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Original poster

Covid Baby Boom

153 replies

HedgehogPJs · 01/01/2021 17:16

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?

OP posts:
AnneTwackie · 01/01/2021 20:07

I think it’s evened out- there’s less one night stand pregnancies and less from those who can wait, some people (like me) have no time to waste and all the family time has reminded me what a good dad my partner is. Actually the pandemic has been great for me being pregnant; my husband is wfh so around more to help out, I haven’t missed out on anything social and I had a lovely long summer break to deal with morning sickness.

PeppaPigMakesMeGrrrrr · 01/01/2021 20:15

Mrs Hinch announced her pregnancy this evening too. Not really breaking news but this thread reminded me of it. Good luck to everyone for a safe and happy pregnancy and birth.

stairway · 01/01/2021 20:25

I’m due my 4th baby this spring, I’m avoiding telling people due to the judgement. However he was conceived during the late summer when things seemed to be getting better. If everyone waited until after the pandemic then logically wouldn’t maternity services be even more over run? Like the post war baby boom. Better for things to continue as normal. I also worry that maternity rights and even healthcare rights will change dramatically soon do its best to use the nhs until it really does go bankrupt.

PatMustardsBigTool · 01/01/2021 20:26

@Starlightstarbright1

I did read a Meme that the baby boom would not be caused by parents homeschooling 🤣
And that's why I conceived at the start of the school summer holidays at the end of July Wink homeschool was done by then - what a relief Grin
2020quelhorreur · 01/01/2021 20:35

It’s a great time to be pregnant, tbh. Last night, I was asleep by 10pm, and normally I’d have either been missing out or trying to push myself to have fun. Nothing to do except chill at home - it’s fine. I assumed it would be over by the time the baby is due (May) and still fairly confident it will be largely under control by then. It is second child though, and not sure I’d have been so chilled about it with first one.

Emeeno1 · 01/01/2021 20:45

Dear Stairway, please don't let others judgement delay what should be a joyous event for you. It is their loss.

Each one of these unborn babies is a beautiful bundle of hope.

Don't let the bastards get you down.

Turtletortle · 01/01/2021 20:45

I fell pregnant in January and we went into lockdown 1 just before my first scan, I did 12 & 20 week scan alone as well as midwife appointments. We did have a private scan at 21 so my husband could see the baby & we found out the gender together.

Luckily for me, my hospital trust started allowing partners to scans when I was around 28 weeks so when growth scans came up, he was able to come to one.

But tbh on the whole I enjoyed being pregnant in lockdown! Granted it’s my first baby so going to scans alone was ‘normal’ to me as I’d never been to one with my husband. The birth was brilliant and we felt well looked after, husband couldn’t leave the room but that worked in my favour really, and they fed him! Gave birth two days before lockdown 2 which meant we didn’t have the world and their dog asking to come visit so that saved a bit pressure and allowed us to literally just be in our ‘bubble’ for a few weeks.
Plus during my actual pregnancy I was working from home, ideal for lunchtime naps & for not having to buy loads of maternity clothes for work, no commuting etc, I think it made it more relaxing for me. I’ve also got two friends who got pregnant maybe a week or two before lockdown so they’ve had the same positives from pregnancy as me, both gave birth in December and couldn’t fault the care either.

I do realise it’s completely anecdotal but my experience wouldn’t put me off having another baby in another pandemic anyway!

MargosKaftan · 01/01/2021 20:54

If you've already got dcs and lockdown meant juggling work and homeschooling and entertaining dcs at home, then I can see the idea of trying for a baby insane.

However, if you didn't have dcs already - then once you'd finished your work for the day, how much else was there to do? I mean, if you dont have kids, a clean house stays pretty clean, watching Tiger King only took up a few evenings, the NHS clapping evening was only once a week and not everyone likes banana bread... if you've got lots of couples bored at home, there will be additional babies born 9 months later.

I'm sure I read somewhere the majority of babies born in the UK weren't planned. Planning a pandemic baby is something different to finding you are pregnant and then being very happy about it.

MargosKaftan · 01/01/2021 20:56

Oh yes and wasn't there a baby boom in New York in the 80s, 9 months after a series of power cuts? Bored people find sex entertaining, sex leads to babies, this isn't shocking, surely?

seven201 · 01/01/2021 21:10

I've been ttc for 3 years (inc ivf) and I'm late 30s. There no way I'm delaying. Well actually, if I'm offered the vaccine I'd consider delaying for two months between ivf rounds.

WarrickDavisAsPlates · 01/01/2021 21:10

I'm currently pregnant (almost 12 weeks) with our third child and I definitely am concerned about people's reactions once we start telling everyone.

I'm aware it's not an ideal time to have another baby but with ds taking 4 years and a late miscarriage to conceive we thought we'd get trying as soon as we could and maybe he'd have a younger sibling around the time he starts school. Lucky for us it happened first time so they'll actually only be 2 years (25 months) between them.

Everyone I know who is having a "lock down baby" were couples that tried for a long time and just were not prepared to put that on hold indefinitely.

Also from a personal perspective, dhs work has been doing reduced hours so he's only working 9-5 every weekday instead of long shifts and weekends, he's spent so much more quality time with me and the kids I really think it's helped us a couple. So far my maternity care has been the same as previous pregnancy's with the exception of no partners at the scan, I am very anxious about this but DH couldn't always come with me to scans before so it won't be the first time.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for good news at the scan and hoping that people won't judge me too harshly for having not only a third baby but a pandemic baby.

seven201 · 01/01/2021 21:12

I should add that being at home definitely hasn't increased either of our sex drives. We're slightly fed up of each other! I do have a friend who is due this month after accidentally conceiving her third at the start of lockdown.

