Having a Baby During a Pandemic: The Perks

“Are you guys worried about this whole COVID thing?” My nurse finishes checking my IV and looks at me sweetly, waiting patiently for my response.

“Oh, that? Not really, we’re just treating it like a prolonged flu season,” I answer, not knowing what was just around the corner.

It’s March 7th, 2020 and I’m in the final stages of labor. My life is about to change forever… and the entire country is about to experience a massive shift right along with me.

While we were in recovery with our newborn, my husband and I watched this unprecedented pandemic lockdown unfold before our eyes. We watched as the nurses nervously caught glances at CNN as they checked our vitals, quickly plastering on their smiles as they made small talk or pointed out our daughter’s already very expressive eyebrows.

Everyone asks me what it was like to have a newborn during the hoarding of toilet paper/Tiger King chapter of the pandemic, and honestly… it wasn’t awesome. But it did have its upsides!

The following is the fun list of positives that my therapist told me to put together to stave off a panic attack:

1. We never had FOMO — everyone was stuck in the house!

2. My husband got double the family leave while his office figured out how to create a safe environment.

3. Bonding galore!

4. When we finally ventured out everyone was wearing masks and drowning in hand sanitizer so there was no “Please wash your hands before you hold the baby” awkwardness for us!

Babies make awesome distractions, not just for us, but for everyone! We have been told so many times that our daughter has brought joy and light during this truly devastating time. It feels great to have something positive to share when it’s so easy to feel powerless.

Sure, my almost one year old has never been to a toy store, children’s museum, or Target. Weekly family farmer’s market trips will have to wait and she thinks masks are just part of going outside. But at the end of the day, this was our experience and I am going to look back at it with a smile on my face because you only get to do this thing for the first time once — and, pandemic or not, this chapter feels like a beautiful chaos for everyone.