Benefits of lockdown

[JKD1982]

Hi all

I know it’s hard and scary and we have no idea when it will end. But has anyone else who is pregnant seen some positives?

I’m happy my husband is home 24/7 and we can enjoy time together before our first baby arrives. Also if I need any support or go into labour early I know he’s here so I feel less lonely (he’s usually away 2 nights a week for work)

Also I am working from home so don’t need to commute and can rest during the day if I feel unwell or tired. I don’t need to make excuses not to be sociable and can just sit in the garden or on the sofa with no judgement.

Anyone for any more?

I’m liking that I can be at home at the moment because I am so tired I can’t really get through the day without a nap. I don’t know how I’d be coping if I was at work! So similar to you, really.

I completely agree. It's scary and sad times so I have to try and find whatever positives I can!!

My commute is usually 2 hours per day - I am so grateful I don't have to do that at the moment. I don't know where I would get the energy from!!

I'm 34+3 and my belly is getting bigger and bigger by the day. I am so happy I can wear leggings and baggy tshirts all day rather than the stress of buying maternity clothes suitable for work!

I also don't sleep very well anymore. Im usually awake between 4 and 6am. If I was in work I would have to get up at 6.30am. At least now I can go back to sleep for a couple of hours.

Not having to buy work appropriate maternity clothes is also a plus. I didn’t want to spend any money on them so have lived in the same pair of borrowed jeans and some leggings for weeks.

@ 1stmummaSD I’m also 34+5 so very close! Are you excited for D day? I am but also so nervous

Not commuting both the time and not having to be on a train that made me dizzy and nauseous when I didn't get a seat

Not having to buy maternity workware

Not having to make small talk - I'm very introverted and 3/4 of my colleagues are extroverts and I find socialising at lunch etc draining which was starting to make me feel quite exhausted

My family have to stay away, I love them dearly but they can be a bit much at times. I wasn't sure how I was going to keep them away!

No commute for me or DH, so between we effectively get four hours back a day
I can sleep for longer
Nice, healthier lunches
More time with DS before baby arrives

This is probably somewhat outweighed by both being far busier at work (the time we got back through lack of commute has been swallowed), having no childcare and worrying how DS will react to his world being even further turned upside down when baby arrives (he's usually at nursery full time, and we we going to keep him in three days a week)

There's lots of things to feel worried & disappointed about, but the good bits for me are:

• working from home so less stressed, more flexible and generally happier.
• more one-to-one time with DD before new baby comes.
• more time to get the house ready, including decorating baby's room
• saving money on childcare & commuting costs

Also, I can start my maternity leave towards the end (39 weeks), as working from home is ok. If I was still going into work and running around all day then I suspect I would have had to finish sooner due to exhaustion and general pregnancy aches.

Definitely the benefit of working from home and not having to commute! Also where we can't go anywhere on the weekends we've had the time to put everything together than we needed, I had ample time to pack my hospital bags, wash all baby's clothes etc. do a bit of nesting. Been home to sign for the endless baby-related Amazon deliveries! Also I'm going to work from home right up to my induction date (as I've prepped everything I think sitting around with nothing to do will just make me more nervous!!) so I'll get more time off the other side when the baby is actually here! saved money by not commuting and buying lunches/coffees in town so been able to buy all the baby bits we wanted. Trying to think of all the positives and not dwell on the negatives else I get too anxious about it all :)

Working from home has been the main plus so I've got extra sleep and work with a lot of cushions for my back.

Hi, this is a good thread. 34 weeks and 2 here. Usually I would be on my feet all day as a teacher and although remote learning has its challenges it gives me more time to rest. My husband and I have been isolating with my parents so we have been so lucky to spend quality time together before the baby arrives. I have had time to put energy into hypnobirthing prep -something I would never have got round to after work usually. Longer lie ins as no commute. Eating lots of nutritious food. Just lots of time to really chill before baby arrives.

And a most days exercise class which I would never have done usually!

Great idea for a thread, we need a bit of positivity.

Same as everyone else, not commuting is a godsend. I'm also saving a ton of money on train fares, coffees, lunches etc as is DH so extra money to see us through maternity leave.

Being able to work from bed has been very helpful not that I am 33+6.

