How do we prepare for baby now?

[falkor32]

Hello Everyone,

I'm 20 weeks tomorrow and I suddenly feel very overwhelmed.

I don't know how we are going to get everything ready for the baby with all this going on ... like buying baby things in shops (prams, car seats, cots etc.). I'm a first time mum and I don't know when the latest is we can leave buying baby things until?

I'm so worried about being able to buy food, we can't get any online food orders for weeks on end so my husband will have to be the one going to supermarkets. But how will this work if we're supposed to be socially distancing ourselves?

I have my 20 week scan on Thursday, I was anxious already but this is just too much. I'm so worried for my mental health. I'm sure there others out there feeling the same and suppose I'm posting this to find people to talk to about it - let's face it we've become prisoners in our own homes overnight.

I am trying to hold out hope things might improve and we won't have to do this for 12 weeks ....

I'm 29 weeks' and a ft HLTA in a huge primary school but since yesterday I have made the decision not to go in. I don't know if I'll still be paid. My eldest son's school has closed as of tomorrow.

I have had significant anxiety issues for years and this has made it far worse. I don't know how I'm going to manage mentally basically on lock down for 12 weeks.

Not helped by the fact my OH had emergency spinal surgery last week and is struggling with mobility and has a catheter in situ for at least another month.

In terms of getting ready for baby, the only thing really to do is shop online. I'd say I've done about 90% of my baby shopping that way.

It is a truly awful time but you're not alone.

Awwww, I understand. I've got a 12 week old baby. I felt overwhelmed and anxious about how much stuff I needed to buy BEFORE coronavirus so I can only imagine how you feel now.

I would say you don't need EVERYTHING before the baby is born. I wish I'd waited and bought more stuff when she was here actually. Especially clothes. Some stuff can wait and nearly everything can be bought online.

I bought pretty much everything online.

I researched a lot of what I needed using Which magazine and their app. It's a quid for the first month so you can research everything and then cancel. You can compare prams, baby monitors, baby gates etc.

Make a list of everything you need to research and buy. Grab a highlighter pen and highlight what definitely needs buying before birth.

Start with one or two items this week, something easy you can buy online. Even if it's just some blankets and sleepsuits and vests! Get them ticked off the list. This will instantly help you feel back in control.

Good luck!

Terrible time to be having a baby bless you. From the point of view too of potentially being isolated after the baby is born as well as disruption to your planning. Sending you nothing but love and luck

I am 20 weeks tomorrow too & also worrying 😫

Oh I understand I am having a c section next week and haven't been able to get any food delivery slots so will have to hope there's food on the shelves or rely on takeaways . Really hope I can breastfeed as no formula to be found! It's a weird time to have a baby.

All I can say is try and use the time at home to relax and put your feet up as hopefully things will have calmed down by the time you give birth. Surely people can't still be stockpiling in 3-4 months time!

I'm 28 weeks and my anxiety is through the roof 😢 I'm currently self isolating so it'll take me all the way to the due date and it's so lonely, I'm worried about the delivery too I just want him to stay safe inside me forever😔

@alesha01 I'm 29 weeks' and also self-isolating. I've wanted a home birth since finding out I was pregnant but not sure if that's going to be possible now.

Feeling totally fed up too.

I’m 29+4 and am feeling exactly the same. OH is currently on annual leave until the 29th and then not sure what will happen with his work, he is an engineer so can’t WAH like me. I’m avoiding supermarkets and haven’t really left the house other than in the garden since Tuesday. I don’t know if it’s overkill not to be going to my mums house, it’s her and my two younger sisters? I think I just worry if I go and get it I would blame myself but another potentially 3 months of not seeing anyone doesn’t sound fun.

I’m also sad about not being able to go shopping for baby items, I think we are just going to have to do it all online which is really sad for first time mums like us. X

Can I join? I am 28 weeks pregnant and first time mum. Was worrying anyway as I’m slightly older than most and just wanted my baby to be born as calm and healthy as possible.

Now I am awake at nights worrying about our NHS and if they’re going to be able to cope with the needs of people and beyond that what if jobs and the economy just falls over completely. We’re liable for 2 mortgages as my partner bought before we got together and now we can’t sell the flat. Hoping not to be made redundant whilst equally hoping to stay healthy. So many what if scenarios that keep running through my head

Also very sad we pregnant ladies can’t enjoy our pregnancy and have friends and families support us through the journey. I miss my friends a lot and so many social events cancelled. Just feels like we’re in limbo

I agree luckily I was impatient and bought most of the baby stuff earlier on so I don't need anything other than daft bits for me for my hospital bag, I'm worried about my mam not being able to come in the delivery with me and my partner it sounds daft but she's like my rock through all of this😢 I just hope it all goes away before baby boy makes an appearance but that ideas getting more unreal by the minute x

