Married At First Sight star Jamie Otis is really feeling the stress of being pregnant during the coronavirus pandemic.
The reality TV personality took to Instagram on Wednesday, sharing a tearful video of herself sitting in the car after getting tested for COVID-19 in a drive-thru testing center. There’s an expected level of panic for most pregnancies, but the state of the world right now presents even more anxiety and worry as Otis prepares to welcome her second child with husband Doug Hehner.
Related: Chris Cuomo’s 14-Year-Old’s COVID-19 Diagnosis Revealed: ‘My Heart Hurts’
Speaking through tears, Jamie told followers she felt silly for crying so much lately:
“I feel really, really ridiculous crying. I’m crying all the time these days. I feel so silly. I don’t know why, I’m just genuinely so nervous. I mean, I feel like everything’s going to be fine, but I just had the COVID-19 test because I’m full term now and I think I’m fine, but then I’m like, ‘Am I fine? I don’t know if I’m fine.'”
But Otis said the COVID-19 test, which involves sticking a cotton swab far up your nose, proved to be so painful it triggered a full range of emotions about her due date:
“Just the swab, I mean that hurt really bad. I was like, ‘Good, God, if I can’t handle the swab going up my nose, how am I going to have an unmedicated childbirth?’ I think I’m just a little overwhelmed and I feel so annoyed at myself for being such a wimp about this. I feel like I’m annoying to my husband and my daughter. I’m just impatient and I just don’t know how to reset my brain so I can just chill the F out. This is not how I want to behave or how I want to feel going into delivering my baby.”
The Bachelor alum went on to share a clip of the test to her IG story, allowing users to experience the ordeal with her:
The 33-year-old went on to say she feels like her situation “is a nightmare,” but added she’s “trying to stay positive and balanced.”
“I feel very annoying and like a wimp because other women have it so much worse than I do. And here I am whining over everything.”
In her caption, the expectant momma expressed guilt over not being able to work the frontlines helping sick patients despite being a registered nurse — but making sure her baby is safe takes precedent right now:
“I’m so fortunate that I have a HEALTHY rainbow baby who is FULL TERM! (I’ve been holding my breath this whole pregnancy) I am the LUCKY one who gets to stay home and quarantine while others have to go out and risk their lives to help those who are sick. Honestly, I’m an RN and should be out there helping too but instead I’m safe inside. Which I justify with being pregnant but there are *so many* pregnant women going into the battle zone daily! They’re the real heroes!!!!”
In this case, though, being a hero also means doing your part to help contain the spread of the virus! And she’s doing exactly that by getting tested, staying home, and trying to remain mentally healthy until her baby arrives.
Related: ‘RHOC’ Star Kelly Dodd Says Coronavirus Is ‘God’s Way Of Thinning The Herd’
The reality star and her husband first announced their baby news back in September after Jamie previously suffered multiple miscarriages over the last few years. The pair are already parents to 2-year-old daughter Henley and are currently expecting a boy. Otis is planning to have a home birth due to the fact that she has a low-risk pregnancy — but the stakes are still high considering all the couple has been through.
She said she doesn’t want to “pretend I’m all happy-go-lucky over here when I’m a complete MESS,” but ended her message with support to all the momma out there currently in her position:
“If you’re a pregnant mama worried over everything and anything right now aaaaand you feel kinda psycho with your emotions – girl, I GET IT. I’m here for you if you need to vent. We will ALL get through this! One step at a time!”
WATCH her full confessional (below):
Hang in there, gurl!!
[Image via Jamie Otis/Instagram]