This NYC Dad Was Forced to Watch the Birth of His Triplets Over FaceTime

In recent weeks, many expectant couples have had to alter their birth plans due to COVID-19, and, sadly, some couples have had to watch the birth of their kids virtually—including one man from New York City, who watched the birth of his triplets over FaceTime.

Tendayi Kapfidze and his wife, Annibel, welcomed three premature triplet daughters, Vimbayi Camila, Thandiwe Amelia and Anesu Isabella, on March 25, the same time when the city banned visitors from labor and delivery rooms. After watching Annibel give birth over FaceTime in an operating room full of medical staff members, Kapfidze “met” his daughters when a doctor held the phone to them.

“I was concerned for my wife, that she was alone,” Tendayi told Lending Tree, who also works as the company’s Chief Economist. “She was understandably kind of nervous. The way she described it, when they wheeled her in the OR, there was like 40 people in there. I felt confident that the girls were going to get the care that they needed.”

While New York City’s governor Andrew Cuomo reversed the ban just a few days later, for Kapfidze, it was always about doing what was best for his wife and kids. “For me…it was a risk assessment,” he told the outlet. “I was going to trust the medical team that we had been working with for months. If the hospital thought that was the best way to go, I was like yeah, that’s the best way to go to get the best outcome for my kids. If they’d told me we needed to go to Mars, I’d be like, ‘OK, we’re going to Mars.’”

After birth, the family’s journey at the hospital was not over. The triplets spent 21 days in the NICU, and, even as the hospital relaxed its visitation policy, only one parent could visit with the newborns at a time.

Luckily, Kapfidze and Annibel have since been able to take their daughters home and have been settling into a routine. In fact, the parents have smartly kept the girls on the same feeding, sleeping and diaper-changing schedule they grew accustomed to in the NICU, allowing them to get just a little bit more uninterrupted sleep. So far, things have been manageable and the girls are doing well, Kapfidze explained, despite the setbacks they’ve faced due to COVID-19.

“Nobody’s met the girls,” Tendayi said. “We were supposed to have some help when they came home, but we don’t. It’s kind of great because we’re getting into our little family groove without other people around.”

While Kapfidz has stayed positive throughout the entire experience, it can be hard to maintain a positive outlook with so much change and uncertainty. If you and your partner are due soon and anxious about what to expect, check out these expert tips on how to help support your laboring partner, and call your doctor to ask any questions you may have.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.