Anonymous wrote:I was wondering what level of safety/comfort are expectant mothers doing in the DMV area. Please let me know which trimester you're on. Are you doing one or more of the following:

1) Getting your hair done
2) Getting nails done
3) Going out to eat both indoor/outdoor
4) Traveling and staying at a hotel
5) Grocery shopping in person
6) Going to Target/or other retail stores
7) Going to a mall
8) Going to nature parks or hikes in the area

Thanks!

Week 21 and we've gone to visit my parents vacation home, and I've done grocery shopping and Target runs for essentials (not casual browsing, just things I can't get at the grocery store). I had been doing delivery until late April, but it was too expensive to sustain. We've done an occasional Rock Creek walk, but I get really hot really quickly so don't go too often. I do walk the dog around the block, but always wearing a mask.

Anonymous wrote:Not to hijack but I'm curious what those of you who are currently pregnant plan to do when your baby is born. No visitors whatsoever? No trips outside the house besides walks/hikes?

Maybe I'm just weak but I feel like such limited activity combined with postpartum hormones is a recipe for depression. I've been extremely careful since March and it hasn't really been the best for my mental health. My baby is due in August. Do I need to be a hermit for basically the whole rest of the year, or longer?

I’m the PP due in a week who is only doing 8. I think this just depends on your risk tolerance, your own mental health, and your family’s situation.

I intend to stay pretty quarantined for the first two weeks (except trips to the ped) just to protect others after our potential exposure at the hospital. After that, we will have to see what works for us and our sanity and what local conditions are and what our ped recommends. We probably will open our bubble to a few family members if we feel like they are minimal risk to us and we are minimal risk to them. We have a 2 yo so can’t stay inside. But I don’t see salon appointments or indoor dining in my future anytime soon and we aren’t planning to start the 2yo in daycare or preschool until later this year (if we are even offered a spot). But you will have to figure out what works for you and your family - I agree mental health has to be considered as part of the equation and it may change the outcome for different families.

Not to hijack but I'm curious what those of you who are currently pregnant plan to do when your baby is born. No visitors whatsoever? No trips outside the house besides walks/hikes?

Maybe I'm just weak but I feel like such limited activity combined with postpartum hormones is a recipe for depression. I've been extremely careful since March and it hasn't really been the best for my mental health. My baby is due in August. Do I need to be a hermit for basically the whole rest of the year, or longer?

28 weeks here.

1) No
2) No
3) No
4) We did a car trip to visit family, but stayed with family (the relatives tested negative for COVID the day before we came)
5) Not recently - had to a couple times early in the pandemic because the delivery/pickup slots were all full
6) No
7) No
8) All the time! But if I'm going with DS and DH we avoid narrow paths where you can't socially distance if someone is coming the other way - we stick to open parks or wide trails. If I'm solo I'll hike in Rock Creek and just go off-trail if someone is coming the other direction.

And we wonder why this pandemic is still raging. None of these except 8. I’m 9 weeks postpartum.

Would anyone consider a pedicure? I can do my own manicure but at 36w can no longer effectively reach my feet, and could really use a little self-care. Haven't been in a building besides my own apartment since mid-March.

Anonymous wrote:I was wondering what level of safety/comfort are expectant mothers doing in the DMV area. Please let me know which trimester you're on. Are you doing one or more of the following:

1) Getting your hair done
2) Getting nails done
3) Going out to eat both indoor/outdoor
4) Traveling and staying at a hotel
5) Grocery shopping in person
6) Going to Target/or other retail stores
7) Going to a mall
8) Going to nature parks or hikes in the area

Thanks!

No
No
No
No
No
Went once with DH
No
Yes. We go on weekly hikes

It all depends-- my colorist has special hours for immune compromised and pregnant women so the salon was effectively empty when I was there. My hairstylist's salon does not. I had my hair colored this past week but will wait to cut my hair.
I am doing my own nails. I have gone to big box retail once since Covid and it was in VA and it was empty.

Anonymous wrote:I am due in a week. At first I was extremely diligent. But I have things to do and two other children so after about 2 months I simply needed to do more.

I go to the grocery store once a week.
I got my haircut one time 2 weeks ago. I needed it before covid and I just felt gross. I was literally the only one there besides the stylist.
Walks but no hikes (afraid being pregnant alone with my kids while husband is at work if i fall or something)
Only takeout

Oh and I have gone to target in store a handful of times for necessities. But honestly most everything I needed was available for pickup/drive up so have only had to do this maybe 2x. No other retail store shopping.

I am due in a week. At first I was extremely diligent. But I have things to do and two other children so after about 2 months I simply needed to do more.

I go to the grocery store once a week.
I got my haircut one time 2 weeks ago. I needed it before covid and I just felt gross. I was literally the only one there besides the stylist.
Walks but no hikes (afraid being pregnant alone with my kids while husband is at work if i fall or something)
Only takeout

Third trimester (due in a week). The only thing on that list I’m doing regularly is 8, though I try to go early and avoid trails I know will be crowded. I had been doing 5, but once I hit 35 weeks I stopped to minimize risk of testing positive before delivery.

Anonymous wrote:I was wondering what level of safety/comfort are expectant mothers doing in the DMV area. Please let me know which trimester you're on. Are you doing one or more of the following:

1) Getting your hair done
2) Getting nails done
3) Going out to eat both indoor/outdoor
4) Traveling and staying at a hotel
5) Grocery shopping in person
6) Going to Target/or other retail stores
7) Going to a mall
8) Going to nature parks or hikes in the area

Thanks!

3rd trimester (33 weeks). I've done #5 and #8 regularly. Done #6 a few times but try not to. I've also seen friends a few times outdoors from 6 feet away.

My toddler started back at daycare at the beginning of July, so that is by far my biggest exposure. I'm nervous about the risk but we also needed childcare to keep our jobs and ourselves sane, so we didn't really have a choice.

I’m also 9 weeks post P, and I haven’t left my house much since March 7 except for dr appts and necessary errands (like prescription, gas, etc). Taken lots of neighborhood walks. Had some friends visit in the front yard. I would love nothing more than to get my hair done, nails, some acupuncture, even a massage! But no way.

I have older kids so if they go back to school the baby will be 4 months old and that makes me a little more comfortable. And the pediatrician also said that puts the baby in the 0-4yr old category and that’s all positive.

Anonymous wrote:The only thing ANYONE should be doing pregnant or not is #3 for take-out, #5 sporadically and #8.

Second trimester, this is what I’m doing exactly.

9 weeks post partum. Between concerns of acquiring covid while pregnant, and now worries of exposing newborn to covid, I haven't left the house since March 7 for anything other than prenatal appointments, growth scans, pediatrician visits, or walks around our neighborhood.
We did reenroll older DD in daycare since DH and I are both now back to full time WFH. I'm not happy with that level of exposure, but we needed the childcare and pediatrician ok'd it.