I did not sign up to this **selfish rant alert**

[Notthissticky]

Warning: this is a selfish rant about the unfairness of COVID. Please don't read it if you've been strongly affected by COVID or its economic impact. I am posting this on an anonymous forum for a reason.

I have a 2.5 yo and a 2 month old baby. The only family who have met the baby are the in-laws who looked after the toddler when I was in hospital. On Tuesday night, the baby spent a rather unnecessary night in hospital. I had both kids alone yesterday. The toddler started coughing so we've done a test. It's been 24 hours but no results yet, meaning another day shut in the house with two small children, when it was supposed to be me and the baby. All because a 2 year old has a cold.

I haven't seen my parents since July, I have a 5 month old niece I've never met and haven't seen my siblings since Christmas 2019, because our freedom-loving government has made it illegal for me to travel abroad to visit them. There isn't a single baby group running or in fact anything to do to make life enjoyable, rather than just an existence that needs to be borne.

I am absolutely not against taking precautions to prevent COVID spreading and am following the rules as much/ little as the next person. Looking at the situation from a distance though, the simple fact is that I only know a handful of people who've had COVID, none of whom have been hospitalised, let alone died. Meanwhile, this pandemic has cost me an awful lot emotionally. I fully realise I am extremely fortunate compared to many, but it just feels unfair and I am so so done with it. When will we reach the point where the impact of the inevitable mental health crisis that is developing begins to outweigh the risks of COVID? Rant over.

Eurgh @lynsey91 many of us who have had babies in all this got pregnant before COVID existed! Also a friend of mine who is an ICU doctor and looked after COVID patients in the first wave got pregnant last summer - clearly no brain eh?!

OP I have an 8 month old, and I’ve socialised her as much as possible. It’s more important that she has that development.

Also baby clubs start up from April 12th - so hopefully you can get her enrolled onto some.

The way new mothers have been treated during in all this is a disgrace. I spent much of my daughters birth on my own because it was induction and she hasn’t been weighed since she was two weeks old.

I hear you loud and clear. And it is disproportionally much harder for women who have children.
If men had to stay home day in day out and juggle childcare of toddler and baby and work and domestic duties and everything else in life - then the ‘rules’ would change pretty quickly, I’m sure.
Hang in there x

It is tough having young kids OP, let alone during a pandemic.

Rant away.

I'm sorry, OP. Hoping things start to slowly open up and improve for all of us, very soon.

@lynsey91

You chose to get pregnant during lockdown. If you didn't have the sense to even think for one minute that this would go on for ages more fool you.

I honestly cannot believe anyone with a brain would get pregnant while all this is going on with no idea when it will end.

THIS on a forum for mums to come and share their experiences and get support, is vile. You should be ashamed of yourself and try remembering that we are all doing the best we can. I've seen some harsh posts on Mumsnet in my time but this is awful.

And OP, I think you sound lovely. I have a 6 month old baby and it's tough this all has to get better and once it does we will get the time with our babies/children/families that we deserve.

How edgy @lynsey91 is 😂😂

I’m in almost exactly the same position as you and I completely understand. Recently it’s really been making me feel utterly despondent after being so stoic through everything. I don’t have anything else to say as I just don’t have the words, but I know how you feel. Hugs for you x

This virus is totally indiscriminate. Because it's a virus

FFS, it’s like those scaremongering radio ads from Lockdown #1. The virus absolutely does discriminate, and younger people are far, far less affected than the elderly. Which is a big reason why, a year in, many people’s altruism is starting to wear thin.

"For years, British people have bragged about how their forebears coped in a war that most of them are not old enough to remember." Well, I never did that, so am I allowed my feelings, or not?

Some MNers are beyond obtuse. You are not a robot, you are human. It’s possible to understand why we are in lockdown (and agree with it!) whilst struggling with the practical and emotional impact of it. I get it, I really do. Of course some people have it worse. That doesn’t negate your experience.

On particularly hard days, I remind myself that pandemics end and things are looking better for the summer months. You are not alone. Reach out, many others can empathise and support you. Try to filter out all the rubbish from some people.

@pucelleauxblanchesmains

"For years, British people have bragged about how their forebears coped in a war that most of them are not old enough to remember." Well, I never did that, so am I allowed my feelings, or not?

😁 I literally know no one who brings up the war, ever.

[quote Wellbythebloodyhell]@MmeLaraque you are actually vile [/quote]
Really?

Go on... so talking young folks down from suicide is vile?

Go on, Ms Ignorance... *why am I "vile" in your considered, and educated opinion?

OP I feel you. I did the follow the rules but don’t now. We are seeing both families, seeing friends, having people over. We are all 100 x happier. We are also all vaccinated (mostly HCP). Living for wider society- did it for 9 months. My priority now is my family #sorrynotsorry.

I really feel for anyone with a new baby especially, as well as young children in general. It's not selfish, it's tough not having support.

It's been shit.
My sympathies with you op. I would have cracked up when mine were small as well. It was bad enough without a pandemic in the mix
I hope things look up soon.

The ignorance and stupidity in here is quite shocking.

"I don't know anyone who has, or died from covid"

That's ignorance for you. "I don't know anyone who has or died from covid. Lucky you. Ignorance personified.

go on.. so talking young people down from suicide is vile?

In what world did your dismissive response to OP and others feelings about struggling with the restrictions have anything at all to do with talking young ones down from suicide? I hope in all seriousness you are not in anyway responsible for bringing young ones back from the brink of suicide...do you just tell them to get a grip and get over themselves in a similar way you have done to OP

The pandemic is incredibly hard and tough on the young and people with young children. It is very sad what has happened to you and your feelings are valid and your OP is not a rant. I just hope we don’t get more of these diseases, aimed at the elderly and medically vulnerable but relatively harmless for the young and healthy. They represent a real moral dilemma for us as a society. As humans we have managed to beat nature to a certain extent with modern medicine keeping ourselves alive for longer and now we have developed a vaccine there is hope yet again.
However, if this type of disease happens again in the next 50 or so years I do wonder if the young will be sacrificed again or if moral/political attitudes will change. I guess it will depend on how much history judges the damage to the economy and mental health of the younger groups in our society.

@MmeLaraque

The ignorance and stupidity in here is quite shocking.

"I don't know anyone who has, or died from covid"

That's ignorance for you. "I don't know anyone who has or died from covid. Lucky you. Ignorance personified.

ignorance can work in many ways. Go figure 🤔

I feel your pain. I have a one year old and she screams her head off everytjme she sees someone apart from me and my husband!!!

A lot of countries are in stricter lockdowns than the UK. Is your family in such a country?

@DianaT1969

A lot of countries are in stricter lockdowns than the UK. Is your family in such a country?

Which countries are they?

@MmeLaraque

The ignorance and stupidity in here is quite shocking.

"I don't know anyone who has, or died from covid"

That's ignorance for you. "I don't know anyone who has or died from covid. Lucky you. Ignorance personified.

Stating a fact isn’t ignorance, however desperate you may be to slur the OP.

I can’t think of anyone less suitable to talk people down from suicide, except maybe @lynsey91

@Rukaya what a ridiculous thing to say. So people aren't allowed to complain, because at least no one they love has died? Setting the bar pretty high for what counts as a reasonable complaint.