These New Moms Posted Photos Wearing COVID Masks While Giving Birth

We’ve been hearing it for months: wearing a mask is a crucial step to help curb the spread of COVID-19. Experts have been urging Americans to wear a face-covering when physical distancing isn’t possible—like going into the grocery store. These masks help reduce the transmission from people who are asymptomatic and may not realize it. And while experts have said masks may not offer a whole lot of protection for the person wearing it, the entire community benefits when everyone does their part by putting a cover over their mouth and nose.

It’s an easy thing to do. It’s not a hard ask. But, hearing people refuse to wear the mask and crying foul at being denied entry into a store, or claiming a health issue prevents them from wearing one is frustrating. And that’s precisely the point these moms who gave birth wearing a COVID mask are making.

Amanda Rodriguez is a 28- year-old teacher from Lockhart, Texas. She has asthma, and she recently gave birth without any pain medication and did so all while wearing a face mask. If she can do it, she argues; literally, anyone can—and should.

“My mom works at a salon, and her customers complain all the time about wearing a mask,” Amanda told TODAY Parents. “I’m like, if I can push through labor with a mask on, I think your customers can go through a haircut with theirs on.”

While giving birth at the hospital, she wore her mask, none stop, for her two-day stay. “Was it comfortable? No. But I knew it was for my own safety,” she said. “It’s irritating to me that people are upset they have to wear a mask to the grocery store.”

She’s not the only mom taking a stand and proving the point that wearing a mask isn’t as hard as people try to make it out.

“I dislike inconvenience and discomfort as much as the next person, but I wore a mask while giving birth to a whole-ass baby,” Steph Cha wrote on Twitter. “Who are these feeble losers who whine about wearing masks to run half-hour errands?”

“On Saturday, I gave birth to my son while wearing a face mask the entire time,” tweeted Raven. “So I think you all can manage being asked to wear one to go grocery shopping.”

“If I can wear a mask through 38 hours of labor, a c-section, and recovery . . . You can do it for an hour while running to the grocery store and/or other errands,” Jai Kershner said in a tweet.

“If i can wear a mask whilst i suffer through 39 hours of labor and giving birth to quadruplets in a delivery room with only me, the doctor, and the lord himself, you can wear a mask while you buy brown queso from 7-11,” said another mom.

They all have a very valid point. Giving birth is hard work. It’s quite physical, and if these women can soldier through and wear a mask for days at a time, yes, Ken, you can put one on, too.