I’m 31 weeks and so scared about the isolation and that parents might not be able to meet baby.
I’m sad I won’t get to say goodbye to work colleagues.
I’m sad I can’t get together one last time before baby comes with friends

I am 19 weeks, first time mum and feeling the same. I wanted to wait till about 6 months to start buying things but now I'm panicking about the shops shutting.....how can I go and try out different peaks or look at nursery stuff etc.
Will my 20 week scan next week be cancelled? Will the ante natal classes I've booked be cancelled? I don't have clue what to do with a newborn!
I'm trying to stay calm but it's such a worrying time with the health concerns too

Prams not peaks

30 weeks here and also worrying. It's the unknown that's so scary. We luckily picked up our pram the other day, but have been starting to buy other bits we probably would have left until closer to the time.

Nice to talk to other people in the same situation, we will get through this 🙃

@sel2223 Hi I think your scan will go ahead but you may have to go alone. I am not sure if that guidance is official now but I had heard rumours that they were not allowing any visitors although that may just be my hospital in Scotland.

I also don’t have a clue with a new born! Same situation here, didn’t want to buy stuff early and now it will all need to be online.

28 weeks and also worrying - we've bought pretty much everything as I was too anxious to wait. Feeling sad about no baby shower, seeing friends, baby classes etc but accept these are first world problems really.

The thing that's really playing on my mind is medical care and the birth itself, really hoping they keep some degree of normality on delivery ward.

And that they are still allowing birth partners by the time I go in as have no idea how I would cope without my husband

Hi all, for context I'm 15. Got appointments to get to at a clinic and hospital next week.

So first up social distancing isn't social isolation. Send your partner's out to grab supplies. Just make sure they wash their hands when they get back home.

My regular pregnancy yoga class is live streaming their normal classes via movegb. There's classes up on YouTube as well. I did one last night and it was really nice. It was even nicer not having to cycle home afterwards!

I'm going to do the positive birth companies hypnobirthing class. It's £30 I think and you download all the bits and pieces. I'm going to start now to help keep the general anxiety down.

There's a great app called Insight Timer. It's free and has open source meditations and relaxing tunes. I use one of the nidra meditations to help me get to sleep (generalised anxiety disorder veteran here!). It's a really good free app.

I'm personally only going to buy the bare minimum of stuff anyway (we live in a small space). Admittedly it's annoying we can't go touch things like prams in stores but I'd say most people don't buy a pram or car seat until after 30 weeks anyway, just from what I've seen people on MN say anyway. So basically for a lot of us there is no rush.

and I know we're all meeting but you don't need the nursery to be ready for their delivery date, they won't be in it for months after birth anyway.

It's all going to be fine. We just need to lay low for a bit

That was meant to say 'i know we're all NESTING'. Not meeting.

I’m 31 weeks and all my midwife appointments coming up have just been cancelled with no alternatives

I’m high risk

Shit, I'm sorry to hear that.
I'm medium risk and am seeing an obstetrician next week. Do you have appointments with one of them still?

Is anyone else quite superstitious when it comes to baby’s things? I had a missed miscarriage at 12 weeks last July so I feel like I can’t have any of baby’s things out the packaging or room decs up until I go off on an mat leave at least, when I’m 36 weeks! Only thing I worry about is things being broken or missing and then not having time to replace them

I'm 31 weeks.

My mum has terminal lung cancer and lives an hr away. She was given a max expectancy of a year which takes her to August this year. I am terrified she wont get the opportunity to properly meet her grandchild as this will be her first.

@NEAKT5 I've had the baby's nursery done since I was 20 weeks and all of his things are up but I haven't got his pram at my house because I am that tiny bit superstitious haha x

@Cazzy198 I'm so sorry to hear that it must be very hard for you sending all of my love x

Such an uncertain time.

I'll tell you what I've discovered about what we needed for our baby though I wouldn't have believed it before he was born.

Friends/family will hopefully be able to give you clothes. We got loads of clothes from a friend, we bought very little. Or buy a bundle local fb selling page and wash on a really high temp. Chest of drawers for baby's clothes if you need more space

You don't need a buggy for a small baby, a sling will do.

We never put our baby in the oh so expensive Mamas and Papas cot or beautiful Moses basket or even co sleeper - he refused and slept in bed with me. Google safe bed sharing

Car seat - Yes you need one

Nappy changing - you don't need a changing table, just a mat/towel/blanket, wipes and nappies. Consider reusables if you think that'll work for you

Feeding - breast feeding cuts out the need for formula, bottles, sterilizers assuming a goes well.