Podcast | Bringing a new life into a strange new world
Crosscut reporter Melissa Santos gave birth during a global pandemic. Her son will grow up in a society transformed by upheaval.
Crosscut political reporter Melissa Santos takes a selfie with her newborn baby, Eli, at home, April 15, 2020. (Melissa Santos/Crosscut)
For most parents, giving birth is a stressful and anxiety-inducing undertaking. Navigating a complicated health care system and the unrealistic expectations of friends and relatives can be challenging. Then there are the mental gymnastics that accompany the act of actually bringing a new life into the world. But what happens when that world is in a state of crisis, when the health care system you rely on is preparing to be overwhelmed by a global pandemic and when loved ones can't be there to meet this new person? For this week's episode of This Changes Everything, host Sara Bernard talks to Crosscut reporter Melissa Santos about the first few months of her son's life, which coincided with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and societal upheaval. She shares the difficulties and concerns that these events have brought to what was already a life-changing event, as well as new hopes for the world awaiting her son.
