The Cut - I Met My Baby Over FaceTime

When Jarrod and his wife, Amelia, decided they were ready to have kids, they knew things were going to be a bit complicated. Jarrod has cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that results in an excess of mucus in the lungs. Unlike many people with CF, Jarrod’s never been hospitalized for a lung infection. But in his case, it does mean that he’s infertile. To conceive their first child, Henry, Jarrod and Amelia used an old friend as a sperm donor. All told, it took 18 months to get pregnant, after many unsuccessful attempts at “DIY fertility treatment” and six rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI). 

Four years later, getting pregnant with their second child was more straightforward: They used the same donor, and went straight to IUI. Amelia got pregnant relatively quickly, with a due date in mid-April. And then the coronavirus hit. A few weeks ago, Jarrod’s doctor told him that because CF puts him at a higher risk of developing serious complications from COVID-19, it wasn’t a good idea for him to go to the hospital for his baby’s birth. Jarrod, who is 39 and lives in Philadelphia, spoke to us a few hours before meeting his son for the first time and told us what it was like to witness his birth over FaceTime. 

Never miss a story from the Cut: Subscribe here for unlimited digital access. Your first month is free.

K-Stew has orange hair now, and the Royal baby makes a strong case for side bangs. I guess I just have to finally accept that Chipotle is disgusting. Eminem is donating “mom’s spaghetti” to Detroit hospital workers. Relax me: The most soothing thing on the internet today is SZA on the sound bowls and Lizzo playing the flute on Instagram Live. Instagram is rushing to roll out a memorial feature. Why are all the celebs getting really naked on IG right now? Meanwhile, in Florida, an animal loving couple traded in their Alaskan wedding for one at an animal sanctuary. Their ring bearer was a bear. Curious about how robots are handling a pandemic? Virtual influencer and robo-pop singer Lil Miquela has dropped a new song. Tom Hanks donated a typewriter to an 8-year-old boy bullied for being named Corona.

Keep up with everything New York is talking about. Subscribe for $5/month to get unlimited access to the Cut, Vulture, Intelligencer, and Grub Street.