Pregnant in a Pandemic PreggersNYC

On the one week anniversary of coming home from the hospital, I am struggling to accept the events in the hospital, but also awakening to the oddity of having brought a daughter into the world....but not yet into the arms of my parents, aunts, cousins and massive family. I feel like she has yet to truly enter the world. And I’d underestimated what my Village means to me.

Born 3/30 by c section, and weighing in at 7 pounds 11 ounces, baby Asha is here. Just before we are discharged from the hospital, here’s a summary of what it was like.

Officially on the cusp of the tipping point now with over 25,000 cases of covid diagnosed in the US, I am 38 weeks pregnant and the rules for hospital stay are in constant flux. My anxiety is surging.

There are now 60k cases in the US including about 17k in NYC. Anxiety for pregnant women these days is an understatement, made worse by the fact that we cannot even plan for the future as we would in a world without the virus. Because we don’t know what we are planning for. Typically when pregnant woman try to focus on what we can control, work usually comes to mind. Personally I was in the midst of fundraising for a new startup I plan to launch, before the epidemic hit. Now that’s obviously on hold. But for women who are expecting right now and in more traditional FT jobs, there are things you can do to help feel prepared.

Comparison is the thief of joy, Teddy Roosevelt once said. It’s tempting to compare our pregnancies deliveries and lives after with life before Coronavirus. But that’s not our world anymore. So maybe we should self-soothe by putting our energy into action instead. One person who can help is today's guest.

Lori Mihalich-Levin is a mother, lawyer, and founder of www.MindfulReturn.com, a program that helps parents navigate the return to work after parental leave. She also wrote a book called Back to Work After Baby: How to Plan and Navigate a Mindful Return from Maternity Leave (http://amzn.to/2lZJLm3). Today we are discussing ways that pregnant women can make a plan, consider their options, make themselves relevant at work, communicate well with employers...and create some sense of plan for our collectively uncertain future.



Check out a key resource she shared for pregnant women: Mindful Return Blog Post: How to Create a Maternity Leave Plan Your Employer Will Love

There are now over 20,000 cases in the US, with half of those in NYC. Women like myself are running scenarios on how we will deliver amidst the chaos, and many are in full panic mode. As of today I’ve been informed my husband cannot attend the birth, due to new hospital policy. Personally I agree with the policy as it’s in everyone’s best interest; and if we don’t protect our healthcare workers we will face the consequences. Today’s guest is a pregnant medical resident with a toddler at home, a history of postpartum depression, and a lot of insight for us.

According to The American Pregnancy Association, 50 to 70 percent of pregnant women have back pain. No surprise to me. But physical therapy and personal training aren’t just for recovery; it can help us prep for labor and delivery, and help calm our stress. Today’s podcast guest is Caila Zapala, of Balance Zen, who has done pre and post natal personal training in NY for years, and who is now offering those resources virtually, and in many cases for free. Another much needed support for us during this stressful time! We can’t thank her enough. www.Balance-Zen.com