[caption id="attachment_141104" align="alignright" width="281"]
"Hospital appointments, if you are accessing private care, were okay so far, because the hospitals take good precautions and we can make sure that we only go during the time of the appointment. But I can’t say the same for women accessing public healthcare" Nilushka Perera[/caption]
Giving birth is said to be one of the most magical moments in life. Women who are preparing for pregnancy or are pregnant are usually radiant and are impatiently counting down the seconds till they get to hold their baby in their arms for the first time. However, with irregular transport, limited healthcare, and restricted movement, gearing up to give birth to a child amid the crisis is raising anxiety among women in such uncertain times.
Expectant/new parents also missed out on many celebrations and rituals that commemorate the transition into parenthood: baby showers and christening ceremonies, walking around stores deciding on clothes and baby necessities, neighbours dropping by with a meal, or grandparents travelling to meet the newest family member. Covid-19 has robbed mothers of the simple pleasures of childbirth and instead, given them an added burden to worry about.
Brunch spoke to Sri Lanka College Of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists President Dr. Pradeep de Silva to find out more about pregnancy during Covid. We asked him if mothers come in with questions on how to handle Covid whilst expecting a baby, to which he said no – most mothers have already educated themselves on the topic before visiting their gynaecologists, as these are very difficult times and they understand that they are at risk of serious complications or even death if they contract the virus. However, he added that, as an OB/GYN, he is obligated to give them a rundown on how to stay safe and manage the pandemic.
“The most commonly-asked question is whether it is safe for them to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, and if so, where they can get it from. We advise them to obtain the vaccine if possible, as it is not said to have adverse effects on patients.” He informed us that the vaccine was made available for pregnant women to obtain from yesterday (6).
Dr. de Silva also observed that compared to average citizens, pregnant women are more likely to strictly adhere to all the Covid-19 precautions and guidelines in order to keep themselves and their babies safe.
He also noted that despite travel restrictions or lockdowns, the clinics and pharmacies remain open; however, he does concede that these women may have difficulties travelling or finding transport, which may be an added cause of stress. “There is no decrease in the number of women visiting the clinic despite the pandemic. The only difference is that they are not allowed to have more than one person with them at a time.”
Unfortunately, the Sri Lanka Department of Census and Statistics has not released the birth rates for 2020 or 2021 as of yet, but from the knowledge that Dr. de Silva has, he observed that there has been a downward trend in terms of the number of pregnancies. “There has been about a decrease of 13,000 pregnancies since the last statistic was released, from what we know.”
To gain more insight on the topic, Brunch spoke to content creator Malsha Jayamaha, who just gave birth to her son amidst the pandemic, and behavioural health researcher Nilushka Perera, who is expecting to give birth any time now.
[caption id="attachment_141110" align="alignleft" width="218"]
Malsha Jayamaha[/caption]
Birthing experience during Covid
We asked Jayamaha if the pandemic made it difficult for her to get to the hospital or to channel doctors, to which she responded that channelling the doctor was always done online, so it wasn’t much of a change, but she explained that during lockdown, one always had to have some sort of proof when heading to the hospital and had to be overly cautious of their safety, since being pregnant puts you at a higher risk.
Giving birth during a pandemic is obviously bound to be a harder task than when there were no such rules to abide by. Jayamaha commented on this, saying: “It is definitely a different experience for mothers that gave birth during the pandemic. At the hospital at which I delivered, only one extra person could stay with us, getting help was limited, and neither of us could leave the hospital once we had been admitted.”
Going into detail on her experience giving birth and how it was different, she explained that both she and her husband were mandated to do a PCR test, and on top of that, she was made to wear a mask during her delivery, which she described as a very unpleasant experience.
We asked Perera if she has had any difficulties accessing healthcare during the pandemic, to which she said: “Hospital appointments, if you are accessing private care, were okay so far, because the hospitals take good precautions and we can make sure that we only go during the time of the appointment. But I can’t say the same for women accessing public healthcare.”
She explained that the services are quite stretched, and getting the usual care and the support available (e.g. prenatal classes, birth prep) is difficult. She tries to limit the appointments only to the most essential ones. Like Jayamaha, she added that wearing masks as a pregnant woman is difficult: “We are currently wearing two masks, which is sometimes difficult on hot days, but since travelling and mingling with others is so limited, it’s been okay.” She added that she is privileged enough to work from home, so she feels a lot more safe than a pregnant woman who is expected to go to work by their organisation.
Coping with lockdowns
We asked Jayamaha how she is coping with the current restrictions postpartum. “The current lockdown has definitely taken a toll, because with all the changes and challenges that come with being a mum, you definitely need a breather and some time for yourself, and with this lockdown, it hasn’t been possible; and mentally, it hasn’t been easy.” She added that having to live in complete isolation and with her maternity leave slowly ending, she feels that she didn’t get to do anything she dreamed of with her baby.
