PREGNANT DURING t h e
PANDEMIC
Pregnancy during the time of COVID-19 looks pretty different. Here’s what you can do to make your experience go as smoothly as possible. WORDS BY RACHAEL DUPREE
Masks. Telehealth appointments. Cancelled birth classes. Forced isolation. For mothers preparing to give birth in the year 2020, things have looked a lot different than they did not all that long ago. The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has turned the birthing experience upside down, filling what would normally be an exciting, joyous time with anxiety and uncertainty. Jennifer Brilliant of Indianapolis — who was 30 weeks pregnant with her third child when we talked in May, just as coronavirus restrictions were beginning to lift across the country — had complications with her first two pregnancies. “A lot of me felt like this was a chance at a normal pregnancy, and I quickly realized that wasn’t going to be the case,” she says.
Brilliant’s feelings of uncertainty are not unique to pregnant mothers during this pandemic. On one hand, quarantine restrictions have provided time for extra rest and preparation for baby, while at the same time throwing in new hurdles to pioneer. Perhaps one of the hardest things about pregnancy during the time of COVID-19 has been not knowing what to expect day-to-day. With government guidelines and hospital policies changing seemingly every day in response to the mysterious and unpredictable disease, pregnant mothers have had difficulty making solid plans for their prenatal care and birth.
So Let’s Get Talking Now more than ever, communication between you and your care provider and support team — along with a healthy dose of flexibility — is critical. With the conversation changing every day, here are some things you should consider discussing with your partner and birth team as you prepare for birthing day.
PRENATAL CARE Early on in the pandemic, before testing was available, she got sick. “It was scary, because they didn’t do an ultrasound or flu swab,” she says. “I felt like I was on an island, and I was worried about the level of care that would be available.”
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INDYSCHILD.COM I July 2020
Many care providers are adjusting their office spaces and schedules to minimize the risk of disease spread. You may be asked to space out your in-person appointments or do appointments that don’t require lab work via telehealth. During the most restricted times, partners haven’t been
