WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING DURING THE PANDEMIC

Guest Editor: Callan Russo, Copywriter

As a new(ish) mom, my daughter is 11-months old, and a lover of being lazy, I feel completely unfazed by the whole quarantine thing. You might even say I’m into it. Wearing pajamas all day? Check. Having the best excuse ever to skip out on social events – “sorry, the governor says I can’t!” – check. Catching up on the DVR? Check and check! There’s an entire season of Mrs. Maisel I’ve been meaning to get to. A super contagious illness? Not so much.

This time last year, I was seven days away from my due date, and could not wait to get that baby out of me. I walked, I bounced, I resorted to drinking castor oil – I was determined. But if I were pregnant now, I’m not sure that would be the case. Would I want to be in a hospital right now? Could anyone (including my parents) meet my baby? I feel for you mamas dealing with all these added uncertainties of COVID-19 on top of, you know, the normal (sometimes full-blown) anxiety of just being pregnant or having a newborn.

My only advice is – stay focused on the positive. Caring for a brand-new little life really tests your sanity (at least it did mine), so sometimes taking it one day at a time, as the cliché goes, is honestly all you can do. Enjoy the kicks, or nightly feedings, or bedtime stories. I know I’m loving this bonus time to snuggle with my daughter as I (try) to work from home.

However – though I try, she protests. I have a new boss and she weighs 22 lbs., has recently learned to stand, and insists on taking a huge poop every time I get on a conference call. I sit down, ready to focus, and then there she is, standing and clutching onto my lap as her face turns bright red. Which then, of course, is followed by a wrestling match to get her diaper changed. I’m exhausted and it’s only 10:45 AM. Please send help – oh wait, you can’t. We’re all stuck inside.

But since I’m stuck here, I’m taking advantage of having the chance to be a stay-at-home mom. It’s hard – having to fit in little pockets of work time into nonstop mom time – but getting to see how proud she is of herself for standing on her own, and getting to see her sweet, sleepy face after she wakes up from her nap, that makes the juggling 100% worth it. One day at a time, right?

For more legit advice to help you navigate pregnancy and motherhood during a pandemic, check out the resources below:

Recommendations from The Center for Disease Control (CDC) | See Recommendations

Q&A for New & Expecting Mother’s | Q&A

Guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists | Learn More

Coronavirus in Babies & Children | Visit Hopkins Medicine

– Callan

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