Jayamaha is also upset for her baby, as he hasn’t met any of his extended family, let alone spent time with his grandparents, and they are missing the chance to see him grow as well. “The fact that he hasn’t been able to associate with anyone outside our bubble is also worrying. Looking at the bigger picture, I know that this lockdown has been imposed for our safety, but as a mother and human being, I’m feeling all of this is wrong because it isn’t easy.”
Perera stated that being pregnant during a lockdown can have an impact on anyone’s mental, physical, and social health. From a personal point of view, being pregnant during a pandemic has been an interesting journey for her, she shared. “On one hand, during the first trimester, when you are more tired with a lot of changes in your body, you have a bit more time for yourself with your family to enjoy the pregnancy and the little being that is growing inside of you, but having people to support and be there for you is quite important for some of us, which the lockdown doesn’t allow.” There’s limited opportunity to meet parents, friends, and also to share the journey with loved ones. Social media really helps to keep in touch but it’s not the same, observed Perera.
The more frustrating thing for Perera has been the conflicting evidence that is shared by authorities and how health measures are being implemented. “How the virus is spreading can cause anxiety, because when you are pregnant, you have a higher risk of getting severe Covid. So every time you step outside of the house and meet people, it is a cause for concern.” Since the regulations (up until yesterday) didn’t allow women to be vaccinated during pregnancy, no matter what your risk level is, it added to the stress and anxiety.
Caring for a newborn during lockdown
Perera stated that shopping for a baby in lockdown has been the most difficult thing for her. “Nesting and preparing for the baby are not easy because everything is only online and we aren’t able to go to a shop and buy things.” Another struggle she has to deal with is being unable to make changes in the house for the baby since, due to the pandemic, it is not safe for contractors to visit and the travel restrictions won't allow them to come either.
For Jayahama, obtaining baby products has been a 50/50 situation: “Since I don’t live around Colombo, getting things delivered has been a bit difficult, but since my sister and husband still go into work, I get whatever is needed delivered to them.” But in general, she assumed that for people living in and around Colombo, getting the necessities hasn't been that hard, because she sees almost everything is now available online, or almost everyone does deliveries.
In addition, Jayamaha noted that every mother is struggling in their own way and urges the public to go easy on them and understand them.
"Hospital appointments, if you are accessing private care, were okay so far, because the hospitals take good precautions and we can make sure that we only go during the time of the appointment. But I can’t say the same for women accessing public healthcare" Nilushka Perera[/caption]
Giving birth is said to be one of the most magical moments in life. Women who are preparing for pregnancy or are pregnant are usually radiant and are impatiently counting down the seconds till they get to hold their baby in their arms for the first time. However, with irregular transport, limited healthcare, and restricted movement, gearing up to give birth to a child amid the crisis is raising anxiety among women in such uncertain times.
Expectant/new parents also missed out on many celebrations and rituals that commemorate the transition into parenthood: baby showers and christening ceremonies, walking around stores deciding on clothes and baby necessities, neighbours dropping by with a meal, or grandparents travelling to meet the newest family member. Covid-19 has robbed mothers of the simple pleasures of childbirth and instead, given them an added burden to worry about.
Brunch spoke to Sri Lanka College Of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists President Dr. Pradeep de Silva to find out more about pregnancy during Covid. We asked him if mothers come in with questions on how to handle Covid whilst expecting a baby, to which he said no – most mothers have already educated themselves on the topic before visiting their gynaecologists, as these are very difficult times and they understand that they are at risk of serious complications or even death if they contract the virus. However, he added that, as an OB/GYN, he is obligated to give them a rundown on how to stay safe and manage the pandemic.
“The most commonly-asked question is whether it is safe for them to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, and if so, where they can get it from. We advise them to obtain the vaccine if possible, as it is not said to have adverse effects on patients.” He informed us that the vaccine was made available for pregnant women to obtain from yesterday (6).
Dr. de Silva also observed that compared to average citizens, pregnant women are more likely to strictly adhere to all the Covid-19 precautions and guidelines in order to keep themselves and their babies safe.
He also noted that despite travel restrictions or lockdowns, the clinics and pharmacies remain open; however, he does concede that these women may have difficulties travelling or finding transport, which may be an added cause of stress. “There is no decrease in the number of women visiting the clinic despite the pandemic. The only difference is that they are not allowed to have more than one person with them at a time.”
Unfortunately, the Sri Lanka Department of Census and Statistics has not released the birth rates for 2020 or 2021 as of yet, but from the knowledge that Dr. de Silva has, he observed that there has been a downward trend in terms of the number of pregnancies. “There has been about a decrease of 13,000 pregnancies since the last statistic was released, from what we know.”
