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Article Giving Birth During A Pandemic Is A Stressful Nightmare

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I am absolutely petrified about touching my new baby – and he hasn’t even been born yet! It’s so different from the fear of holding a first baby for the very first time – and somehow accidentally breaking them or not supporting them correctly… I’m scared of making my baby sick. Welcome to the world of giving birth during a pandemic.

Even though I am self-isolating to the point where the only external place I attend for myself is pregnancy-related appointments, I still fear picking up and passing COVID-19 on to him. And I really hate thinking about it.

Essentially anyone could accidentally and unknowingly pass it to him. His dad, possibly even a member of the medical team, heavens, his own siblings could do it when we return home from the hospital.

Giving Birth During A Pandemic – I’ve No Idea What To Expect

I don’t know how I’m going to be able to interact with this baby. But I know it probably won’t be the same as his siblings. And that makes me question whether our bond will be the same or even if it will be as close.

Will he know my scent as well as what my other babies did? They would stop crying as soon as they smelled me enter their room. Will he miss out on anything by not having chest to chest time with his daddy? Our other little ones have such a strong bond with their father and they always had chest to chest time with him. Will keeping his siblings away from him cause tension between them later on?

One thing I’ve noticed with our little ones is the way they always insist on smelling their newborn sibling’s head constantly, they’ve grown up so close to one another and now I don’t know how physically close anyone will be able to get to the new baby.

It’s A Nightmare

This second wave of COVID-19 is a nightmare. And the hotspots are everywhere – including the suburb of the hospital I’m booked into to give birth.

There are so many local schools, childcare centres, shopping complexes and everything in between that are reporting to have had positive cases of COVID-19. I feel as though there is no way to truly protect oneself, even if you are self-isolating – especially if you still have children at school or a hubby at work.

How?

In fact, at my last antenatal appointment they advised me to self isolate with my hubby from 36 weeks onwards if possible. Even if it were able to do that, we would still have four young school going little ones making the risk of contracting the deadly illness almost unchanged!

I believe that to do it right I’d have to be able to place my whole family into lockdown together. That would ensure a safer and more controlled outcome – but which school would allow parents to simply start remote learning due to pregnancy. And if it were allowed for pregnancies then how many more allowances would schools have to make?

How Different Will It Be?

As I sit here with Braxton Hicks preparing my body for its incredible journey ahead I can’t help but wonder how different giving birth during a pandemic will be. How different could the procedures possibly get? How do the staff manage to protect themselves in a situation where social distancing is highly unlikely to occur. Will masks be enough and how in heavens am I going to be able to use the gas whilst wearing one?

Meeting my baby for the first time couldn’t possibly be the same as what it once was. Even if I wasn’t wearing a mask, I can’t see myself holding this baby nonstop for hours after birth just bonding with him the way I did with my other babies… and it breaks my heart not knowing what the right thing to do is.

Giving birth during a pandemic may only require a few additional steps. But it’s what comes next that causes an unreasonable amount of uncertainty for me.

I’m torn between the joy of wanting to breathe in my newborn, not letting him go – and at the same time not wanting to breathe anywhere near him or touch him for fear of infecting him.

So Uncertain

That is giving birth during a pandemic. The uncertainty, anguish and panic mixed in with the joy, love and excitement.

It feels like such an uncertain situation when our health and well-being and that of our family depends so heavily on everyone doing the right thing.

I don’t know what to expect when giving birth during a pandemic, really I don’t believe that anyone does. But it’s not the first time mankind has done it. 2020 won’t see the first group of babies to be born whilst a deadly disease wreaks havoc on the world. Each time we’ve faced such disastrous conditions mankind has clearly succeeded, and it won’t be much different this time around.

Our 2020 babies will know that we love them, no matter what, even if we have to exercise a little extra caution around them this time around.

What advice would you give mums giving birth during a pandemic. Tell us in the comments below.

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Comments

  • So glad i didnt have to worry about this

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  • Good luck and a smooth birth.

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  • Given its a weird and unknown time, I can’t imagine how parents and especially first time parents are feeling

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  • Having a baby is hard enough at the best of times. None the less, the bright side is that you will have loads of time to spend with the new bub and no visitors constantly calling just when you wish they wouldn’t. Hope all goes well for you.

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  • I had my 4th bub in April when things really started kicking in with this iso stuff. It was the scariest time to have a bub. Not knowing if my hubby could come in with me or not. My other kids weren’t allowed to visit the hospital to meet their new sibling.

    The nurses were all amazing and were all wearing protective gear especially around when baby was being born.

    I found it sad and lonely being in hospital all by myself with a newborn and my husband only allowed to visit for a short period of time.

    Goodluck to all the first time mummas out there.

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  • Must be so scary and worrying especially during these times. What would scare me most was restricting who can be there – like a partner or birth support person. Not having that person there, or only for a limited time would really worry me. Giving birth is anxious enough.
    Thinking of anyone in Victoria during this time who are about to have a baby.

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  • I gave birth during the first wave. It was worrying, but as long as you are smart about it, your baby will be fine :)

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  • It is such a tricky time now for being pregnant. All you can do is do your best and stay positive.

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  • The pandemic has changed all my plans for motherhood. My in laws can’t meet there first grandchild as they can’t fly out from the uk. Mother’s groups were canceled and most follow up appointments done by Telehealth. But we survived and managed to get into a good routine seeing as we had no visitors and FaceTime has been super important.

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  • I hope she has been able to get in touch with someone to answer all of her questions. You will still love your baby of that I’m sure, and you will work out how to keep them safe. All the best

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  • This mums need more mentally support.It was nice to talk and encourage them to be brave.

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  • Luckily I gave birth in Perth where the pandemic isn’t bad, so I was relieved of that stress. I had other stresses such as babysitters for my other two, picking my eldest up from school in baby came, would I make it to the hospital in time. You just can’t help but think and over think about everything. I did still worry about people touching my baby before she got her shots

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  • Have that support person. Focus on your child you are bringing into the world

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  • I think it would depend on which state you were giving birth in too.

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  • Bit over the top mum to be! Hospitals have in place covid protocols. You yourself can do things to reduce the risk of catching it. And all along, barely any kids have caught it and its mostly mild when they do. Not to mention its all pretty under control at the moment, except Victoria and a small number in NSW and Qld.

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  • All that you have mentioned is so relate able to all the mums to be during this pandemic. It really is hard with being unemployed, a lil toddler, a complicated pregnancy n no one to take care of me. Wish my mum could fly over to Australia.

    • Aw bless Mehvi ! That sounds hard indeed ! Where do you live ? Maybe I can reach a helping hand…

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  • I can’t imagine what it would be like with the added pressure of the pandemic. Its such a vulnerable time to begin with.

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  • This would be so nerve wracking! How stressful! It’s already such a such an overwhelming time…I couldn’t imagine! Good luck to all those having to go through this!

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  • I gave birth end of April, during the first big lockdown. Sure, it was hard. Only one support and my first couldn’t meet his new brother at hospital, but I got q healthy baby out of it, and tile to heal at home without a heap of visitors always popping by. We have to focus on the positves

    • Yes a positive approach certainly helps !

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  • Sending all the 2020 mums strength and joy during this difficult time. I hope everything goes well for you all, this truly is a heartbreaking year for so many of us.

    Reply
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