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Carrying and giving birth to a new life is never easy. It has its wonders and it is amazing and beautiful. However, it comes with a lot of uncertainty. It makes you wonder more about what the future would look like, not only for yourself but for the precious child you are about to bring into the world. If it isn’t hard enough as it is, imagine these experiences on top of something even more terrifying – a pandemic. Being pregnant during COVID-19 is not something any of our mothers before us had to cope with, so how do we cope with it?

How It Started

Being pregnant during COVID-19 is not easy.
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It was almost the end of January when the reality really sunk into me. A lot of news had been coming in about a virus, one that does not have a cure yet, and one that is taking people’s lives not only from my country, the Philippines, but throughout the whole world. Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is what they named it. Naturally, a sense of panic and fear came over me, to think about what the coming weeks would look like and how I can function amidst everything.

Then, some news broke out that was much more personal. It caused panic and fear just as much as the news of the pandemic. It was overwhelming and serene at the same time. Mixed emotions were overflowing, especially when I was sitting at that doctor’s office, the moment I heard that first heartbeat. I am, indeed, blessed to carry on a new generation inside of me. I was about 10 weeks pregnant when I found out.

As the rush of emotions came, the anxiety rolled in even more. It was like a building storm, subtle at first. No one dared stop it until I was in the middle of a tsunami, waves over waves, and the island I was supposed to be standing on appeared so little since it was so far away. I felt like I was about to drown. During this, I learned that I cannot survive if I do not take charge. Here are some of the ways I learned how to manage my anxiety about being pregnant during COVID-19.

1. Take Care of Your Mental Health

Taking care of your mental health will be important when pregnant during COVID-19
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The first thing that I decided I had to do, was breathe.

Anxiety is fed by uncertainties. All the “what if” and “could be” thoughts and questions are a feast for anxiety. A silver lining that we could take away from staying home during this quarantine period is that we are more able to be present than we would normally. Breathing exercises help to ease anxiety. I do this until I feel like I’m coming back from the storm to the shore, feeling the sandy beach on my feet.

Remember that what you are feeling is valid. It is perfectly fine to freak out from time to time. It is, as an Adlerian psychologist would name it, a gemeinschaftsgefuhl – a collective, community feeling. You are not the only one who worries about everything, especially in a time like this. You can take solace knowing that you are not the only pregnant woman who is anxious about having a baby during these times. What the future this pandemic brings greatly affects the life inside of you. But again, breathe and take control.

Write down your thoughts. Keeping a journal is proven to be beneficial to ease anxiety. Scribbling down even just the random words that your mind is rambling about eases nerves more than you realize. For me, journaling has always been an outlet to let out emotions, be they positive or negative.

Find a hobby that will keep you distracted. Most people that I encounter on social media these days are tapping into their inner artists. It can be through cooking, painting, binge-watching, dancing, or singing, whatever your interests are.

One effective tactic, especially if you’re pregnant, is to read. Reading information from materials that tackle pregnancy and birth will be extremely helpful since your body is going through so many changes.

3. Take Care of Your Physical Health as Well

ENTITY Mag shares tips about managing anxiety about being pregnant in the age of COVID-19.
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Eat healthy foods and be physically fit for you and your baby. Taking care of your body is your top priority now.

According to a UC San Francisco perinatologist, Stephanie Gaw, M.D., Ph.D., a pregnant woman’s body has decreased immune defenses. In other words, the body goes into an immunosuppressed state to not reject the pregnancy itself; therefore pregnant women have a higher risk of contracting COVID-19. What’s worse, they have an even higher risk of respiratory illnesses and severe outcomes if they do get the virus. With that being said, staying home and healthy is vital.

Remember that your baby takes in whatever you put inside your body and that your little one can only be as nourished as you are. Try to be physically fit since your body needs to be prepared for your baby’s growth. You can do yoga and light exercises. Also, be sure to catch some sun from time to time.

If possible, find a way to still make it to your OB-GYN for checkups. If the situation does not permit, teleconsultations will greatly help. Your doctor will help you a lot in these trying times, especially with what your baby needs. For example, I was experiencing heartburn so severe that I had to call my doctor in the middle of the night to ask what to do and what medications to take. As your body can only provide so much, prescriptions for vitamins, milk, and food diets are essential to supply the best care that your baby can get.

Monitor the growth of your baby, as well. There are applications that you can download that will tell you what your baby goes through each week, how big they are getting, and what body parts and skills develop over time. Personally, it makes me happy knowing how this little life inside of me is growing and it excites me to think that in a few months’ time, I get to meet an angel in person.

4. Reach Out

Reach out to loved ones to help ease your anxiety in times like these.
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It is also important to reach out to your support system. It may be the baby’s father, your family, your closest friends, your therapist, or anyone that you can confide in. Our mind can only take so much and a venting session is sometimes needed. Writing down what worries you may lessen the anxiety somewhat, but talking to someone about what you are feeling takes a heavy load out of your system.

Personally, my husband is my human diary during this process. I tell him everything and he is more than willing to listen. Also, since this is my first baby, my mom’s tips and tricks help a lot, as well. Pregnancy is not as easy as many people think and being healthy for the baby also includes a sound and peaceful mind.

Lastly, enjoy your journey. Whether it’s your first pregnancy or not, the journey does not stay the same for everyone. It is as unique as your own fingerprints. The time you are about to spend with helping create a new life and bring it into this world is precious. Document everything as much as you like because after this pandemic is over and you have given birth to a new beautiful soul, you will look back and think about how strong you were to endure everything. You’ll remember how fierce and liberating it is that even with the chaos of the world, you are able to bear a wonderful child. And with that, everything will be alright.

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