No baby boom after all?

[MimiDaisy11]

news.sky.com/story/covid-19-talk-of-a-uk-baby-boom-turns-into-fears-of-a-baby-bust-heres-what-the-data-reveals-12199154

I thought this was an interesting read. Apparently, scan appointments are down though maybe that's due to people not getting them because of the pandemic? Though it seems at least there are no signs of increases like predicted.

That's an interesting read! I'd hadn't made the connection that delay in IVF treatment will mean less pregnancies in the system through IVF at least.

I did ask my sonographer if she was seeing less people and she said yes, but mostly because they have to spend so much time cleaning between appointments that they can't get through as many.

DS is due on the 12th so we shall see how busy it really is on the day 😬

Funny! My MW all said this is the busiest they have ever been. Apparently big jump in booking appointments and they’re worried about how to cope in the coming months.
I’m in the southwest. Perhaps there’s something in the water round here???!?

I think there’ll be an increase in first babies (working from home etc is a convenient time to be pregnant).

Think people that already have kids and are homeschooling etc may have delayed trying for 2nd or 3rd babies.

I'm pregnant with number 4. It's took 14 months after an horrific MMC. I'm sick of the whole 'lockdown baby' stigma now (not suggesting anyone on this thread has said that). Everyone seems to act like if you got pregnant in the last year its because you couldn't be arsed watching Netflix anymore so just jumped on the nearest male.

I may be a little irritated right now 😂.

I didn't make it to my 12 week scan with my 1st lockdown pregnancy, got 12 days to go to get to it this time. Number of scans is a flimsy data base really, I'd wait for the birth figures to be published.
You see the past "baby booms" in school class numbers.

I had twins last week - midwives have said no busier than normal - only thing they have noticed is more premature births - 35 weeks - 37 weeks - so maybe the stress/pressure of lockdown is contributing to that?

My MW said there are absolutely loads of pregnant women booking in with her at the moment! Also in the south west.

It has to be said, I'm actually quite grateful to be in my first trimester in lockdown. Not having to go into the office feeling sick and horrendous is a godsend, and I don't need to make any excuses not to go out and do things because we aren't allowed anyway!

Plus I'm hopeful that things will have calmed down in hospitals by August when I'm due.

I'm pregnant with no 5 my youngest is 3 months. I think there will be a boom. I have tried to get the coil but there is a waiting list of 2 months.

This is weird. I had my second baby last October, and at the moment I know of about seven people who are pregnant and another three who have recently given birth. I’ve never spent so much on baby gifts!

It's variable according to my midwife friend, more babies to couples in their 20's and 30's, less to older mums (I presume due to fertility services being suspended) and less teens/unplanned. Net effect will vary by demographic in each region. Where I am, in an area with family homes, there's a lot of pregnant women (6 months+ along) anecdotally

I've chatted to my MW recently about it (Scotland) as I read an article in December that was predicting a baby boom and she said she initially noticed a plunge but now it's been picking up.

Aargh.

Whilst I'm not keeping my fingers crossed for a baby bust, I do hope we won't have the post pandemic boom. I was born during a baby boom in my home country and it's not fun - from huge numbers of kids hitting schools at the same time, through constant queues, to constant competition for just about everything.
I really don't want that for my child.

@PutOnAHappyFace I agree , we'll be always fighting this notion of lockdown baby stigma, but just like you I didn't have a choice (MCs and being nearly 40) and couldn't wait forever for the world to go back to normal.

(Non-alcoholic) cheers to all pregnant ladies!

This has been reported since the summer, 12 week scan appointments then were lower the the year before. I don't think that is anything to do with people not getting scans due to the pandemic, I have never heard of anyone not getting their 12 or 20 week scan due to NHS pressure.
Nationally there is no baby boom, it will vary slightly from trust to trust but overall this has been the picture for a while now.

I think that with people being isolated that there are less people DTD. New cases of HIV being reported are also at a 20 year low.

