Mom Diagnosed with COVID-19 Hours Before Delivery Shares Her Experience

The day before delivering her new baby girl, Trinite Deeter, and her partner Justin Wilson, received frightening news – she tested positive for COVID-19.

Trinite was displaying no symptoms, but it is currently routine to test all pregnant women for COVID-19 before delivery.

Trinite was scheduled to deliver her daughter, Moxlie, on April 20 at the Norman Regional Hospital. Norman Regional’s Maternal Child team learned of the positive test result as soon as Trinite and Justin did on April 19. This was Norman Regional’s first mom to come into Labor & Delivery with COVID-19 and the team knew communication would be incredibly important for this family, said Tonya Faires, RN, nurse manager.

“Our Maternal Child leadership team has spent the last several weeks researching best practices, planning, drilling and problem-solving with our team of incredible physicians, infection disease specialists and others to develop what we believe to be the safest and most supportive plan for our patients and staff. There was no sense of panic about what to do. It was more like ‘We’ve got this. We know what to do. It’s time to execute the plan,’” Faires said.

Receiving the test results the day before delivery gave the team some time to review their plan with OBGYN Lesa Mulligan, MD, and nurses. Dr. Mulligan also contacted Trinite to review the plan in detail so that she and Justin would be well-informed and know what to expect upon arrival.

The Day of Delivery

Trinite was placed in a negative pressure (isolation) room for delivery. Trinite gave birth to Moxlie, who weighed 7 pounds and 10 ounces, and measured 19.5 inches long. The initial plan was for Justin and Moxlie to room together next door to Trinite, but that plan changed as Moxlie had to be transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for a higher level of care shortly after delivery.

“We had a good plan, but Moxlie decided to change things up a bit,” Faires said. “The NICU team was ready to respond and alongside the neonatologist provided exceptional care.”

Trinite delivered by cesarean section and was moved back to the negative pressure room for recovery. Moxlie was taken to the NICU shortly after.

“It was the scariest experience of my life, if I’m being honest,” Trinite said.

A photo Trinite took of Baby Moxlie in the NICU through the video monitor, which is the only way she could see her newborn baby girl during their hospital stay.

Trinite said it helped that the Maternal Child team kept Justin updated the entire time. Then Trinite was given a video monitor to be able to have visual access anytime she wanted to see Moxlie in the NICU.

“That was game changing for me. I feel like that was the only thing keeping me sane during that time period,” Trinite said.

Going Home

Both Trinite and Moxlie went home on April 23.

“Our team was so excited the entire family was able to discharge home on the same day. So much so that we lined up outside for a celebratory send off with cheers and tears of joy – while remaining six feet apart of course,” Faires said. “It is such a privilege to do what we do and also an incredible responsibility. No one takes lightly the fact that families are nervous about delivering during a global pandemic. But I hope they know that we have worked very hard and put much thought into every element of their care to ensure they feel safe, supported, loved and celebrated. Each family is unique so communication is the key, especially with these circumstances.

“The family was patient, kind, understanding and very involved in decisions from start to finish. Our team will be forever grateful for the lessons they taught us during their stay and the continued outpouring of generosity from their family to ours, which included a drive-by cookie delivery the first week of May.”

Justin said he and Trinite wanted to bring cookies and a thank you card to the Maternal Child team to show their appreciation– everyone just went above and beyond, he said.

An emotional Trinite expressed so much gratitude for the amazing support she received.

“The empathy and compassion that I felt from every single person that interacted with me was just above and beyond. If someone was having their worst day, I wouldn’t have known it. They put that 100% behind them and they were so kind,” Trinite said. “People weren’t staring at me because I was a COVID patient. They were staring at me because they felt terrible for the situation and the circumstances. That came from everyone – from the registration desk to my nurses to the anesthesiologist to even lactation.”

Moxlie is Trinite’s first baby she decided to breastfeed and Trinite described how there was one lactation consultant that came in and said she wasn’t scared, she just wanted to help her.

“Those are the kind of people that really helped the both of us get through that the best way,” Trinite said.

Trinite added that breastfeeding is going well and that the hospital staff was very helpful even after arriving home.

One of Moxlie’s newborn photos by Ashley Sims Photography.

Moxlie has now been home and healthy with her parents and her four siblings for a little more than a month. Her siblings were scared during the labor and delivery process since they couldn’t come to the Hospital, but they are all “over the moon about her,” Trinite said.

All expecting mothers are encouraged to reach out to their physician if they have questions or concerns about their delivery and hospital stay.