Covid Baby Boom

[HedgehogPJs]

Just read an article on here suggesting there will be a Covid ‘baby boom’.
AIBU to expect the opposite?
You can’t get the vaccine while you’re pregnant or breastfeeding and they don’t recommend getting pregnant within 2 months of getting the second dose... so I would expect a drop in birth rates if anything?
What do you all think?

Well, it absolutely boggles my mind that people are purposely choosing to get pregnant during a pandemic knowing their maternity care must be compromised, so basically I don’t think people really think about it other than...they want a baby right now.

I think the people who are likely to be getting pregnant are also the people way way down on the vaccine list so I dont think that would impact on a baby boom as such but I'm not sure whether there'll be one or not🤷‍♀️

If there's a boom, I'd expect the conceptions to have happened earlier in the year, well before any vaccine guidelines were released.

The guidelines may persuade some people to postpone having a baby, but many won't have heard about the guidelines, won't think it matters, or will conceive accidentally.

@Michaelbaubles - not all of us have the advantage of youth on our sides. For some people this next year or two may be the last chance to have a baby.

From what I've seen there's an influx of babies due soon. So rather than people planning babies, could it be that they've already been conceived??

Most of childbearing age are low risk of covid, so will be low down on the immunisation priority list. Meaning they wouldn't have to worry about conception during or after the vaccine program if they were already pregnant. I guess there may be a dip in birthrate for a few months next year, as a direct response to the advice to wait 2months after.

Only a small number of babies are actually planned, the vast majority aren't. The boom is from lockdown and people having more sex as they can't go out.

I think the guidance had changed now re the vaccination and breastfeeding/ttc/pregnancy

Cant thinks he worse atm for me.

Maybe a bit. And if it goes on things could change.

Bt in my area, there hasn't been so far. Apparently however abortion rates are going through the roof.

They've just changed the rules about breastfeeding a few days ago and will now be offering it to breastfeeding mums when they hit the top of the list.

Anecdotally, I struggled to get an appointment to remove my contraception back in may so that delayed us a bit. I imagine similar appointments and fertility treatments were also delayed. Of course it's also possible that people couldn't get contraception / abortion appointments so pushed the numbers in the other direction

Many babies are not planned.

Contraceptive services were reduced or cancelled in many areas.

Some people may have been trying for a long time.

Others initially delayed but then realised that this might go on for a very long time so they decided to have a baby anyway.

But mostly, why the hell would you judge a person's train for having a baby?

I’m a midwife (although not shop floor very often now) and my colleagues are exhausted. Anecdotally they feel like the usual September rush started early and hasn’t finished. They’re on their knees.

I think there's more likely to be a rise in births from now really and onwards. People has nothing to do from March last year in some cases, so what did they do instead?

YANBU Cannot think of a worse time. My 20 year old cousin had a baby in June and is already pregnant again she said she doesn't care she wants her kids to be close in age.

I’d love more but for practical reasons such as age it’s a no go. Also have enough already considering

But this pandemic has totally squashed desires

Seems like the antidote to a boom to me!

I'm contemplating trying for a second because my husband is 41 and our son is almost 5. Time is not on our side and it feels very "now or never".

But, it also feels really irresponsible during a pandemic!

I think this is a personal thing, I'm currently pregnant through choice. Our reasons being, we're not getting any younger, we had already decided to try for a 2021 baby before covid became a problem and covid isn't going to go away.
I think if women knew what knock on effect this pandemic was going to have on care etc then yes maybe some would of held off, but no one anticipated this from the beginning.

Having said that, I have spoken to other women who gave birth in the middle of the first wave and although scary because they couldn't have their partners there, the care went above and beyond.

@stopchewingeverything

Only a small number of babies are actually planned, the vast majority aren't. The boom is from lockdown and people having more sex as they can't go out.

This.

I must admit, unless I felt I was racing against my biological clock to conceive (or it was an accident), I absolutely would not be getting pregnant this year. I wouldn’t judge someone else though - it’s a very personal decision.

Not all of us have time on our side. The next two years are my last so im going to have to ttc at some point soon which means no vaccination for me for a long while. If I was in my 20's or early 30's i'd be holding off til 2022.

Contraceptive services in my area were one of the first to be stopped in the first wave. Massive increase in pregnancies, including myself. I had a coil appointment booked but it got cancelled.
However there hasn't been much of an effect on the local maternity services, aside from partners not really being involved.

@HedgehogPJs

Just read an article on here suggesting there will be a Covid ‘baby boom’. AIBU to expect the opposite? You can’t get the vaccine while you’re pregnant or breastfeeding and they don’t recommend getting pregnant within 2 months of getting the second dose... so I would expect a drop in birth rates if anything? What do you all think?

The article on MN definitely talks about a boom early next year, so babies conceived in the early stages of lockdown and soon after, not now.

My friends are mostly the wrong demographic. Although I have 2 pregnant colleagues. I think they were trying for a while though, rather than just bored during Covid.

I think there is also a separation and divorce boom going on. I can think of loads of couples who have split up.

I know a few women due soon, babies conceived early in the pandemic. In all cases age is a big factor so I understand why they’ve chosen to go ahead and that’s the polite version I say in public if asked.

In general if you have time to spare it doesn’t seem a good time, though I understand why some people choose to go ahead.