Having a baby is an exciting challenge, especially if it’s your first. One thing is guaranteed, your life will never be the same again. No matter how hard you try your conversations will become filled with mentions about your new baby.
It can be hard finding the time to get your home ready before the baby arrives. This is complicated with the COVID-19 pandemic devastating lives and economies across the world. It’s understandable that women are worried about how to have regular check-ups, whether they should deliver in the hospital, and what the risk of contracting COVID-19 is during these encounters.
In short, you need to be prepared.
Develop a Cleaning Schedule
Washing hands, disinfecting surfaces, and maintaining social distancing will help to keep you virus-free. You need to develop a strict schedule that ensures your hands are washed every time you arrive home. It’s also imperative that you use hand sanitizer regularly when you are out while avoiding touching your face.
The better you are at this the less likely it is that you, or your unborn baby, will contract the virus.
Make the Safe Space
The next step is to create a safe space for your baby. The obvious choice is to decorate the baby’s room. They will be able to offer you advice regarding the pests in your area if any of them are capable of carrying COVID-19, and how to keep them out of your home and baby room.
This is essential before you start decorating.
Decorate the Room
You should continue to decorate the baby’s room in the usual manner. Choose colors for the walls, paint the ceiling, and add some flooring. Carpet works well for a baby room although you may prefer a hard floor as it is easier to keep clean.
But, the key difference when decorating the baby room during a pandemic is the supplies you have at the entrance to the room. Either just outside, or just inside the room, have a small unit that allows you to keep hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray, wet wipes, gloves, and, if necessary, a face mask.
By placing these right at the doorway you, and your visitors, will need to use them every time they enter, effectively preventing you from carrying the virus into the room and to your new baby.
Prenatal Classes
It’s important to have as much support as possible when preparing for a baby, especially during a pandemic. You need to join online prenatal classes and any other online forums you want. This gives you the opportunity to talk to other expecting mums, share concerns, and get the answers you need for peace of mind. There is no need to change your delivery location, hospitals are equipped to handle births and keep the birthing ward segregated from any COVID-19 related incidents in the hospital. Of course, only one person can accompany you through the giving birth process, choose wisely!
Born in Belarus, 1985, a pedagogue and family psychologist, mother. Taking part in procedures of social adaptation of the foster children in new families. Since 2015 is a chief editor of the motherhow.com project, selecting the best and up-to-date material for those, who are planning, expecting, and already having babies.