Hello!
How do you all feel about purposefully getting pregnant during the pandemic? [name_f]Do[/name_f] you think COVID is an issue for you to begin TTC? or not?
[name_f]Answer[/name_f] the poll, leave comments about your thoughts 
Also curious if this decision changes among those who want to have their first baby vs their second or later babies
0 voters
We will be TTC our third baby (second pregnancy because twins) soon. I’m hoping by the time the baby is due things will be better. I know there are restrictions on who can visit the hospital when baby is born right now.
We take the normal precautions and feel safe enough to try.
We started TTC during the pandemic and are expecting our twins in [name_u]January[/name_u]. Of course there were some things I was worried about, like not being able to get help from family members and friends after the baby was born. I’m not scared of going to the hospital though. Our health care is very well organized and I work in a hospital myself, so it’s not an unfamiliar environment for me and I know it’s safe there. The fact that we probably won’t be able to have so much visitors at the hospital doesn’t bother me at all, quite the contrary. I’m glad to have more time alone with the new born twins, my other sons and my SO.
Because a lot of our family members live abroad (my dad, for example) I know they might not be able to visit and see the twins in person for some months. I wish that was different, especially since I haven’t seen my father in ages.
I voted Yes an issue but if it is what you really want then I wouldn’t put it off because of covid.
I’m pregnant and covid does add some stress/worries seeing as you have a lower immunity whilst pregnant. But I’m ok with being extra careful and this was the right time in our life to have number 2.
I voted yes… but here’s are a couple things.
I voted yes BECAUSE I had a baby during COVID. Delivered end of June.
During the end of my pregnancy my husband had to miss our last ultrasound. Due to visitor restrictions he had to miss every prenatal appointment so he was never able to hear our baby’s heart beat. I also had to go solo during the 3 hour glucose test.
During delivery my husband couldn’t be around hospital staff without a mask on. He couldn’t even leave the room- so even access to the hospitals cafeteria And hospitals Dunkin’ Donuts was off limits to us. In addition hubby couldn’t leave the hospital to check in our other two kids…
I do know that since my baby was born the ultrasound restriction has been lifted. Not sure about the other things. But ideally that wasn’t my ideal. We hopefully will plan to have a 4th and Intold hubby I’m looking to have those restrictions gone before our next one comes along…
I’m not worried about being pregnant during COVID- I lived through that and it was ok. I’m not worried about nursing durinCOVID I’ve been tandem nursing during it without issue. Delivery during COVID. Or raising a child during Covid. The yes for me is only because it wasn’t ideal with prenatal and delivery… If some time goes by and nothing’s changed I don’t see myself having Covid keep me from having another…
ETA: I have had friends who have delivered at birthing cottages during COVID and as a result by-passed hospital restrictions. So I guess that’s always an option but for me I’m somewhat hesitant to make that my default if we end up pregnant and COVID is still an issue just because the past three deliveries have shown I’m too much of a wimp with pain and like the relief the epidural brings to my birthing environment!
With my third baby I did all of the prenatal appointments and tests solo as my husband was with our older children. Similarly, when it came time to deliver, I gave birth on my own in hospital while my husband stayed with our children. I was alone with the baby in the hospital, they came for two brief visits, but the kids were rowdy and they couldn’t stay.
I’m now pregnant with #4 (it’s early days) and am fully anticipating doing it all on my own again, including a solo birth. So Covid isn’t going to affect that much. I’m a bit sad that they might not be able to meet the baby until I am home, but who knows where we’ll be at by next [name_u]June[/name_u], so we’ll cross that bridge if we come to it. I’ll take precautions going to appointments as well, but we have no family or friends where we live, so we’re extremely isolated. It’s not hard to social distance when everyone you know lives across the country!
I voted “no, not an issue” but it really depends on the situation!
I think people with fertility issues should keep trying, because I understand how limited their potential fertility windows are, so I would never discourage them from trying!
On the other hand, I think a family of 4, for example, who struggle to work and do virtual learning with their current kids and not lose their minds, etc etc… should perhaps wait to see how things go before adding another to the mix.
But the only people who can decide on their own circumstances are the families themselves 
Having just had my daughter I personally would not plan a pregnancy during a pandemic. Having said that 9 months is a long time and sometimes it can take a while to conceive. I really pray within the next year everything calms down but right now it feels nothing is certain 
Very individual decision, for sure. There are, factually and numerically, more drawbacks and risks. The question isn’t so much whether it is riskier – it is. The question is whether one (and ones family) is willing to accept those risks, and individual weighing of the risks and potential gains.
Cons:
Pros / Mitigating Considerations:
I think this entirely depends on where you live and your personal health. Here in Australia, I have no apprehensions about TTC now. Back in [name_f]April[/name_f], though, there was no way we would have gone ahead, but we live a pretty normal existence now (at least in our state).
