UK covid restrictions easing & pregnancy, how do you feel?

[Peachesavent]

Hey girls! How is everyone feeling with the news of the COVID restrictions easing in the UK? I am 7+4 so still really early on but I must admit I'm already feeling a little anxious at the thought of normal life returning especially as not many people know I'm pregnant yet... I'm in so many group chats where social events are being discussed already... Same for my other half... Just want to do everything to keep me and baby safe though?! Xx

I agree @Pulledamonica

I’m glad someone else feels this way

I’m quite concerned... I wasn’t really scared of catching it until now, due in September and will be in third trimester when the restrictions are most likely fully lifted

I’ll still be practicing social distancing if seeing people and being careful who I see. My husband and I had a bit of a tiff over it this morning as he thinks people will laugh at me and take the piss and we’ll lose friends

Frankly, I’ve tried for 2 years for this baby and I’ve risks of it being born early due to Adenomyosis
I certainly won’t be putting myself or baby at risk of catching it when they are born/ labouring with it and any friends or family who don’t respect that decision aren’t worth being friends with

Obviously if the numbers show covid has completely gone then I’ll be more than happy to, but my bet is restrictions will be lifted when most adults have been offered a vaccine (not necessarily taken it) and they consider it mostly okay.
Pregnant women don’t really have that choice on current vaccine guidance, so could pick it up if it’s still being transmitted in the community

Maybe I’m being paranoid though as my husband pointed out

I’m somewhere in the middle. I do feel a little strain on my lungs due to the growth of the baby and now I’m entering the 3rd trimester in a week I wonder how it’s going to be as baby continues to grow. Definitely don’t want to catch covid so late in pregnancy. Must be much scarier for women with health conditions.

On the other hand I would really like to go away for a little weekend (in UK) before the baby is due or even just go out to a restaurant as I imagine that it will be a while before I can do those things.

Is anyone considering taking mat leave earlier?

@THATbasicSNOWFLAKE
No but I’m lucky enough that I can work from home. I’ll review nearer the time but my employer are really good and I know won’t force me to go in (even if government guidance says it’s safe or okay, they’d rather protect me if I feel anxious about it).

I do hope we get guidance as I think a lot of women will be in a position where they are forced to take early Mat leave because employers won’t let them work from home if there’s no guidance in support

My job can't be done from home, I am currently on furlough for childcare reasons so understand that is likely to end soon

I am 24 weeks and desperate for them to lift SOONER, I have been so depressed for my entire pregnancy as I've been alone at home and my husband is a key worker so out all day. I just want a TASTE of normal life before the baby comes and I have to stay at home and take care of her.

I am so so excited! I am due end of April so have been in lockdown the most of my pregnancy which actually hasn't been too bad. I am finishing work on the 9th, already organised a very mini baby shower for the next week so I can actually see my friends before I give birth as will be allowed the 6 people outdoors . Honestly the life in restrictions can't come soon enough!

I'm delighted. I'm due in July and so excited for the prospect of a normal maternity leave and being able to see my family (who I haven't seen for a year at this point).

Of course the risk will still be there and I'll be careful when it comes to crowded places etc but I'm not overly worried. I work from home even in normal times but my partner is a keyworker so unfortunately the risk of him catching it at work and giving it to me has been there throughout the pandemic. That's maybe why I'm less anxious about getting it now.

Well it's about time things got back to some sort of normal. As a big family (7 with another due Aug) the lockdown restrictions throughout have been totally pants.
Will be nice to go round my parents for Sunday roasts again!!

I have never been scared throughout the whole pandemic and I certainly won’t be now I’m pregnant - due October. All I’ll say to people is what’s the use in worrying? It’s the last thing you want to be doing whilst pregnant regardless! I feel so sad that there’s people out there who have been scared shitless by the media.

Relieved. I'm due in April and have barely seen any family (and no friends) throughout this pregnancy. Its been very isolating. Am just feeling so much more relaxed knowing that I won't be similarly (or even more) isolated on mat leave with a newborn stuck in the house by myself once dp goes back to work. I had been dreading it. New mums need support, both practically and emotionally - I totally doff the old proverbial hat at ladies who have had to do it all in isolation over the last year.
This is the light at the end of the tunnel. I'll still be cautious, but as long as I can see my mum and get some basic social contact I'll be in a much better place than I would otherwise have been.
So, yes. Relieved.

I'm due two days before the new rules mean groups of six can meet in gardens (in just over 4 weeks). My in laws are arranging coffee mornings, play dates etc with extended family members who all have kids who will be attending school/nursery. They will also want to be seeing my very new baby around the same time. I'm truly dreading it, my baby has a health issue meaning they will potentially be hospitalised on antibiotics for their first week of life and I'm worried about their immune system as a result. I anticipate them just turning up and expecting me to hand over my child at their whims. I'm so anxious, all the joy has been totally robbed. God, I hate covid.

@BeeDavis

I have never been scared throughout the whole pandemic and I certainly won’t be now I’m pregnant - due October. All I’ll say to people is what’s the use in worrying? It’s the last thing you want to be doing whilst pregnant regardless! I feel so sad that there’s people out there who have been scared shitless by the media.

Sorry have you missed the bit about how infectious COVID is and how many people have died from it? I definitely don't think it's right to call out those worrying, and the advice to date (from medical experts, not the media!) has been for pregnant women to take particular care in their 3rd trimester. Plus, that's far from the only reason people might be worrying.

