5 minute read
MOMHACKS
LOCAL MOMS SHARE THEIR TIPS FOR EXPECTING AND DELIVERING A BABY DURING A PANDEMIC
Congratulations, you are expecting and… we are in the middle of a pandemic! Many expecting parents never thought they would hear those two phrases together, but as the pandemic has been around for a little over a year, more and more parents are finding that delivering a new baby into the world amid such chaos is what they have to plan for. As this is new territory for many of us, who better to share tips on how to handle a pregnancy and birth during a pandemic than moms who went through it first hand.
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Caroline Chance Earls with husband Ryan Mom to 2 children
Big sister Cora and baby Nathan born February 2021
Had son at North Florida Regional Medical Center
Be proactive and intentional about your support system. Being pregnant and postpartum can be isolating and challenging enough, let alone in a pandemic. Some of the ways I built my mom tribe last time were unavailable in the same ways, like prenatal yoga and postpartum moms luncheons. So I needed to be much more intentional and proactive about creating a support network. For me that included apps like Marco Polo so I could have more regular contact with my mom friends, and could reach out to acquaintances that I knew were also pregnant.
Say Yes when your family and friends want to do nice things for you. I was initially resistant to a virtual baby shower because it felt awkward and I feel like everyone had so much going on. But it was truly so special to feel supported and loved in this bizarre time. Because I said “yes” (after some gentle pushing from my friends), I have a meal train of friends and family bringing food postpartum, gifts that made the transition easier as we became a family of four, balloons, flowers and cookies delivered the day we got home from the hospital and a virtual check in with my loved ones.
Have the hard conversations about the virus. Get clear with your partner about what you are comfortable with in terms of who meets the baby, when, and what it looks like. Are you more comfortable if only vaccinated people hold the baby, or are you requiring masks? Are you only going to do outside meetings or not letting anyone hold the little one for a certain amount of time? Or would we feel so excited for grandma
to hold the baby, however it looks. Whatever you decide, it feels important to be on the same page with your partner and then communicate this to your loved ones.
Expect things to look a little different and adjust expectations. Ask your providers how prenatal and postal care and delivery will differ from the norm. This is especially true if you’ve had a previous baby. Doctor’s appointments look different, as at my care facility, partners can only come to ultrasounds but not the actual meeting with the doctor. For a friend, her facility had a lot of telehealth visits. At our hospital, only one person was allowed during the whole stay with no switching out. So no other visitors during our three-day hospital stay. Knowing what to expect was helpful in adjusting our vision.
Ask for help. Being pregnant and postpartum is hard. One in seven women and one in ten men experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. And this statistic is not during a global pandemic, which is associated with higher rates of adverse mental health conditions. Ask for and seek help and support. Whether this looks like individual, couples or group therapy, someone to hold your colic baby, or help to clean up your house - ask for help.
Heather Mears with husband Ken Mom to 3 children
Big brother Parker (7), Big sister Madeline (3) and baby Clara born December 2020
Had daughter at UF Health.
Being pregnant during the pandemic was scary and full of anxiety. With two older children, you didn’t know if their sniffles or sore throats were allergies or COVID. But, the best advice I could give is to continue good hand hygiene, social distancing and mask wearing. I also felt more comfortable as I was very honest with my health care team. Using our electronic charts for conversations, texting and even extra appointments
Big brother Gabriel (4.5) and Liliana born January 2021
Had daughter at UF Health.
Meet with your doctor’s clinic manager. I met with mine (at UF Health) to share all of my concerns and sadness over the things they weren’t offering, like a hospital tour. I suggested they film a virtual tour like realtors have been doing.
UF wasn’t offering any birthing classes when I was pregnant and I think they still aren’t. We hired a private doula to come to our home to do a birthing class with us.
Take a breastfeeding class! They are finally offering them via Zoom at UF. Make sure you get the contact info for the lactation consultant teaching your class and don’t be afraid to use it! Lactation consultants saved my life the first few weeks postpartum. Breastfeeding is harder than anyone will ever tell you. The more support you have, the easier it is to stick to it! to check on the baby helped alleviate some of my stresses.
Delivering during COVID-19 was different but not scary. Babies will be born, pandemic or not. My team at UF Health increased their precautions during my very fast labor as the results from my COVID-19 test didn’t have enough time to come back before delivery. But with the exception of masks being worn and no visitors, our experience was very similar as our other children. It actually made the time with our newest addition that much sweeter.
Upon arriving home, we were greeted with well wishes, prayers and the kindness of our community, delivering gifts, dinner and Target runs. We asked those that supported us like this to remain outside with their mask on, as I gave them a brief look at the baby from the safety of the foyer. For those that weren’t comfortable making a personal delivery, we were also blessed with food deliveries from DoorDash and Uber Eats. This is a great way to still support a new baby’s family from the comfort and safety of your own home.
