Should I try to get pregnant during the pandemic?

[BlueMediterranean]

My partner and I want to have a baby and we were thinking in start trying this summer but I´m not sure if now is the best moment as I would be worry about having to go in for hospital appointments or if there’s another peak around my due date.

I´m nearly 33 years old, I would like to have 2 kids. I know I´m not too old but I´m not too young neither and I don´t know how long it´s going to take.

BTW, I'm a teacher and social distancing is impossible.

What are your thoughts about it?

Thanks

Live your life.

I'm pregnant. I'm a teacher (not sure why that matters though, all employers have the same guidelines re covid and pregnancyin public facing roles).
Hospital appointments?! What hospital appointments!!! Community midwife appts are cancelled or over the phone currently, then 2 scans at hospital at 12w and 20w unless high risk or problems. Antenatal care really is a postcode lottery. Check out your local NHS Trust to check your local arrangements.
Getting pregnant is not always a quick thing, and pregnancy is 40w full term too. If there is a second spike, when do you think it is likely to be?!

If you want to try for a baby, do it. There will never be a right time, and something else will always crop up.

@BlueMediterranean hi there, I started a thread about postponing ttc because of covid so i understand your anxiety. I know it's a bit of a cop out answer but there are all kinds of things to consider. Obviously if you want a big family you may not be inclined to put it off much longer. The issue with having to go to hospital solo may be daunting but I believe private scan places are open so they could be opportunity for your partner to see the baby if that's a worry. I feel the same as you as the pandemic has put a spanner in the works of my plans for this year but I guess there are a lot of women who got pregnant before all this happened and who are now being faced with changed circumstances for giving birth so I guess there's no way of knowing what's around the corner... Things can (and have) changed very quickly. The world could look very different in 9 months time (but you could say that about any time in history). Is the nature of your job the biggest issue for you right now or is it the way hospital appointments are currently set up? x

Thanks for sharing your opinion

Yes, is the nature of my job the biggest issue for me right now. I teach in a secondary school.

I think I'm expose to a very high risk because, even though the school is doing its best, students are not taking social distancing seriously, I know they hang around at weekends and I can't disinfect every single thing they are touching.

I'm also feeling very anxious regarding September because lots of our students are not doing the work we set and their parents can't be bothered. I know is not my fault but how I'm going to teach these kids next year after missing so much knowledge?

I understand your concerns. I'm not a teacher so I can't speak to what things will look like with classroom teaching in Sept but friends of mine who are teachers (secondary) seem to be occupying one classroom and the kids move round throughout the day so that would limit your exposure. I don't know if that's your schools current arrangement or whether that will be the plan for September though. Unfortunately I'm not sure anyone knows.

The current guidance says that pregnant women are at no higher risk of contracting and becoming seriously ill with covid. Unless you are from a BAME background in which case you might want to proceed with more caution.

Obviously if there becomes a more generalised risk to the public in the form of a second wave then we would lockdown again (I imagine!)

X

@BlueMediterranean

Thanks for sharing your opinion

Yes, is the nature of my job the biggest issue for me right now. I teach in a secondary school.

I think I'm expose to a very high risk because, even though the school is doing its best, students are not taking social distancing seriously, I know they hang around at weekends and I can't disinfect every single thing they are touching.

I'm also feeling very anxious regarding September because lots of our students are not doing the work we set and their parents can't be bothered. I know is not my fault but how I'm going to teach these kids next year after missing so much knowledge?

It sounds more like your anxious about teaching and backfilling curriculum gaps than deciding whether now is the right time for you to start a family?

The knowledge gaps thing is going to be a nationwide question and issue in education and teaching, I don't see the relevance to deciding whether now is a good time in your life to start a family.

*you're

I'm almost 41 and pregnant. I'm really happy about it, last chance and all that, but it's not the most fun time to be pregnant. At your age I'd probably wait till the end of the year to see if they can get a better hold/ treatment/ vaccine for CV because until then the world is weird. Not because of the chance of contracting CV, but because the hospital appointments aren't back to normal. Birthing is not back to normal. Visitors just after birth not a good idea. Shopping for maternity wear and baby stuff is not exactly lounging around the shop for as long as you feel like because you can't make up your mind.