This is extremely valid!! I’m not a medical provider, but I see a lot of moms in L&D with the initial note saying “COVID+ during pregnancy.” While in labor, all the ones I’ve seen have tested negative, but they were definitely positive at one point in their pregnancy and… We just don’t know what that means yet 
I agree with everything on the list, very well done!
I agree that it’s a very individual decision. I am not planning on having any more children, but if I was, I voted “yes” based on my personal circumstances. I’m in Australia where, as someone else mentioned, Covid is almost not even a thing. So from a health standpoint I would have no concerns about TTC and being pregnant. However, my family is all in the US and the borders are shut. They’re saying we might not open until 2022 now. I can’t imagine not having my mom here to look after my first two kiddos while I delivered a third. The uncertainty of all that is what would give me pause.
I’m trying to put myself in the shoes of someone who might make the decision to TTC and I can see a lot of valid reasons to go ahead. I think if it was my first I would be able to hold off more so than if it was my second. It would be hard to intentionally let an age gap get bigger than you had imagined, I think.
I voted no, it’s not an issue. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband and I got married during COVID. Did it change some of our plans, absolutely. Did it still end up being beautiful and what we wanted, absolutely. I feel the same about having a baby. It might look different and might have some different rules. However, we still feel safe trying and know that we might have to adjust our expectations.
Not having as many visitors in the hospital after birth doesn’t bother me. I actually might prefer it. We come from big families, so it takes that pressure off of us of having to decide who can come to the hospital and who can’t. It also will take the pressure off of having a bunch of people wanting to come to our home and visit the baby right away. We’ll be more restrictive on who can come over and when which will allow us bonding time with our baby and little family. The only time I could see it being a burden would be ultra sounds if my husband isn’t allowed in. I know that in our area there is a “fancy” ultrasound place where my husband could still come. So I know there’s a way around that too.
We’ve already pushed back so much because of COVID. We had to push back our wedding. We had to push back buying a house. We had to push back a job change. I don’t want to add having a baby to that list too.
@Elle1 - thank you! [name_f]Hope[/name_f] the post helps bring some clarity to what can certainly feel like an overwhelming consideration.
Pregnant with our first baby now and hubby has already said he doesn’t want to try for a second until we’re out of Covid as it is now, as he feels he’s missed out on things like attending scans etc because of it. And as we’re likely to stop at two I can understand why he’d want to hold on until he’s able to be more involved. I’m all for a 2/3 year age gap anyway do hopefully that all works out.
Other than that, Covid has actually helped us recover our finances a lot quicker after our wedding than would otherwise have been possible - both WFH since [name_u]March[/name_u], he will continue to do so for the foreseeable and me until I go on maternity leave.
There needs to be a third option - yes it’s an issue/barrier, but not enough to put me off!
I definitely have lots of concerns about it. Getting it during pregnancy, or my baby getting it, would be incredibly scary. As I had complications in my last pregnancy and will need to be closely monitored in this one also, the extra hospital appts are scary, as is the possibility of another lockdown where I’m unable to have face-to-face midwife visits or support people during birth.
BUT we’ve gone ahead anyway. We’re in NZ where it feels reasonably well controlled, which makes a big difference. I’m 34 and my partner 37, and we were considering trying to squeeze in 3 kids, so age comes into it a bit too. And honestly, it was actually lockdown that made us decide to start trying as early as we did - getting to spend all that time with my then 16 month old instead of being stuck in full time work showed me how much I was missing out on with her, and I was like… if I’m going to leave my job to spend more time at home, may as well add to my family while I’m home anyway.
There needs to be a third option - yes it’s an issue/barrier, but not enough to put me off!
Exactly!
I’ll be trying to conceive in the late spring. (Our third) whilst it’s not ideal I don’t think the answer is to not have babies??? I can only exercise common sense and caution but ultimately it shouldn’t put a stop to peoples baby plans.
Thank you all for voicing your opinions!! There is so much to consider. [name_f]My[/name_f] husband and I are going to reevaluate in [name_u]January[/name_u] based on possibility of vaccine
But he works in isolation on a cpu and I am teaching from home and have very little chance of exposure to the virus other than the grocery which I can change to curbside pick up.
I just feel like we’ve been waiting so long and now that it’s here it’s the pandemic and it hurts 
I voted no, not a problem but if there was a 3rd option as pp mentioned, Its a problem, something I think about, but not something to deter me. The way this pandemic has been handled, it could realistically be years until we are out of the woods. I do not want to wait 2-3 years to have a baby.
My husband and I have been TTC now since [name_u]January[/name_u], 10 months. I became pregnant in [name_u]March[/name_u], right before everything shut down in the US. We were thrilled. Within a week of my positive test I came down with severe flu like symptoms, fever, cough, chills, the works. I had Covid. I ended up miscarrying a week later, [name_u]March[/name_u] 17. At the time I didn’t know a coworker was sick and I was in direct contact with him for a full shift, 5 days before I got sick, 2 days after my positive test.
Covid isn’t going to stop me, but when we get our rainbow, we are going to take it easy and stay to ourselves and be more cautious.