@PutOnAHappyFace

I'm pregnant with number 4. It's took 14 months after an horrific MMC. I'm sick of the whole 'lockdown baby' stigma now (not suggesting anyone on this thread has said that). Everyone seems to act like if you got pregnant in the last year its because you couldn't be arsed watching Netflix anymore so just jumped on the nearest male.

I may be a little irritated right now 😂.

This!

It’s really none of anyone else’s business is it.

I’m glad I’m having ours now (twins due in summer) as I’m working from home, and I’m more worried about what the NHS/ maternity services will be like in a couple of years time.

I had a baby on Saturday. Had to wait all day to have waters broken as the delivery suite was so busy. The post natal ward felt quiet compared to when I had DS1 but he was an October baby and it's notoriously busy then

Me & My Husband had been saying Autumn 2020 to start trying for our baby for about 2 years! I was not putting it on hold any longer thats for sure. We are Due in June :)

From what I could tell the only source reporting a boom was Mumsnet… and that was based on number of posts in the pregnancy and TTC forums. I always thought it was a bit speculative as so many people are furloughed/wfh and have more time and opportunity to post online as well as fewer people to speak to in real life forcing us online. All of the other data sources were predicting a bust.

My local unit said they were busier than usual on the day I went in but it was a combination of a busy day (which apparently just happens) and more women seemed to be going in with possible issues that turned out to be OK. Maybe because it's easier to do when you're not physically at work and you have more quiet time to reflect and notice things?

I don't think anyone is not getting a scan - you'd have seen loads of posts on here. My other healthcare has fallen behind but all the PG stuff has been to schedule.

Agree with the poster who said there will likely be a change in demographics. Also don't like the "lockdown baby" stigma. After TTC for 3 years and losing 2 in the 4th year of trying I'm far closer to 40 than I planned to be as a FTM. Lockdown wasn't a factor in our decision-making.

Midwives are saying they're busier but I wonder how much of that is due to staff absences, general hospital pressures, extra covid precautions that take up time etc.

Selfishly I hope no boom as I'm expecting and don't fancy a scrum for school places! Mine was delayed ivf but still successful in 2020

In Scotland (Edinburgh) and midwife's here saying much busier with booking appointments, private scan places all much busier than usual too

I had my second born on Monday evening and was the one of two women on the delivery suite (one of the hospitals in Leeds so not a small hospital either). The postnatal ward was incredibly quiet too.

Community midwife said previously that her teams first trimester bookings are higher than they have been in the past 18 months but pregnancies in the third trimester are in very low numbers currently. Obviously only reflects my local area though

@Littlemissprincess01

I'm pregnant with no 5 my youngest is 3 months. I think there will be a boom. I have tried to get the coil but there is a waiting list of 2 months.

I had my appointment cancelled as apparently it had to be 9 months after the birth, when I booked I was told 3 months but for some reason it was extended?

@Mmr224

In Scotland (Edinburgh) and midwife's here saying much busier with booking appointments, private scan places all much busier than usual too

Private scan are going to be busy because of the partner restrictions through, they must be having a brilliant year!

@Parkandride I was going to say the same thing - we had a private scan but only because my DH wasn't allowed to the NHS one - wouldn't have bothered otherwise!

I’m 23 weeks and asked the doctor about the supposed baby boom at my last appointment.
He said they are busier but that’s because they’ve lost some staff to COVID redeployment (mostly junior doctors and healthcare support workers) but the total number of pregnancies seems stable for the time of year.
I’ve heard other reports from midwives saying it’s busier, so who knows for sure!

@Parkandride

Midwives are saying they're busier but I wonder how much of that is due to staff absences, general hospital pressures, extra covid precautions that take up time etc.

Selfishly I hope no boom as I'm expecting and don't fancy a scrum for school places! Mine was delayed ivf but still successful in 2020

That's already an increasing issue. They started building a new housing estate right next to our kids school (pre-pandemic) which is already oversubscribed. It's happening in many areas too thanks to the increasing demand for housing. So I'd be ready to fight for your school of choice.