Yoga & Pilates 7.23.20

Virtual Class Zoom Room
Password: CFSBK
Yoga: 7am
Pilates Happy Hour: 6:00pm
Kids: 4:30pm
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Kate W: Childbirth in the time of COVID

CFSBKer Kate W gave birth to her daughter Louisa in late March, just when things were starting to hit the fan in NYC. Kate gave us a quick update on her daughter and experience with childbirth during a pandemic. Congrats to the whole family!

Louisa was born on 3/26/2020 at NY Presybyterian in downtown Manhattan. It was just two days before Cuomo overturned the ban on birth partners being present for delivery, so the morning I went into labor my sweet, sweet husband had to drop me off at the hospital and watch as I stumbled into the ER amid a sea of ambulances bringing in COVID-19 patients. At that point I had a little chat with my then still-in-utero daughter: I told her to make it quick. Luckily she obliged, and four hours later she arrived healthy and happy. And my husband got to watch on FaceTime. God bless the nurses who got a couple screenshots of him ugly crying, which I will cherish forever.

Louisa is a wild girl, telling me exactly what she thinks all.the.time #aries. Being home with a new baby, a 3 year-old, a husband trying to work, and no one to come over and help has been awesome. Wait, no, terrible. That’s what I meant. But for all the agonizingly long days, the tantrums, the exhaustion, the anxiety and anger provoked by current events, I feel tremendously lucky to have a healthy family and the privilege to stay home with the kids during this crazy time.

I also feel enormously grateful for Community Fitness South Brooklyn. Being a part of this gym family made me physically strong for labor (even though I legit couldn’t feel my legs AT ALL after getting an epidural I was still commended by nurses for how well I pushed, so I credit squats and deadlifts). But it’s also made me mentally strong (I know how to coach myself through the pain cave), and introduced me to so many wonderful friends and supporters. Special shoutout to fellow CFSBKer Sasha Slocombe who has been so good to me in what has certainly been a rocky postpartum period.

So while I can 10/10 not recommend having a baby in the middle of a pandemic, I feel so fortunate to have my friends, family, and this special space – CFSBK – to connect with the best of humanity in dark times. I can’t wait to see everyone back at the gym!

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How to Keep Going Reasons to Be Cheerful