While parenting during a pandemic is hard and is something no mom was prepared for, there’s a certain subset of mothers who, in my opinion, got a really raw deal. The mamas who welcomed a new baby, be it their first or their fifth, during this unprecedented 2020. On June 6th, with the birth of my second child, I became one of those moms. I joined the thousands of other moms in the Sisterhood of Pandemic New Motherhood.
See, this sorority is held together by the shared experience that nothing went as we had planned. Baby showers, visitors, birth plans, long walks through the Target baby section … all of that gone. All of the excitement of having a new baby was replaced with anxiety and fear over simply not knowing what even the next day would bring, let alone your due date.
When I found out I was pregnant in October 2019, I had no clue that the world would turn on its side before I could welcome my baby girl. I had no clue that I would be called to stay in my home for 75 straight days working my full-time job, parenting my full-time toddler, and surviving my full-time pregnancy. My third trimester became a game of wait and see.
Will the virus affect my baby? Wait and see.
Will my partner even be allowed in the delivery room? Wait and see.
Will COVID last through the summer? Wait and see.
Will my toddler be able to return to daycare before the baby gets here? Wait and see.
Am I mentally prepared to bring a new baby home during this? Wait and see.
What this pandemic pregnancy has taught me is that I am stronger and more resilient than I ever thought possible. Day after day, I learned to roll with the punches. I knew that no matter what, one thing was certain .. this baby. She was coming no matter what the world did on the outside. And so I focused my energy on that. I focused on staying strong for her. I focused on making my little world the best I could for her. And when she arrived, I focused on snuggling her, learning her, and loving her. I focused on my new family of four.
This sisterhood is amazing. The strength of these mamas is unyielding. In a way, I guess you could say I’m proud to be a part of this 2020 class of pandemic new moms. We are as fierce as they come because we had no other choice. If you’re still awaiting the birth of your pandemic baby, to you I say, welcome to the sisterhood! You’ve got this, mama!
