Being pregnant is hard, especially the first go-round when you don’t know what to expect during the later pregnancy period, labor, or the first weeks at home with your newborn. Under normal circumstances, women have their friends and family to provide much-needed support through these stressful periods. Thanks to the pandemic, many pregnant mamas are feeling more stress than ever, unable to rely on traditional support systems to help them.
If you know someone who is pregnant who needs support, what options do you have available to you to help them? The pandemic can make offering help and support feel limiting and frustrating. Take a breath and realize there are many ways to support a pregnant friend during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Find ways to help the mom-to-be stay socially connected
Pregnancy gift ideas and pandemic-safe ways to treat the mom-to-be
Get it delivered
The list of things an expectant mom needs is never-ending. Food is one of those things, but the parents-to-be may not be going out to shop regularly because of the pandemic — help them make a list and have an order brought to their doorstep. But maybe it's not something mom needs but something she just wants, like her favorite dessert — order some and have them delivered. And since everyone — not just expectant parents — are tired of cooking at home, a great pregnancy gift is a gift card to a favorite restaurant. For expecting moms with other kids, think about a gift box that will occupy siblings. This helps keep kids busy and takes the pressure off of the mama to always be their playmate or keep them busy.
Pregnancy photoshoot
One of the most enjoyable things about being pregnant is documenting every stage of pregnancy with pictures. Limited social encounters could limit the amount of pictures an expecting mom gets of her growing baby. You can change this by offering to organize a pregnancy photoshoot that is compliant with social distancing. If you aren’t great with taking photos, gather a few friends to chip in and pay for a professional shoot. Your friend will be blown away at how thoughtful this gift is and will be eager to share the photos in the next Zoom party.
