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Original poster

Coronavirus and 7 months pregnant

177 replies

Jrobhatch29 · 24/02/2020 05:36

Help.
Im in a complete panic about coronavirus. Im 7 months pregnant and also have a 7 year old and a 4 year old.
Im absolutely terrified of the coronavirus spreading in the uk, to the point I am having constant panic attacks and refreshing the news every 10 mins. Im so scared for my baby and my children.
Am i blowing this totally out of proportion?

OP posts:
Original poster
Jrobhatch29 · 27/02/2020 06:36

Its just an awful situation especially when you have young children. We are supposed to be going to buy our pram at the weekend and in my head i think whats the point if this kicks off i wont be pushing her around anywhere

OP posts:
muddypuddles12 · 27/02/2020 06:46

With all due respect, reading quickly through all your posts is absolutely astonishing. The issue actually has 0 to do with coronavirus, all that the recent happenings have done have exacerbated and already pretty nasty case of health anxiety. Clearly whatever you've been doing so far isn't working, I suggest you get an urgent appt with your GP as nobody should have to live like this, and it won't ever go away on its own. Without helping yourself, this will continue happening - if it's not coronavirus it's whatever comes next.

My DH has healthy anxiety and I know how crippling it can be (and how utterly exhausting for the partner). Please don't pass this off as rational help and seek further help.

PotteringAlong · 27/02/2020 06:53

Its just an awful situation especially when you have young children.

No, my lovely. Lots of us have young children and it’s not awful at all. It’s awful when you are unwell, as you are (NOT with Coronavirus...!).

FenellaMaxwell · 27/02/2020 07:00

I have young children. I work for the NHS and I’m in a hospital every day, in fact I work in one where we’ve actually had a coronavirus case. I’m not worried. There have been multiple newborns who caught coronavirus in China and they were all fine. The labour ward isn’t going to suddenly not be staffed - the vast, vast majority of midwifes are not nurses, so they aren’t going to get pulled away even if there is an outbreak of coronavirus.

The thing that is going to be dreadful for your family is your anxiety and that’s what you need to focus on - children pick up on these things so easily, and if you’re spending every 2 minutes obsessively refreshing the news then who is spending time with them....?

Wolfiefan · 27/02/2020 07:34

It would be a total overreaction to never take your baby out at all due to 8 children in Italy having been diagnosed with a virus.
Please seek help for the anxiety.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 27/02/2020 08:14

I have a 6 year old and I'm still not particularly worried.

In the UK it's not even near the level of the swine flu pandemic yet and a vaccination was developed quickly for that.

Aridane · 27/02/2020 11:05

Keep going to therapy as that's the only thing that is going to help you.

And / or (pregnancy safe) anti anxiety medication

Aridane · 27/02/2020 11:06

Its just an awful situation especially when you have young children.

^No, my lovely. Lots of us have young children and it’s not
awful at all. It’s awful when you are unwell, as you are (NOT with Coronavirus...!).^

THIS!

AlandAnna · 27/02/2020 11:08

Bless you, I have health anxiety as well so totally sympathise. The constant news isn’t healthy.

SpeedofaSloth · 27/02/2020 11:15

Nearly all hospitals in the UK have not had a patient with confirmed covid-19 on their premises. Most hospitals will have tested some people who might have had it, but who actually have tested negative.
All hospitals are making plans for dealing with a pandemic outbreak, usually based on existing plans for pandemic flu (as written up in the Guardian this morning).
Maternity services are always included in those plans, not least because flu can be a real problem during pregnancy.
Flowers OP, it's rotten to be feeling so scared, but things aren't so bad at the moment, I don't think.

Limpshade · 27/02/2020 11:28

I live in Singapore with a 3yo and a 1yo.

You asked about recovery numbers? Well here in Singapore we have 90+ cases but more than 60 of those have already been discharged from hospital. Of those still in hospital, only seven can be described as being in a critical condition. Zero deaths. In a population of 5,612,000.

With every kindness, you are overreacting. It's sensible to be cautious, worried even - these feelings are instincts we were built with that are designed to keep us safe when an unknown threat emerges - but constant panic attacks? I'm sure you yourself know that's an extreme reaction, even for someone who is also pregnant and therefore has a naturally heightened sense of fear. Please continue to seek help. It's important that you keep calm and level-headed for your eldest child as well as yourself and the baby.
.

