Having a baby is scary. Having a baby in the time of COVID-19 is even scarier. British YouTube star Grace Victory can tell you that directly. While documenting her pregnancy online for her fans, people got worried after one alarming update.
"As you guys know, Grace gave birth on Christmas Eve to a beautiful baby boy," the update stated, "who is currently doing so well, he's incredible. We love him so much. Grace developed COVID-19 two weeks ago and although her symptoms were mild at first, they worsened as the days went on. Which meant they had to deliver the baby as soon as possible, as she was just too unwell to carry on with the pregnancy."
While the end of pregnancy should mean being able to hold your newborn, Grace instead had to go to the ICU. There they placed her in a medical coma so that her body could rest.
"She's currently stable but please keep her in your thoughts and prayers," the update continued. "We love her so, so much and we know she'll come out of this stronger than ever. She has dedicated her whole career to healing people, we now ask that you pray, to heal her."
And she did just that. Grace woke up after three months and gave a brief update. "I’m awake and baby boy is at home thriving with his daddy," she said. Her followers couldn't help but comment back with words of joy and inspiration. Since COVID-19 can be so unpredictable, and birth takes a lot out of you itself, it was hard to tell what might happen.
Her sister, Charleigh, admitted that she was terrified over the whole ordeal. While she tried to stay optimistic, she knew how precarious it is to be in a medically induced coma for that long. It must also have been shocking for Grace to wake up and realize she suddenly had a 3-month-old child.
"I honestly can't imagine a world without my sister in it," Charleigh wrote. "Our bond is unmatched and unbreakable, she has my handwriting on her skin and I KNOW she's going to be fine. It is just a little hard being in this limbo stage and all of the waiting around for updates."
Charleigh is also a bit of an influencer, with a bunch of followers. She also updated that while Grace is finally awake, there was still so much that needed to happen. "There are absolutely no words, other than Thank. You. God!! and thank YOU guys," she wrote. "Let's keep rooting for @gracefvictory until the day she's home, with her baby on her chest and an oat milk chai latte in her hand."
Prior to giving birth, Grace had a long résumé of skills. She's known best for being a writer and body positive activist. She has over 200,000 subscribers on YouTube, many who have followed her for a long time. And since she's not afraid to tell it like it is, many viewers feel like they know Grace personally.
One of her most popular videos is her birth announcement. In it, she expresses how she feels about the news and how she and her partner, Lee, are handling it. She admitted that, at first, she had some fears being a plus-size woman having a baby, which resonated with many.
Grace has also been open about all of the feelings and emotions that occur during pregnancy. At the time, she likely had no idea that the pregnancy would end in a coma — but watching all her videos is a great way to feel more connected to her story. By commenting on her videos, viewers were able to share their own thoughts and well-wishes.
According to Grace herself, motherhood was always on her mind. "I have always always ALWAYS wanted to be a mama and I can’t believe a little soul has chosen me to bring them Earth side – what an honour," she wrote on Instagram. "Lee was supposed to be taking me to Bali for my 30th birthday, but due to Covid I instead asked for a baby and he actually made it happen."
Speaking of popularity, Lee is also a fan favorite. The two share a love that's almost overwhelmingly beautiful. The whole experience must have been extra tough for him, caring for a newborn with the fear that something might happen to the love of his life.
Grace's situation may seem a bit uncommon, but it's a good reminder that anything can happen both with COVID-19 and pregnancy. While pregnancy is a beautiful thing, and giving birth is a joy, it's also very complicated. Every birth is different, and you never know what might happen. But at least Grace's story has a happy ending.
Woman who are COVID-19 positive and pregnant suffer from a lot of risks. According to Nature, "pregnant women with COVID-19 are at higher risk of hospitalization and severe disease than are women of the same age who are not pregnant. The rates of severe illness and death are also higher in pregnant women from certain minority racial and ethnic groups than in those in non-minority groups, mirroring the situation in the wider population." While vaccines are going out, the coronavirus is still a big threat.
Surely, when Grace is out of the hospital, she'll have more updates to share. But right now, hopefully she'll spend time bonding with her family. Now she has a unique story about the birth of her son and can also advocate for others who have been through similar pregnancy issues.