PinkSpring · 01/01/2021 21:13

I personally wouldn't want to be pregnant at the moment. Obviously not everyone wants to put TTC on hold and some babies aren't planned.

One of my neighbours is currently five/six months pregnant (planned) and has complained constantly about the lack of maternity care she has received Hmm I am not sure what she was expecting to be honest!

Another neighbour gave birth in October (so conceived before the pandemic) and was really upset again about the lack of maternity care and also feels the birth experienced was tainted.

Candycane2020 · 01/01/2021 21:16

I’m pregnant and it is a happy accident. We were not having any extra sex in lockdown (both working FT - one critical worker - and with children being homeschooled. We were not trying but not preventing for several years. Maternity care has been fine and I have liked the female only waiting rooms for scans. I did think the worst of the pandemic would be over before the baby is born. She’s due in March but I don’t think it’ll be over by then.

EThreepwood · 01/01/2021 21:18

I conceived in May took 9 months. I am more of life's risk takers than putting things off. I'm due Feb but it's looking more Jan C-section.

I honestly thought there was going to be a baby bust before this thread. I've had exceptional care compared to my first baby in 2010. I've joked with people that it must be a really quiet time for the maternity department with all the scans and tests they are doing... And I've meant it.
The ultrasound ward is usually dead quiet and with a breech/polyhydramos baby I've been there a lot. The DAU had one other patient in the whole time I was a day patient.
Only on consultant days (Certain day of the week) has it been crazy because you have all of us having more in depth scans and MGTT tests.
I'm more reassured about my care in 2010.

So this who have said we are selfish or stupid. How are you finding the maternity services at the moment?

Plummer88 · 01/01/2021 21:20

I work in a hospital and yes - we are already seeing a baby boom! All will have been conceived end of March/beginning of April in the first lock down.

cushioncovers · 01/01/2021 21:22

I work in a lab that deals with blood samples from pregnant women and we have seen a massive increase in the number of samples. What's interesting is the increase in the number of samples coming in of women in their 40's

PolkadotsAndCandyfloss · 01/01/2021 21:26

Lots of people I know have recently announced pregnancies due in spring/summer next year, so it seems true to me that there will be a boom, but it might just be that I’ve reached the age when people would have been having them anyway.

olderthanyouthink · 01/01/2021 21:28

I'm nearly 10 weeks pregnant (semi planned, I wanted to put a pin in it and the condom failed) and I'm slightly uncomfortable with the appointment scheduled because it feels so much less than with DD but it's not that bad because I'm a FTM. I also had a BBA without DP in the room so I didn't get an "ideal" birth in normal times (I know there's no such thing) and now I know I "can do it"

I didn't want an august baby but now I'm kinda glad I'm due in the better part of the year for the pandemic, if I'd conceived when I wanted I'd have had a baby around the somewhere between second lockdown and tier 4 which is definitely not fun, plus there have been two (non Covid) deaths in that time which has been awful.

CakeRequired · 01/01/2021 21:41

One of my neighbours is currently five/six months pregnant (planned) and has complained constantly about the lack of maternity care she has received hmm I am not sure what she was expecting to be honest!

See that I don't get. Have kids if you want them, fair enough but if you're having one in the middle of a pandemic, knowing that they have cut serviced in the NHS massively, why then complain about it? You knew. Hmm

I don't agree with the services being cut to be honest either. Pregnancy tends to need a fair amount of care, and it's not fair to be excluding the father. A couple generally lives together too, if you are meeting one of them, they are both likely to have a disease being carried so why not just meet both. Never made much sense. But still, people knew this was happening. It wasn't a surprise.

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 01/01/2021 21:46

but if you're having one in the middle of a pandemic, knowing that they have cut serviced in the NHS massively, why then complain about it? You knew

I know, so much moaning about things being closed, not being able to see family and show baby off, little to do social wise. All known things since March,

Hardbackwriter · 01/01/2021 21:48

See that I don't get. Have kids if you want them, fair enough but if you're having one in the middle of a pandemic, knowing that they have cut serviced in the NHS massively, why then complain about it? You knew. hmm

It's obviously area-specific and I wouldn't have complained if they had been cut, but actually where I am the service hasn't been cut at all and has been excellent. As I said upthread, it's been much better than the care I got in a different area in 2018; comparing the two I now feel like maybe I should have complained about that!

Hardbackwriter · 01/01/2021 21:59

I know, so much moaning about things being closed, not being able to see family and show baby off, little to do social wise. All known things since March

I don't know if I think that's totally fair, though - I don't think it was clear in March that life would be like this now (though it also definitely wasn't clear it wouldn't be). And I guess it's also separating out the fact that things are objectively shitty and whether they're shittier for being pregnant. There are loads of things I hate about the current situation and I have struggled mentally in the last few months, but none of it would be any better if I weren't pregnant.

grandmasterstitch · 01/01/2021 22:01

I'm pregnant by choice. Admittedly we started when we did because we expected it to take a lot longer than one month. I haven't found my maternity care lacking, I've had 3 scans since the start of December and have 3 more booked over the next 3 months, but I know lots of people haven't had face to face MW appointments and have been badly let down so I think I'm lucky. I'm very hopeful that by spring things will be easing up and I won't be locked down the whole of my maternity leave

Covidwoes · 01/01/2021 22:03

I'm due DC 2 in less than 2 weeks. We weren't actively trying, but we weren't preventing. Age isn't on our side unfortunately!