NoMorePoliticsPlease · 27/02/2020 11:29

The most important thing is to stop reading any of the news bulletins. It will feed you anxiety

Fairylights2021 · 27/02/2020 13:52

I think it’s an unsettling and uncertain time which is especially hard if you have health anxiety too. I don’t think you’re unreasonable being worried about it but being worried to the point of having panic attacks isn’t good for you. I read an article the other day all about Coronavirus talking about how an initial heightened and early anxiety response to such an event isn’t a bad thing as it almost like a practice run for if things get more serious and that people who have already gone through this response are often calmer if the anticipated crisis does hit. However it stressed that it becomes an issue if you remain in a heightened state of anxiety. As others have said while I understand you worrying about going to hospital for your birth every effort will be made to keep corona virus patients separate and away from maternity services. The few cases where infants have got coronavirus they’ve all recovered really well and the early studies show there are no worse effects for pregnant women. Try to focus on what you can do to calm your anxiety. Maybe stepping away from social media or just checking the news once a day. Focusing on the statistics that show that for younger people with no health issues the risks are very small. Making sure everyone in the family is taking a good multi vitamin and washes their hands well, limiting trips to soft play etc and having some extra supplies at home for peace of mind. Most of all trying to get immersed in things that have nothing to do with corona virus, reading a good book, getting out doors doing something you enjoy. You’re absolutely not being unreasonable but worrying won’t change anything so try to find ways to calm your anxiety by focusing on the things you can control. Sending you lots of love

honeychild23 · 29/02/2020 05:20

I'm 17 weeks pregnant and really worried. People have been coming into work coughing and spluttering everywhere and I think it's so selfish.

The common flu can affect pregnancy, so of cause there are implications for coronavirus. I try not to think too much about it but it's hard when it's splashed everywhere.

DropYourSword · 29/02/2020 05:43

Hey @Jrobhatch29, you have my sympathies. I suffered with awful anxiety when my son was born - having never had anxiety issues before he arrived I had always assumed anxiety was pretty much self indulgent worrying. Instead I knew my son was going to die (he’s absolutely fine). It was just anxiety, but a million and one people telling me how silly I was to suffer with anxiety wouldn’t have made the tiniest difference.
I knew something wasn’t right with how I was thinking and feeling and sought help from a fantastic GP. I needed medication to bring me back down from the ledge I was on.
I don’t know how much insight you have into how disproportionate your anxiety vs actual threat is - it sounds at least you’re aware on some level as you’re seeking assistance. I hope things improve for you soon as it’s horrendous to feel like this.

Original poster
Jrobhatch29 · 29/02/2020 07:31

@honeychild23 i knew that the first person in italy to be infected also infected his 8 month pregnant wife. I eventually found some information about her that shes fine and so is the baby. Of course thats just one case but its reassuring.
Im still terrified. I obsess over world o meter and its never off my mind. Its total fear of the unknown

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Original poster
Jrobhatch29 · 29/02/2020 07:34

I have a midwife appointment at my local doctors on thursday and really dont want to go when you keep hearintlg about stupid people turning up at their gp surgery thinking they have coronavirus

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Waxonwaxoff0 · 29/02/2020 07:36

@honeychild23 it's doubtful that coughing means they have coronavirus and some of us can't afford to stay off work with just a cough.

Comtesse · 29/02/2020 08:30

OP I think you should go to your MW appointment and explain how you are feeling about Coronavirus. Feeling like there is no point in buying a pram because of this virus is a very strong reaction. Your anxiety seems like it is spiralling right now and I think telling another medical professional would be a good idea. Flowers for you, it must be a tough time.

Wolfiefan · 29/02/2020 11:14

You need to speak to your midwife.

DrinkSangriaInThePark · 29/02/2020 11:20

I hope this doesn't sounds harsher than I mean it to, but I think you should swap your articles about Coronavirus for a few articles about the effect that stress and anxiety has on your unborn child (and existing children) and then get help from your GP fairly quickly.

Aridane · 29/02/2020 23:15

Agree with @DrinkSangriaInThePark

Original poster
Jrobhatch29 · 01/03/2020 15:10

I know that i have much more anxiety than most but do feel there is a genuine reason to be concerned. Reports say that by may the situation in the uk could be bad... Which is when i am due to have my baby. I did order my pram but felt sad doing it. I really dont think the words pregnancy and pandemic go well together

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Wolfiefan · 01/03/2020 15:33

You’re being really OTT. It’s your anxiety. Get help with that. You really don’t have this in perspective.

Original poster
Jrobhatch29 · 01/03/2020 15:50

How am i being OTT? Alot of people are worried now

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