What should you know about Pregnancy and the Coronavirus? Our guest blogger, Louise, shares advice she has been given during her 2nd trimester of pregnancy.
What advice did you receive from your midwife with regards to self-isolation?
My midwife appointment was actually with someone else, a replacement midwife for the day. The person we were supposed to meet was elsewhere helping out. The midwife we spoke to seemed nice enough although the meeting felt rushed and a little impersonal. We asked about any recommendations for pregnant women and she said I should be fine. I should just continue to wash my hands. She said that I am relatively safe during the second trimester. I explained that I work in a primary school with young children but she wasn’t too concerned. I would have liked a bit more information to reassure me however I felt our time was up. It seems that we did not need to worry about being pregnant during the coronavirus crisis.
How are you filling your time on lockdown?
Hmmm, that’s a difficult one. I have written myself a structure for the day although some days that does go out the window. For example, wake up by 7.30, stay in bed and read, prenatal yoga workout then breakfast. After that, some laptop time (school work, sorting through emails, organising photos, writing blogs!), lunch, chores around the house. I aim to get out of the house every day even if it’s to walk around the garden. It’s hard some days to have structure however, I always make sure that I wash my face, put some clothes and makeup on, do a workout and get some fresh air. I also try and call my family or a friend every day.
Are you using this time to prepare anything?
Having lots of free time means I do get to throw myself into baby-related things which is quite fun. Having been donated a few pregnancy books I have plenty to read through. Being an ultra organised person, I am thinking about using coloured post-it notes to stick on the pages. Colours = themes! I am enjoying reading because I am learning a thing or two, about being pregnant, for example, setting up the baby room or things to consider when buying products and so on. It’s nice to have a break from Netflix to be honest and if the weather is good then I wrap up and sit outside.
What are you researching? Anything about pregnancy and coronavirus?
I have been researching and googling questions on a daily basis. The latest thing I’ve discovered I’m not allowed to do is sit and have my legs crossed. I am constantly doing this when fidgeting on the sofa. The reason you shouldn’t cross your legs is that it cuts off the blood supply which may cause varicose veins and can increase blood pressure. I feel better having the laptop there to research/ask questions whenever anything pops into my head.
I find I am staying on top of filling in my baby diary with how I am feeling and how things are going at home. There’s also a space for a photo which I have been taking from my pregnancy app.
James and I have begun creating a baby wishlist of things we would like ourselves to get and to offer to relatives. We actually have several on different websites but are not getting carried away!
We have been able to continue working on the house and in particular the nursery. My parents have kept my brother’s cot for me so whenever I next get to see them we may take that home and give it a good clean before setting it up. I wonder if it’s a 2 person job…We have resumed thinking about colour schemes and have looked at rugs, wall stickers, plants and more for the nursery.
Are you accessing any classes remotely? If so how is it going?
We haven’t as yet, however, the prenatal classes that we booked start at the end of June. That means we have some time before they make a decision about whether to take it online or not. It’s not really the same but it’s the next best thing.
How are you keeping active?
I have recently begun prenatal yoga workouts at home. There’s a good app that has weekly workouts linked how far along you are. I try and do this at least once a day. At the moment I am finding that my muscles ache afterwards but it’s a good ache, it’s a good feeling. I aim to get out of the house 2/3 times a week, and go walking with James around town. I put trainers making sure I keep a steady pace although I am slower and need to catch my breath more often. The first time I went out, I felt nervous as I had heard that people are walking up to others and coughing in their face. During that first walk, I noticed that even though people keep their space they smile at one another and offer a quick hello which I think is lovely. It may sound silly but I don’t want to go out by myself yet. If it’s not a walk outside day then I make sure I go out into the garden and get some large gulps of fresh air.
How do you feel about everything at the moment?
To be honest, it sucks. I miss school and the kids in my class, I miss the routine (but not the A1 in the morning), miss going to the gym and having a float in the pool. Also, I miss my friends and my family. I miss going out for a walk whenever I want to. There’s a lot that I miss and it’s frustrating being at home with so many restrictions, I do understand it’s to keep us safe and protected. A few people on social media have pointed out that on the bright side, mother nature is having a cleanse which is a lovely thought. As someone who cares for and does her bit for the environment I think this is a valid point and you can see the evidence across the world. I am very much an optimist and I really hope that things go back to normal soon, however long it takes. Not being able to see people does mean that video chats have to do but I actually really enjoy it! Every few days I am video chatting with friends, family, my niece who always wants to cook for me then read a story together which I love. It’s those moments that are special. And the moment we are free from this world crisis, I am going to hug everyone.
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