https://www.youtube.com/embed/m7Jfp_-yEsw
Camilla Luddington endured 15 hours of labor, while wearing a mask, no less!
The Grey's Anatomy actress, 37, announced the birth of son Lucas Matthew, her second child, in August, and in a new interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, she recalls the challenging experience of childbirth while wearing a mask amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Luddington, who also shares 4-year-old daughter Hayden with husband Matthew Alan, says she feels a bond with other moms who gave birth during the unprecedented times.
"You had a baby during a pandemic — that's hard," says host Clarkson, who is a mom of two.
"Yes, it's a different experience. I had to labor in a mask, which was, like, the biggest thing. So it was over 15 hours wearing a mask," says Luddington. "It was intense. Anybody else who gave birth during the pandemic, I feel like we have a bond too because of things like that."
Clarkson jokes, "I would have ripped that thing off and been like, 'Get over it!' That would have been really hard. I can't imagine that."
"It is claustrophobic," Luddington adds, "and obviously, you know, giving birth is very physical and traumatic, but hopefully I won't ever have to do that again," she says of wearing the face covering.
Want to get the biggest stories from PEOPLE every weekday? Subscribe to our new podcast, PEOPLE Every Day, to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday.
Sophie Turner Reveals She Wore a Mask While Giving Birth: 'You Can Wear a Mask at Walmart'
Luddington told PEOPLE in August that "it feels amazing" to welcome their second child home.
"Our family has been isolating since March [2020 amid the pandemic], which has come with its own challenges, but the upside is that it gave us a lot of time to be able to prepare," she said at the time. "Once I hit 37 weeks, I was willing him to come. Our bubble feels complete now that he's here."
Though she'd been pregnant before, it was "much more stressful" this time around considering the COVID-19 crisis. "I absolutely had more daily anxiety," she said. "Not only did I have concerns over contracting COVID and what that could potentially mean for my pregnancy, I was also worried about things like my husband not being able to be present with me during the birth."
Ciara Recalls Doctor Telling Her to Put Mask on While in Labor: He 'Was Not Playing Any Games'
"It changed a lot of the experience for me this time around. One example being Matt wasn't allowed to come to ultrasounds, so we missed out on sharing those moments together," she added.
It also "never occurred" to Luddington that she'd "have to wear a mask in labor — it just wasn't something I had thought about and when I found out I would have to, I cried," she recalled to PEOPLE. "I completely understood the importance of wearing one, I just dreaded it. Labor is so physically exhausting I couldn't imagine adding a mask."
Luddington assured, however, that she "honestly forgot" she had the mask on during most of the delivery. "I was in labor 15-plus hours and so much else was happening that my mind was elsewhere," she said. "I didn't feel like ripping it off but I was thankful they allowed us to remove them for a short time to capture some after-birth pictures without the masks on."
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from the CDC, WHO and local public health departments. PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMe to raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, click here.
Source: Read Full Article