A Guide to Having a Baby During Covid-19
Thinking of you, pregnant and postpartum mamas.💛 Hope this helps manage your mind a little bit through this time. Your brain may want to tell you that everything is an emergency, but our brains just trip out on the unknown. Our most productive action comes from feeling empowered and just focusing on taking the next right step.
+ Stop watching the news. Designate your partner or someone else to stay informed and give you a daily debriefing of only pertinent information (aka CDC updates and nothing more!). + As emotions come up, process them. Write down the emotion, and just breathe into it. Allow it. When you allow it, it can process, and then you can move on. + Write down your concerns and address each one as “in my control” or “out of my control.” Make a plan of action and let go of everything out of your control. + Get your two-week stash of supplies ready and then don’t revisit it. If you deliver at a hospital, you'll be sent home with diapers. You can easily order more (consider a subscription!) and additional supplies from companies like Amazon, Thrive Market or Grove Collaborative. + Make a two-week meal plan. (resource: 7-day postpartum meal plan) And if food delivery is available, do it and don’t feel bad about it!! (delivery resources: ubereats, instacart, doordash) + Send pics and FaceTime family and friends all day long. (Or as much as you want to.) It will help avoid feeling isolated or like everyone is missing out on baby. + Don’t feel bad telling friends and family to not come over. You can do it with love and compassion. Social distancing helps everyone right now, not just babies! + If you need to take a moment to mourn what you thought this experience was going to be like. And then make a list of all the upsides that it’s happening this way. (i.e., No FOMO! Nobody else is leaving their house either!) + If you are feeling depressed or anxious, reach out to your healthcare provider. (You can also call this helpline.)
+ Stop watching the news. Designate your partner or someone else to stay informed and give you a daily debriefing of only pertinent information (aka CDC updates and nothing more!). + As emotions come up, process them. Write down the emotion, and just breathe into it. Allow it. When you allow it, it can process, and then you can move on. + Write down your concerns and address each one as “in my control” or “out of my control.” Make a plan of action and let go of everything out of your control. + Get your two-week stash of supplies ready and then don’t revisit it. If you deliver at a hospital, you'll be sent home with diapers. You can easily order more (consider a subscription!) and additional supplies from companies like Amazon, Thrive Market or Grove Collaborative. + Make a two-week meal plan. (resource: 7-day postpartum meal plan) And if food delivery is available, do it and don’t feel bad about it!! (delivery resources: ubereats, instacart, doordash) + Send pics and FaceTime family and friends all day long. (Or as much as you want to.) It will help avoid feeling isolated or like everyone is missing out on baby. + Don’t feel bad telling friends and family to not come over. You can do it with love and compassion. Social distancing helps everyone right now, not just babies! + If you need to take a moment to mourn what you thought this experience was going to be like. And then make a list of all the upsides that it’s happening this way. (i.e., No FOMO! Nobody else is leaving their house either!) + If you are feeling depressed or anxious, reach out to your healthcare provider. (You can also call this helpline.)