I like how every one due before freedom are really excited 😂, sod anyone who now won't be able to stay say in the last trimester of pregnancy because your now safe and can see family and life be fantastic 🤦🏼‍♀️

I'm quite worried - I'm 20 weeks with DC2, DC1 will be going back to school (reception) and the risks make me quite nervous. I have mild asthma, but obviously can't be vaccinated until after my due date. I think we'll probably continue to social distance and avoid busy places and as much as we can for the foreseeable - work are happy for DH and I to continue WFH, we're mostly walking or cycling instead of getting public transport, shopping online etc.

I'd really like to be able to feel relaxed and hopeful about the end of lockdown, but I can't

@mum2bin2021 I’m sorry you’re feeling that way :(

I’m not due til October but can imagine my in laws being much the same. Could you speak to them and mention your worries and perhaps say that whilst we are allowed to mix you’re concerned and ask that they are sensible/ wait until after baby is born before going off all over the place?

Before anyone starts I’m not saying the world needs to revolve around pregnant women or those with new borns, I’m very pleased restrictions are being lifted but I do think within families there needs to be consideration/ no judgment/ comments about being over the top If people are still wanting to be cautious.

I agree with @Skymum82 it’s easy to be elated if you’re due before these restrictions are lifted.

but for those of us going into third trimester as everything goes back to normal it is so scary, as we are left vulnerable, with no vaccination and a potential of catching it before going into labour, at the same time as everyone letting their guard down

I have just wrote a email to my mp, asking what the plan will be for pregnant women as there will so many who have not had the vaccine. How will we be kept safe, and what is the plan. Will see if I get a reply 😂.

I’m not due until September and I can’t wait for restrictions to lift and get some normality back. I work in a secondary school and have no concerns at all.

I could just finish up when the summer holidays start at the end of July but I fully intend to return for a week or so in September before my due date (26th, but will be earlier due to c section).

I have 3 children all in school and for their sake I cannot wait to do days out through the summer and meet ups with friends and family.

I'm due 23rd June so I am elated!

I’m 28 weeks pregnant atm, fortunately I’m aloud to work from home now. My kids will be back at school which will be my main risk, which is a bit worrying. I hope they continue to encourage pregnant workers to work from home and they should pay employers to do this. I’m worried that there will be a massive spike in seriously ill pregnant women once restriction are relaxed, as it might rip through the unvaccinated population.

I'm due in 6 weeks and honestly can't decide how I feel. DC1 & 2 will be back in school/nursery from the 8th as I am struggling physically (footling breech who is making me very sore)
And in all honesty, before last month I would've just been very pleased about it all. BUT myself and DH got covid around 5 weeks ago and honestly I worried I was going to die at points, it was truly awful and now I'm very very scared about the whole thing

New data is emerging all the time on the actual risks of pregnancy: today imperial college London said there is no correlation between stillbirths or baby death, and a small link to premature labour (a rise from 7.5% of births in all pregnancies, to 12% of births in women diagnosed with covid). Link to study: www.imperial.ac.uk/news/215533/covid-19-infection-pregnancy-linked-with-still/

@Skymum82 I do understand the worry. I’m a HCP entering final trimester working in a patient facing NHS role. I have a CV baby at home who was NICU and am likely to have another that needs support in May.

But. I also know that mental health conditions in New Moms have tripled since the pandemic, with many avenues for support closed.

I know that the risk of covid is currently about 121 per 100’000 in the UK. That’s about 1.2% per 1000, with two thirds of carriers symptomless. Even in final trimester research is showing that covid is manageable for the overwhelming majority, so the actual risk of harm is less than 1%. That’s lower than the rates of the risk of stillbirth, or experiencing first episode post partum psychosis, or the occurrence of a cancer diagnosis in pregnancy which is roughly 1 in 1000.

I’m not wishing those experiences on anyone. But acknowledging that I’m not scared. I’m excited as I see this as bringing more opportunities to support maternal safety - particularly the health and well-being for pregnant women and new moms, than it does new risks. Risks have to be balanced. I hope (and would campaign for) a plan for women in pregnancy to support those who want to shield to do so.

It’s also worth noting that vaccination rates are increasingly being evidenced as lowering transmission, and there is nothing in the 62 page guidance that suggests that masks won’t have to be worn in ‘higher risk’ public places, but simply that those spaces are allowed to open. It is the media that is saying “return to normal”. The gov. guidance talks of track and trace, wfh guidance, and other measures remaining in place for some time.

I do think it’s worth remembering that the final trimester of pregnancy - the only period for which there is any suggestion at all that women are at increased risk - is 14 weeks max (if overdue etc)

For most of us in the UK or EU, we are so lucky that maternity leave is much longer than that.

I’m not celebrating because I’m due in May. I’m relieved because I had a baby last lockdown. And it sucked: and I’m so relieved that other moms don’t have to do that again!

I feel I should clarify that I really am looking forward to getting normality back- I can’t imagine what it’s like having young children in lockdown and I recognise how isolating it has been. Honestly the fact so many women can have a normal maternity leave is great, a lockdown leave must have been horrible.

But I do echo the thoughts of everyone will be letting their guard down with no distancing/masks whilst we’re highest risk is scary. unless the risk is really really low (which lets hope it is by then) but I guess we’ll need to say how it plays out.

I think if I knew my employer would allow me to work from home I can do a self imposed lockdown on myself I’d be less stressed, but I know I won’t have that choice unless the govt back it up. I worry about getting a drs note because I don’t particularly want to start Mat leave early. I’d like to spend as much time at home once the baby is here so would honestly be upset if I had to start mat leave early because I’d be back commuting to work in a full capacity open plan office with colleagues going to nightclubs... which is why if the data suggests there’s still an increased risk id hope there was guidance to reflect that (not trying to suggest that the world should revolve around pregnant women, I’d like there to be protection for any vulnerable person who was not vaccinated...)