To gain more insight on the topic, Brunch spoke to content creator Malsha Jayamaha, who just gave birth to her son amidst the pandemic, and behavioural health researcher Nilushka Perera, who is expecting to give birth any time now.
[caption id="attachment_141110" align="alignleft" width="218"] Malsha Jayamaha[/caption]
Birthing experience during Covid
We asked Jayamaha if the pandemic made it difficult for her to get to the hospital or to channel doctors, to which she responded that channelling the doctor was always done online, so it wasn’t much of a change, but she explained that during lockdown, one always had to have some sort of proof when heading to the hospital and had to be overly cautious of their safety, since being pregnant puts you at a higher risk.
Giving birth during a pandemic is obviously bound to be a harder task than when there were no such rules to abide by. Jayamaha commented on this, saying: “It is definitely a different experience for mothers that gave birth during the pandemic. At the hospital at which I delivered, only one extra person could stay with us, getting help was limited, and neither of us could leave the hospital once we had been admitted.”
Going into detail on her experience giving birth and how it was different, she explained that both she and her husband were mandated to do a PCR test, and on top of that, she was made to wear a mask during her delivery, which she described as a very unpleasant experience.
We asked Perera if she has had any difficulties accessing healthcare during the pandemic, to which she said: “Hospital appointments, if you are accessing private care, were okay so far, because the hospitals take good precautions and we can make sure that we only go during the time of the appointment. But I can’t say the same for women accessing public healthcare.”
She explained that the services are quite stretched, and getting the usual care and the support available (e.g. prenatal classes, birth prep) is difficult. She tries to limit the appointments only to the most essential ones. Like Jayamaha, she added that wearing masks as a pregnant woman is difficult: “We are currently wearing two masks, which is sometimes difficult on hot days, but since travelling and mingling with others is so limited, it’s been okay.” She added that she is privileged enough to work from home, so she feels a lot more safe than a pregnant woman who is expected to go to work by their organisation.
Coping with lockdowns
We asked Jayamaha how she is coping with the current restrictions postpartum. “The current lockdown has definitely taken a toll, because with all the changes and challenges that come with being a mum, you definitely need a breather and some time for yourself, and with this lockdown, it hasn’t been possible; and mentally, it hasn’t been easy.” She added that having to live in complete isolation and with her maternity leave slowly ending, she feels that she didn’t get to do anything she dreamed of with her baby.
Jayamaha is also upset for her baby, as he hasn’t met any of his extended family, let alone spent time with his grandparents, and they are missing the chance to see him grow as well. “The fact that he hasn’t been able to associate with anyone outside our bubble is also worrying. Looking at the bigger picture, I know that this lockdown has been imposed for our safety, but as a mother and human being, I’m feeling all of this is wrong because it isn’t easy.”
Perera stated that being pregnant during a lockdown can have an impact on anyone’s mental, physical, and social health. From a personal point of view, being pregnant during a pandemic has been an interesting journey for her, she shared. “On one hand, during the first trimester, when you are more tired with a lot of changes in your body, you have a bit more time for yourself with your family to enjoy the pregnancy and the little being that is growing inside of you, but having people to support and be there for you is quite important for some of us, which the lockdown doesn’t allow.” There’s limited opportunity to meet parents, friends, and also to share the journey with loved ones. Social media really helps to keep in touch but it’s not the same, observed Perera.
The more frustrating thing for Perera has been the conflicting evidence that is shared by authorities and how health measures are being implemented. “How the virus is spreading can cause anxiety, because when you are pregnant, you have a higher risk of getting severe Covid. So every time you step outside of the house and meet people, it is a cause for concern.” Since the regulations (up until yesterday) didn’t allow women to be vaccinated during pregnancy, no matter what your risk level is, it added to the stress and anxiety.
Caring for a newborn during lockdown
Perera stated that shopping for a baby in lockdown has been the most difficult thing for her. “Nesting and preparing for the baby are not easy because everything is only online and we aren’t able to go to a shop and buy things.” Another struggle she has to deal with is being unable to make changes in the house for the baby since, due to the pandemic, it is not safe for contractors to visit and the travel restrictions won't allow them to come either.
For Jayahama, obtaining baby products has been a 50/50 situation: “Since I don’t live around Colombo, getting things delivered has been a bit difficult, but since my sister and husband still go into work, I get whatever is needed delivered to them.” But in general, she assumed that for people living in and around Colombo, getting the necessities hasn't been that hard, because she sees almost everything is now available online, or almost everyone does deliveries.
In addition, Jayamaha noted that every mother is struggling in their own way and urges the public to go easy on them and understand them.