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Expecting During the Unexpected Support Available for Expectant Mothers Amid Unexpected Pandemic Pregnancy and labor can often be an anxious time for expecting families, but especially during a pandemic with lots of unknowns. Lauren Fontaine Byrd and Tana Brophy are both expecting and due in August — Byrd with her third child and Brophy with her second. Brophy said when the worry of the COVID-19 pandemic picked up in mid-March, it was difficult for her mentally and emotionally to process. “When there’s uncertainty you can’t plan; I feel like when you’re pregnant all you do is plan,” Brophy said. “You plan for child care or how you’re going to afford to stay home. Being pregnant before, I had something to compare it to. I didn’t feel as excited for a long time as I was with my other son; that excitement was replaced with worry about the things I couldn’t control.” Brophy, the bilingual parent educator for the Watauga Children’s Council, and her husband both started to work from home in mid-March to help reduce the risk of them being exposed. She’s recently been involved with a Mother’s Connect support group through the Children’s Council that began about three weeks ago. The group started because Children’s Council staff began to notice that there wasn’t a lot of support for moms during this time, and wanted to offer a space for expecting families to communicate. Brophy encouraged expecting moms to reach out to the Children’s Council or other local resources if they are feeling overwhelmed or worried. The group meets once a week on Thursdays to offer virtual yoga and discussions to moms. For more information on the group, contact Robin Triplett at robin@thechildrenscouncil.org. Byrd is the owner and chiropractor of Appalachian Family Chiropractic in Boone; she and her husband closed the practice for five weeks but have reopened the business with a few more precautions in place. Byrd treats many families — including expectant mothers throughout their pregnancies — and said the main concerns she has heard from moms were about mandated COVID-19 testing, deciding between telehealth or in-person prenatal appointments, not having any visitors besides their spouse at the hospital and not having access to a doula during delivery. 24 | July-August 2020
Tana Brophy sits with 3-year-old Mateo Brophy as he hugs her pregnant belly. Photo submitted aawmag.com
