While in a coma with COVID-19, mom gave birth and can now finally hold her baby

On April 1, while Angela Primachenko was hooked up to a ventilator and in a medically induced coma due to complications from COVID-19, she gave birth to a premature girl named Ava. Doctors decided on the early delivery to give the respiratory therapist from Vancouver a better chance of fighting the disease, while also protecting her baby.

Completely oblivious of the birth at Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center, when Primachenko finally came out of her coma on April 6 she realized her bump was missing and that her daughter had arrived seven weeks early. The mom of two puts her successful recovery and delivery down to the “grace of God,” and couldn’t wait to hold her newborn in her arms.

Thankfully, Primachenko’s husband David didn’t have the virus, and so was able to hold little Ava, who is in the neonatal intensive care unit at the medical center. But Primachenko had to have two consecutive clear tests for COVID-19 before she could properly meet her daughter. As reported on Today, when the second test came back negative, Primachenko finally had that long-awaited cuddle and she posted the happy occasion on Instagram, saying: “Crying right now!!! IM COVA FREE!!! And holding my baby girl in my hands!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_BQCpnnF5m/

Mom will now be kept very busy with tiny Ava and her big sister Emily (who is only 11 months old) to manage. But Parmichenko is just full of gratitude, sharing with Today why she wanted to share her story. “Even in the hardest days and the hardest times that there’s hope and you can rely on God and people and community. The amount of community and people that were praying for me is just unbelievable. I was blown away, and I’m so incredibly thankful.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_DZyCfAUDq/

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