If you’re pregnant, you may be wondering how to prepare for having a new child during a pandemic. While this may be an uncommon occurrence, the pandemic has brought to light unique challenges that women face when conceiving a child. For many women, having a new child during an epidemic forces them to re-evaluate their family values. The following article will outline a few tips to make the transition easier for you and your child.
Choosing to have a child during a pandemic
The global baby bust is not only making it harder for women to conceive a child, but it has also made them reconsider their own values and commitments to parenthood. Despite the initial projections of an impending baby boom, a global pandemic has forced women to rethink their beliefs about childbearing and reassess their personal priorities. The results of the poll show that one in four women have put off having a baby because of financial concerns, while three quarters have delayed or reconsidered having a child.
A recent Gutmacher Institute survey of 2,000 women found that 40% of them had changed their plans to have children because of the virus. One-third had changed their plans to have fewer children or delay pregnancy. While this is concerning news for many couples, it is not unprecedented. The pandemic and its associated problems are not new. In fact, climate change has also spurred existential crises.
Effects of prenatal stress on children
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a worldwide traumatic experience affecting several sensitive time windows, including the first trimester of pregnancy. Stress associated with the pandemic can affect the mothers’ psychosocial health, their environment as caregivers, and the mother-infant bond. In this study, we explored the effects of prenatal stress on children during a pandemic. A total of 163 mother-infant dyads were enrolled in the study.
Researchers from the University of Calgary are interested in whether the stress of the pandemic affects the development of children before birth. They recently surveyed more than 8,000 women in Calgary, Canada, during a pandemic. They found that nearly half of the women reported some level of depression and anxiety symptoms. These levels were significantly higher than the number of women who reported these symptoms during the non-pandemic years.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a new source of prenatal stress and has unique implications for pregnant women and those preparing to give birth. Women expressed concern about possible transmission of the virus to their baby while bonding with their newborns. Moreover, women who had prenatal anxiety reported higher odds of having behavioral difficulties than those who had no symptoms. While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an increased level of maternal anxiety during pregnancy, these findings are still unclear.
During the pandemic, women reported significant changes in their prenatal care, childcare arrangements, and postpartum experiences. Stress-related anxiety increased in pregnant women during the early phases, leading to depression and other psychological effects. Socioeconomic status and limited English proficiency were also factors associated with the increased burden of stress experienced by pregnant women. Therefore, targeted interventions would be beneficial in alleviating this mental health burden on mothers.
Minimizing playdates
While schools and extracurricular activities are closed and children aren’t allowed out for the day because of the pandemic, play dates are still essential for children’s social development and growth. Parents might be wondering if playdates will be safe once the schools reopen. But while the COVID-2019 pandemic has been declared a “serious” situation, there are a few things you can do to minimize the risk.
First, minimize your exposure to new kids. Having one parent at home is best, but not everyone can stay home all the time. Make sure you wash your hands frequently throughout the day, and especially before eating. Also, limit playdates to children you’ve already socialized with during the pandemic. If you aren’t able to limit the number of playdates, consider having virtual playdates with kids who live close to your house.
