I had twins on the eve of a pandemic

I wonder if throughout my twins’ lives, when people ask their birthdate, (2/12/20) will folks forever pause, and sigh? Will they raise their eyebrows and say a little “wow” under their breath, like they so often do now?

I had twins on the eve of a pandemic
Photo by Jelleke Vanooteghem / Unsplash

Double Shifters,


I wonder if throughout my twins’ lives, when people ask their birthdate, (2/12/20) will folks forever pause, and sigh? Will they raise their eyebrows and say a little “wow” under their breath, like they so often do now?

Jonah and Miles will probably always be identified as “pandemic babies,” a micro-generation that researchers will look to for clues as we deal with the fallout of what feels like a never-ending pandemic. 


(photo from Covid summer 2020)

But as always, my focus and passion is on pandemic moms (and caregivers) -- a much larger generation that still, frustratingly feels sidelined, uncompensated and unappreciated. Do you feel like the world has acknowledged what we’ve been through? Have we even had a moment to stop and process it for ourselves? When it seems like too many people are acting like Delta is only a big deal for healthcare workers and idiotic anti-vaxxer adults, do you feel like screaming, “WE ARE STILL LIVING THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC WITH OUR UNVACCINATED CHILDREN, YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!!” Or is that just me?

Today we’re releasing part one of a two part series that features raw and unfiltered audio diaries. (You hear my breast pump whirring in the background of many of the recordings.) I started recording around April 2020, which takes listeners back to the early days of the pandemic -- not always a happy place to remember, but an important place to revisit. My story is certainly not one of extreme hardship, but we’re sharing these episodes because we feel too much of the realities of being a pandemic mom has been swept under the rug. We’re supposed to all just be “fine” and quiet and grateful to be alive. But I think every mother on the planet has a story that deserves to be heard and honored. I don’t think this is indulgent. We are doing this because so many of the issues and experiences that were on my mind in Spring and summer 2020..... Still feel VERY relevant. And as a country, one of America’s repeated sins is our failure to account for past wrongs. We see this over and over the history of this country. Our job is to refuse to let this moment pass without demanding a better future for everyone. 

Listen to “We’re All In This Together? (Part 1)” Now.

A Favor: Will you tell two friends about The Double Shift? Just copy and paste this link and let them know about the show or remind your posse we are back with new episodes. We have no paid marketing or PR budget....(Did you know that new podcasts of big networks typically have $40K marketing budgets to spread the word? I kid you not.) So fans of the show genuinely encouraging people to listen is the best way for us as a small indie media company to get the word out. And if you write a newsletter, have a social following, or are a journalist, don’t be afraid to mention us! Thanks.

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Til soon,

Katherine

What I’m Listening to: Our friends at Death, Sex & Money have a wonderful episode on infertility. It’s nuanced, and has a wide range of perspectives of people who opted for different paths and challenges the common one-dimensional narratives of “it’s all worth it in the end” or “they gave up on a baby and so they are forever sad.” Glad to hear this thoughtful dive into the complexity and hardship that some people go through in their quests to become parents.

What I’m Reading: As part of some healthy self-care practices, I’ve majorly cracked down on my nighttime phone scrolling and have been reading novels from the library instead. (10 stars, highly recommend this life practice.) One of my favorite authors to get lost in right now is Marie Benedict, who writes historical fiction that centers strong women characters. I first got hooked on The Only Woman in the Room, I loved Carnegie’s Maid, and I’m in line for The Personal Librarian at the Durham Public Library. 

YUM: Apparently everyone already knew about mug cakes? That it is possible to make super yummy cake treats in the microwave in a mug and have it take five minutes total? Perhaps I’m late to the party, but this Chocolate Mug Cake from the NYTimes is definitely going to be part of my treat rotation. 

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