• not having to make excuses for not drinking at work nights out or at dinner parties with friends

• Its easier to not have to mentioned the pregnancy (waiting till at least 12 weeks after previous losses)

• Easier to have a nap if needed

Not having random people or even friends touch your bump is wonderful! Also, strange one but I can deal with the smells at home, I was so sick in my first pregnancy and set off a lot by smells.

I'm 12+2 and being able to just lounge around at home instead of my normal shift work has been bliss! Afternoon naps, DH home all the time to help out and nice daily walks together.
It's crap and I wish I could see our families but we will (hopefully) never have to go through this again and we will likely never have another opportunity to do absolutely nothing!

I would have just started maternity leave and due date is end of May but I'm enjoying the unexpected time with my husband before baby arrives. My work let me push my maternity start date back a bit.
I'm pleased I don't have to worry about buying any more maternity clothes as no one's going to see me!
I'm grateful for my husband being around as he was meant to be touring throughout May and I was worried he'd be away for the birth.
I'm glad I'm not seeing posts of seemingly everyone else enjoying beer gardens and gigs that I wouldn't have gone to
I'm also glad that I've had the time to sort out the house and feel like I've actually got everything done!
Oooh, and the fact that I won't have any interfering opinions on what I'm doing wrong when baby is here!

• Not having to see people and get bump size comments

• 36+3 and even if lockdown is 'lifted' which means family can see each other by the time baby is here, we are still using it as an excuse and will not be having 4 thousand visitors coming in flocks to the house to see the baby. Everyone I speak to says they wish they had more time to themselves and hated having random aunties, cousins, susan from down the road etc sat on their sofa for hours!

I'm 38 weeks and we have been on lockdown since what? 6 weeks? So I'm basically spending late pregnancy at home.

Things I'm grateful and happy for are:

• finally having the willpower to turn off the news and ignore what's going on, honestly it has taken so much stress away just not listening to it
• having time! to learn to meditate, and kicking myself I didn't learn this sooner. Having time to go for nice (very short) walks
• having my husband home from work, its forcing us to actually eat three nice meals a day
• using the time to settle into the pregnancy and prepare for birth and when our baby arrives

Not having to commute or do makeup before work so sleeping 2 hrs later in the mornings.

Like others, I can work right up to due date now as wfh is easier on me than going into the office.

We've been able to save loads towards my mat leave through savings in not going out/not buying lunches/no haircuts etc. Have gone from thinking I'd have to cut mat leave to 35 weeks to avoid a long time on SMP, to planning to take 41 weeks (so full SMP period + 2 weeks unpaid).

Being able to save annual leave (we've had to cancel our planned babymoon and other short breaks planned with family), so I can carry it over and use it at the end of mat leave.

DH and I are going on a daily walk together - it's really nice to get to know the area around us better, and to spend 30 mins - 1hr together chatting every day without distraction of screens.

We're eating significantly better as only doing one weekly shop, so I'm meal planning again & I have time/energy to cook from scratch, which I didn't before.

Oh and I'm grateful that I can live in maternity jeans and leggings rather than workwear

I'm happy that my overbearing parents can't visit me

Dh is home to help with dd if I need to throw up or to help out with lifting her from the bath etc and it's nice to be able to go and have a cuddle or chat on his break plus no long commute

It's also a good excuse to stay in pj's a lot!

I’m so pleased everyone is seeing the positives and we can be grateful in some way for this time, despite all the anxiety and sadness which of course can’t be ignored.

I’m also grateful for the honesty and insights this forum has given me. I’ve read and asked a lot of questions on a topic I know nothing about so thank you all x

My mum has remembered how much she likes video calls, hopefully we can use them afterwards to keep in touch and keep in person visits to a more manageable number/frequency without excluding her. The other set of grandparents will have predominantly video contact as they are much further away and this might create a better balance.

My snacking is healthier when I only have a fruit bowl and not the kiosk opposite my office that only sells crisps and chocolate!

I have demonstrated I can work effectively from home, so might be able to negotiate some home working when I return. My role was previously in the can't really be done fully from home so was only permitted for the odd day here and there e.g. If you need a boiler repair etc.

I’ve been very grateful to not have to get dressed and go into work when I’ve been feeling so awful!

Early stages as still 7 weeks but it’s been a godsend working from home when feeling sick. No need to run to bathroom in the office and hide morning sickness! I can just merrily heaven away in the comfort of my own home!