Pregnant in a pandemic
September 2019 I found out that I was pregnant and all of my dreams were coming true. Looking down at those two lines on the test instantly filled me with the usual nerves mixed with excitement. However, little did I know how this pregnancy would be so different to what I had imagined.
It wasn’t until I was due to make the final plans for my baby shower in April 2020, when Boris announced that hospitality would be closing and my dream venue contacted me to say that my event couldn’t go ahead. I cried in my bed cradling my bump. At the time , to a hormonal preggo lady , it was devastating. I was just so excited to have a room full of all of my loved ones to celebrate our baby .. & yet I found myself in my last months of pregnancy having to make the most (like everyone else) of the time alone with my bump. Thank god for face time , WhatsApp and all social media !
It did send me a little bit crazy at times and as we didn’t know too much at the time about Covid , we were too worried to let me join in on the food shop. So the highlights of my end of pregnancy were walking to Tesco with my partner and waiting outside. Not what I ever imagined. But hey , the weather was good that spring.
Despite everything being constantly up in the air and news on what different hospitals allowed were changing everyday , I managed to keep calm and carry on. The best way I feel. It served me well to have this attitude ; as soon as I realised that this pandemic was out of mine and everyone’s control , it really was all about making the most of the situation. My baby shower ended up consisting of just me and my boyfriend indoors with a balloon arch made by me (which took all of my energy 😝) and lots of sweets and hot cross buns. It was honestly perfect. I’d never felt so grateful and fulfilled to just be healthy and happy with a healthy little blessing soon to join us. And shout out to all the key workers , especially the delivery men which delivered baby shower gifts from loved ones. I felt very special.
When it got closer and closer to thinking how on earth am I going to get this baby out of me , I learned that I would be doing most of it alone without the support of my partner and again, for the sake of not stressing and getting upset over what was out of my control, I got on with it and I felt some superpower take over me. I kept reminding myself that women are made to birth babies & what use is the man anyways at this point! 😝 It wasn’t until I was rubbing my own back in hospital crying to myself that I realised how truly amazing women are. I was having contractions which weren’t classed as active labour just yet and so I had a long period of time with myself , my meditations and my own back rubbing before my boyfriend would join me in active labour.
Looking back , it was quite nice to be in hospital without the news and TV talking about corona virus constantly. There was no talk about the virus in my labour room & it felt like we were all just in this beautiful baby bubble. The NHS are truly outstanding. I’ve never clapped so hard than when I did every Thursday night for them. (And even harder after they delivered my baby safely ).
Once my baby boy arrived into this crazy world - it made lockdown a
Great one. It was honestly so perfect to have the stillness and quiet moments to get used to becoming a new family of 3. I didn’t need to worry about being hospitable to guests - or sharing the baby cuddles with anyone but us. It was honestly so perfect. In some sense - it is a great time to have a baby as you have so much time to adjust and learn the ropes. I will definitely miss the slowness that the pandemic has brought to our lives. Although, I cannot wait to properly wet the babies head with my girl friends!
I believe that there are always positives to every situation and I believe everything happens for a reason. If you’re going through pregnancy right now - due soon - or are yourself a mum to a lockdown baby already - then stop thinking of the what ifs and what you think you’re missing out on and instead make the most of this precious time with this new precious bundle of joy. It is especially true when people tell you that it goes so fast as my lockdown baby is 1 this May and it’s flown even in lockdown!
You’re amazing! All women are absolute superheroes and this pandemic has shown we are capable of anything ! 💪🏼
WOW - such an incredible journey for Lucy, thank you so much for sharing this with us!
