Pregnant During Pandemic

I want to share a post about my experience during this pandemic while being pregnant because I definitely face challenges that other's don't (besides the fact that I can't stock up on wine and alcohol 🤣) It hasn’t been easy self quarantining because when I'm not forced to go anywhere like work or run errands. All I want to do is lay around, sleep, and snack! I'm stuck at home gaining weight, uncomfortable all the time, and tired 24/7.

How I’ve coped with being pregnant during pandemic

• Stayed home

• Focusing on facts from the medical professionals and scientists as far as info on COVID-19, ignoring everyone's opinions and hear-say

• Trying different things in the morning to trigger more motivation

• Putting my focus on my business online, getting creative/crafty, taking this time to make our house feel like home

• I try to send Dave out to the store when I need things, so I can avoid crowds

My thoughts/ Fears of being pregnant during pandemic

• Am I worried about getting COVID-19 and the spread of it? Yes of course. We all know someone that says or thinks "oh it'll never happen to me".... WELL I am a prime example of "it'll never happen to me" and then it happens to me--- Remember when staph infections were the big scare? somewhere around 2006-2008, but I didn't get one during that time, so of course I thought "I didn't get one, it'll never happen to me" the scare was over and they weren't a big threat, then guess who got a staph infection right before being hospitalized?!---I was hospitalized and almost lost my life to an illness that is mostly in adults. No warning, no reason, just kind of happened--- I never thought I would be in a car accident that severely injured me, but I was and had 3 more--- SO am I worried about getting sick with COVID-19 even when people make comments to me saying "you're young" or "pregnant ladies aren't really effected" or "the baby won't be effected" etc...? YES. I am worried.

• I’m almost 25, so I’m young, but I’m also pregnant. One this COVID-19 targets is your respiratory system and, as many of you know, I don’t have a good history with my lungs. In 2010 I was hospitalized for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and 3 years later was in a car accident that punctured a lung. My lungs have taken a beating and are scarred. Even if they are back to normal now or strong, I can’t help but always have a fear in the back of my mind that my lungs will give out on me again.

• Although I haven’t heard much evidence about the unborn baby being effected, remember, if I get sick, there’s not much I can do or medications I can take to relieve symptoms without adding risk to the baby.

• I am definitely frustrated that people are not taking the “stay at home” serious because the sooner people actually listen, the sooner we can stop the spread, and things can go back to normal. The less I have to worry about whether or not my family can hold my baby boy when he’s born, the less I have to worry about my newborns health and safety. I’ll have hope that my family can visit us in the hospital when the baby’s born, so YES I’m frustrated that people are not listening

Tips on staying calm and surviving pregnancy and pandemic

• Online ordering!! I'll do target online orders or amazon orders. Target has a drive up option for picking up order, or I'll send Dave to pick up orders. We do live in the city, so I'm usually worried about having packages delivered, but now that someone is always here, we'll be here for deliveries instead of leaving them on our stoop & risking them being stollen.

  • Stress is not good for the baby, so minimizing any stress is important

  • While pregnant during this pandemic, focus on being proactive and not reactive. Focus on preventative measures (the easy part- STAYING HOME AND KEEPING CLEAN/SANITIZED) so you don’t have to worry about taking medications while pregnant, risk going to the doctor or hospital with other sick patients, add any extra stress, and be constantly worrying about if your baby is okay (I already feel like you can tell me my baby is healthy & everything is great, but I won’t believe it until my boy is in my arms)

  • Don’t stress out about what you can’t control--- You can only control you and your actions, so do what you need to do to stay healthy and safe--- Do your part & stay home even when other's are not

  • Take this quarantine period SERIOUSLY. Don’t cave to other people’s opinions if they don’t think it’s a big deal or still going out in large groups. You’re now building a family and it’s not just about you. IT’S NOT WORTH THE RISK