Having a Baby During a Pandemic

You’ve probably pictured life with your newborn a thousand times: your partner holding your hand during delivery; your family coming to meet your new bundle of joy in the hospital; pushing around a stroller while shopping or running errands.
Having a baby during this pandemic most likely won’t be what you imagined. With social distancing and strict hospital guidelines, many mothers are having to give up their expectations for a new reality.
In this post, we hope to ease your worries about the unknown and prepare you to bring a baby into this strange world. Although it’s perfectly okay to grieve what you’ve lost, we hope to give you a new, positive perspective on pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum during a pandemic.

Protecting You and Your Baby

First and foremost, we want to encourage you to be proactive in protecting you and your baby. According to the CDC, pregnant women are at a higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Here are some guidelines they give to keep you safe during the pandemic:

• Practice social distancing. The best way to protect yourself is to avoid contracting the virus altogether. Stay home as much as possible and restrict contact with others. If you do have to go out in public, remain 6 feet away from others at all times.
• Wash your hands often. You should wash your hands after being in public, being in contact with others, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. It’s also important to wash your hands before touching your face or preparing food. Make sure you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds for it to be effective. If soap and water aren’t available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces in your home. This includes doorknobs, light switches, countertops, toilets, etc.
• Wear a mask. A mask won’t necessarily protect you, but it will protect others from contracting COVID-19 if you have the virus. Hopefully, by wearing a mask you will inspire those around you to do the same, which will keep you safe in turn.

Pregnancy

Here’s how your pregnancy may be different during a pandemic:

• You may have remote or virtual doctor’s appointments. In order to protect you, other patients, and your healthcare workers, some of your appointments might take place by phone or through a video call. Contact your OB/GYN to find out their new protocol during COVID-19.
• You may go to ultrasounds alone. Some doctors’ offices are restricting in-office appointments so only the patient may be present. This means your partner might miss out on seeing your sweet little babe for the first time.
• In-person prenatal classes might not be available. Check with your hospital to see if they offer online classes through their website. If yours does not, a quick Google search can turn up some great resources for online classes, too.
• Your baby shower might be cancelled. If you would still like to hold a shower, you could host a virtual party and send your friends and family your online registries. You could also do a drive-by shower, where your guests drive by your home and drop off your gifts at a designated location, all while maintaining social distancing guidelines.

Labor and Delivery

Here’s how your labor and delivery could be affected by COVID-19:

• You may be tested for COVID-19. Whether it be prior to your visit or during your stay, many hospitals are requiring testing for the virus. Check with your hospital to see what their procedure is.
• Entrances might be restricted. In order to monitor potential spread of the virus, some hospitals are only using one entrance. Make sure you know what entrance your hospital is using to avoid any confusion once you are in labor.
• You may be asked to wear a mask. The hospital will typically give you and/or your visitor a mask to wear during your stay. Again, this is to protect others against the spread of the virus.
• Visitors will most likely be restricted. You might only be allowed one visitor during your stay, and they may be asked to leave after the baby is born. In some cases, visitors might not be allowed at all. Ask your hospital what their protocol is and plan accordingly.
• You might be asked to stay in your room. Previously, hospitals have allowed laboring mothers to walk the halls. However, during the pandemic, you might be required to stay in your room to avoid contact with other patients.
• Meals could be limited. Due to hospitals being over-worked or under-staffed, they might limit your meal options.

Postpartum

Here’s what life might look like with a newborn during the pandemic:

• You may decide to limit visitors. Decide now if you will allow any visitors, and if so, who they will be. If you have your mind made up before the baby is born, it will be easier to refuse unwanted guests. Just remember, you are that baby’s momma, and what you say goes! If you do decide to allow a couple visitors, make sure you are following all CDC guidelines to keep you and your little one safe.
• You may not have extra help. Some new parents will have a family member come stay with them to help with cooking and cleaning. You may decide to forego this help in order to keep you and your baby safe from the virus.
• Doctor’s appointments may be limited. Just as they were restricted during pregnancy, you may still face restrictions for postpartum doctor’s visits. This could mean less frequent visits, remote visits, etc.

Tips for Enjoying this New Experience

We want to make sure you still get the most out of pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. Here are some tips to help you remain positive and happy during this difficult time:

• Use this time to rest and enjoy your pregnancy. Pregnancy can definitely take its toll on your body. Use quarantine as an opportunity to rest and take care of yourself. You can also use this free time to really focus on the little miracle growing inside you. Savor all of those little kicks, punches, and backflips. It won’t be too long until you’re not feeling them anymore!
• Take advantage of video calls. When going in for ultrasounds, call your partner through video chat so they can see the baby, too. If they are not allowed with you during delivery, you can also use video chat as a way for them to be present during the birth of your child. Video calls are also a great way to keep in touch with friends and family, whether it be to update them on your pregnancy or to introduce them to your little one.
• Bond with your baby during your hospital stay. The visitor restriction can definitely be a blessing in disguise! Rather than being interrupted by hoards of family members entering your hospital room, you can focus on bonding with that new little babe. Get in as much skin-to-skin as you want!
• You can still receive some help. Although you may not have someone to cook and clean for you, you can still accept their help! Have them drop off meals at your door or help with the yard work.
• Soak up those newborn snuggles. Your little one will grow so fast! Now that you have the opportunity to slow down, you can really enjoy those cuddles and memorize every detail of that sweet face.