little and then go back to our source,” which is Jesus, Heffron’s husband said.
Manning explained that because lung capacity is less during pregnancy and because COVID-19 attacks the lungs, “pregnant women are at increased risk of complications” if they contract the virus. She also said babies to those who are COVID-positive run more of a risk of having a NICU stay or getting incubated.GOOD DETAILS
On March 30, Heffron went into labor. The plan was to have both Heffron’s husband and her mother, Johnston, in the room during delivery, but when they arrived at Washington Regional in Fayetteville, Arkansas, “the hospital did change their policy and I was unable to go to the hospital for the birth or to see the baby,” Johnston said.
Johnston was left waiting and after a long two days, the Heffron’s were released from the hospital with a healthy, 7lb 12oz baby girl.WHAT’S HER NAME?
“It was difficult to wait for them to come home,” Johnston said. “The worries continue about staying healthy and self-isolating.”
Heffron said “there’s something about new birth and new beginnings” and that in the midst of difficult times, it brings a sense of hope.
Arkansas has yet to hit its peak and “we’re not anticipated to hit the peak for another two to three weeks,” Manning said.
The stress of the unknown has lessened some for the PLURAL NOT POSSESSIVE Heffron’s and they feel fortunate their baby arrived before the worst of COVID-19 hits. Johnston said she is thankful to be helping them at home and that “now it is time to hunker down and just enjoy every moment” with their brand-new addition. MAYBE A LITTLE LESS CUTESY AT END.
Paige Heffron, right, and her husband Matt, left, with their brand new baby girl who was born on March 30, 2020 at Washington Regional in Fayetteville, Ark. Photo courtesy of Paige Heffron.
GOOD IMAGES.
THANKS FOR THE REVISION
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