My Pregnancy During The Coronavirus Outbreak

It’s Easter Sunday and on a day in which I’m usually surrounded by family and friends I am isolated. When I found out I was pregnant I pictured myself dressed in my Easter finest, showing off my baby bump. A Cornoavirus pregnancy is not what I had in mind. My pregnancy during the Coronavirus outbreak has been the complete opposite. I feel isolated, disappointed and scared as hell. Here’s how the Coronavirus has changed what’s its like to be pregnant.

Going To The Doctor Can Make Me Sick

I’m afraid to end up with a Coronavirus pregnancy. I must mention that I live in New York City, where the rate of infections and deaths is at the highest rates in the country. Every time I step into a medical facility I am putting myself and my unborn child at risk. As a pregnant woman the required doctors appointments and checkups cannot be missed. I have had several appointments, sonograms and trips to the lab to do bloodwork to make sure that the baby is OK. Many of these doctors, labs and sonogram technicians are in hospitals are medical centers were sick people may pass through. The buildings are not far from the emergency rooms overloaded with sick people.

Social Distancing And Isolation To Avoid A Coronavirus Pregnancy

Social distancing is a necessary method to slow the spread of this virus. It saves lives and allows the hospitals time to treat sick patients, discharge them and make room for new patients. The thing is when you are pregnant social distancing puts you into deeper isolation. Any interaction with another person can get me sick. I cant show my mother my growing belly, celebrate with my friends and I cant join any pregnant mom-to-be groups. I cant even walk a few minutes to visit my in laws who are quarantining. Besides my husband I have no one to interact with face to face with about this experience and it hurts.

Thanks to Coronavirus, Nothing Is Normal

Shortly after getting married, I had dreamed of having a co-ed baby shower and a gender reveal party. My family and friends are overjoyed that I’m pregnant. These gatherings would have made me happy and made them even happier. My husband and I have decided to give up on a baby shower, and gender reveal party. We will just get excited about making room for baby and focus on building a baby registry. Sadly with the looks of how long quarantining is going on (its been nearly two months for me so far) I now have to realize I may not even get a maternity photo shoot. Any of the normal celebrations that go with pregnancy are canceled.

Job Loss, Less Money, Less Resources

My husband and I are blessed to be able to work from home at this time. I’m a successful blogger, but at the moment any money I make comes from my Full Time job. I was already underpaid for my position, but my company has recently implemented a salary cut. If the economy doesn’t bounce back who knows what else can happen to our jobs. In addition my friends and family are all in the same boat. It takes a village to raise a child is the saying. Yet, it also takes family, friends and the parents of a newborn to come together to buy all the items a baby needs.

Stress

Being pregnant is stressful enough by what it puts my body through. Due to the Coronavirus, I have to take extra steps to stay healthy. Im stressed by trying to avoid a Coronavirus pregnancy. I have to survive with a smaller paycheck, less availability of food and vitamins and uncertainty about the future. This increases my stress levels which is bad for the baby. Then thinking about my stress levels makes me even more stressed, I feel like I can’t win.

Looking Forward To The End Of The Coronavirus

I will be optimistic and believe that soon things will go back to some sort of normal. Normal is probably about a year or more away, but I will be hopeful. I want to be able to step outside my home and not worry that I will contract a virus. I dont want to worry the virus could harm me, my baby and my loved ones. If this pandemic has taught me anything, I have learned to appreciate (even more) the gift of freedom and health.