AIBU to predict another baby boom?

[lockdowndreamer]

As couples been locked together since the end of March, is it unreasonable to predict the next baby boom coming early 2021?

[Chocolateandamaretto]

Even if we wanted a hypothetical baby (husband has had the snip so not happening) lockdown is definitely not filling me with romantic feelings! The sexiest thing I can think of right now is a hotel room to myself

[DramaAlpaca]

@Orangery1 can I suggest you start a new thread in the Conception section and someone will be along who can advise you. Anyone who sees this thread will reply to the first poster and your question will be lost. Hope you get the answer you need

[CluelessBaker]

I’m currently pregnant. There have been lots of jokes about it being a Covid baby but we conceived pre-lockdown! We actually had just decided we would hold off trying for a while to see how Covid panned out when I found out I was pregnant.

I’m lucky that where I am there have been very minimal changes to maternity services. My husband can’t come to scans, but apart from that everything is the same. My midwife is amazing, so lucky to have her.

[BritWifeinUSA]

Not in this house. It’s done done strange things this situation, but curing infertility is not one of them.

[Orangery1]

Hi Girls. I am new to Mumsnet so not familiar with the pregnancy terminology. I’m just after some advice - I have been trying to conceive since May and over the last couple days may a week at most have been feeling a little sick and have been having what I thought was periods pains. I took two pregnancy tests today as something just didn’t feel right.... both clear blue tests came back positive. My period is due next weekend! Is this a false positive? Can pregnancy tests pick hCG up so early?

[SomewhereInbetween1]

DH and I are TTC. we've had so many events postponed to next year but I have a few conditions that could impact my fertility so I'm not waiting.

[Nothingoriginalhere]

I work in healthcare and had an obstetrician as a patient, we had this chat and he said they are expecting a huge birth rate and are already seeing it in the numbers of early and 12 week scans
So yes I definitely think a baby boom is coming!

[calpolatdawn]

im pregnant with no. 3, but we had talkef about it had my coil out very beginning of March, im in my 30s so waiting around wasn't really on the cards, fell pregnant before lockdown 😳😳😳 was not expecting that.

[passthemustard]

I'm having a lockdown baby!

But it was all planned before lockdown happened, had my coil removed mid March just before all this blew up.

I did think twice in April, maybe this isn't the right time now sort of thing and actually I held off DTD as much as I would normally have when trying. I really didn't think I'd get pregnant that month. But here I am having my 12 week scan this week 🙄

[CruCru]

I think that the birth rate may fall a bit for a few months from December (9 months after lockdown started). Partly because people are less likely to have more children when things are financially precarious and partly because I think those who might have considered having adding to their existing family may think again.

It's possible that the birth rate comes back up a year or so later, provided that the economy recovers a bit.

[Honeyroar]

I have one friend just announced she’s pregnant with her second.

[FluffyKittensinabasket]

Still TTC here! Obviously the angry comments a few weeks ago about anybody TTC being “stupid and selfish” have stopped. Interesting.

[Crunchymum]

I'd predict a higher divorce rate, and I know DV is up.

[Thisismytimetoshine]

Why? Did contraception stop working during lockdown?

[1forAll74]

Maybe not, as it seems that a lot of couples have been having issues with actually being together at home for quite a while now. Some people have said that divorce rates will go up instead.

[starsinyourpies]

I am 11 weeks now but had been trying for ages and no doubt will get irritated with the 'covid baby' comments when we tell people!

[TranielleRadcliffe]

@Bumble84

I fell pregnant in the first week of lockdown after 18months trying and a referral for IVF. When I hear of people making jokes about ‘lockdown baby’ I find it incredibly hurtful. We have wanted this baby for so long and there was most definitely no ‘oops’

I imagine we will be the butt of these jokes when we announce our pregnancy but honestly it’s taken t shine off telling other people for me

I get this completely!

I announced in the first week of lockdown but I don’t want people in the future to call my DD2 a Covid Baby or a Quaranteeny! She will be a very much planned and longed for addition to our family.

I said about this in a previous thread but was told I was being ridiculous to care about what others thought.

[Thegirlhasnoname]

I remember making a joke about there being a lot of first time parents being created at the start of lockdown... and now I’m 6 weeks gone with DC2 😂

From what I can gather though, a lot of people have put it off until things are a little more certain. Once pubs are back open then maybe there will be a spike

[Alaimo]

I'm married, no kids, but have been having less sex if anything. I love my husband, but also love my independence/spending time alone. Spending 24/7 together for months at end has not exactly been my idea of fun.

[thepeopleversuswork]

Haven't we had this thread several times before?

No, I don't, in short. Being forced into lockdown with your partner is more likely to make you want to run for the hills than have sex with them. Nothing less sexy than forced cohabitation with no time to yourself.

Also people are skint and worried about their jobs, not conducive to wanting to start or extend families.

Think the divorce rate is more likely to spike than the birth rate.

[Graphista]

I think a spike in pregnancies is possible, whether that will translate into live births I'm not sure.

Women conceiving who aren't in the best of health due to either covid or unable to access regular healthcare as easily as usual may result in more mc.

Also as pps say those couples who need help to conceive will have struggled to get that support so that will delay/impact them.

May also be more abortions due to concerns about health of mother, health of foetus plus economic uncertainty.

I think a more likely time for a baby boom (a small one nothing like the post war one) will be late 2021 as people return to "normal" and are less concerned about health issues and economy (If Brexit doesn't turn out as bad as feared economically too) and are back to meeting up for casual sex too.

If anything, the divorce rate will be going up yep! Can definitely see this happening! Not just due to time spent together in lockdown but because of poor economy again which puts additional pressure on relationships.

I heard on news earlier 600,000 jobs have been lost so far and that won't be the end of it.

Most people will also be aware that welfare support is likely to be further restricted as a result of the economic impact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if this govt stepped up to a 1 child limit for children born from end of next year.

Contraception is generally speaking much more reliable than it was at the times of previous baby booms too.

[Bumble84]

I fell pregnant in the first week of lockdown after 18months trying and a referral for IVF. When I hear of people making jokes about ‘lockdown baby’ I find it incredibly hurtful. We have wanted this baby for so long and there was most definitely no ‘oops’

I imagine we will be the butt of these jokes when we announce our pregnancy but honestly it’s taken t shine off telling other people for me

[BogRollBOGOF]

I wondered this early on with reference to the 3 day weeks increasing birth rates 9 months after... but we have electricity, mobile phoned and Netflix today

No action here. Stuck in 24/7 withthe DCs and DH means I'm permanently peopled out.

[Lola871]

I found out I was pregnant a couple of weeks before lockdown, if it hadn't happened that month I think my partner and I would have put it off due to the uncertainty around covid.

I've had a few lockdown baby comments but it doesn't bother me that much. I agree that it's more likely to go the other way due to economic uncertainty, I guess we'll find out in a year's time!

[Rosebel]

I think there might be. I have seen a few fb posts saying people are pregnant. (I'm pregnant to but that was before we knew about coronovirus).
It probably depends how stable their jobs are though.