Pregnancy is a seriously challenging time, and for most of history, we’ve mitigated those challenges by coming together to help expecting parents manage and prepare. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has made that complicated, and often, impossible. Going over to your friends’ house to help them with the chores or make them a nice dinner isn’t an option for most people right now. 

MomsBeyond is a community founded on the spirit of moms helping other moms navigate the tricky, beautiful world of parenthood. In that spirit, we’ve come up with a list of ideas for how to care for a pregnant loved one through this pandemic. We hope these inspire you: 

Hosting a Safe Shower 

Showers foster community and connection and help the parents gear up. Here’s how to pull one off from a distance: 

- If you want to host a smaller shower, an outdoor party at a park or large property can work. It’s vital you have enough room for six feet between any household group. 

- You can also host a virtual shower via online video chat programs like Zoom. 

- Whichever route you go, include clear, simple instructions on the invite so all guests know the rules for attendance. 

Shortening To-Do Lists 

Errands - especially later in pregnancy - are an amazing gift. 

- Since COVID-19, birth is so complicated, many families are choosing to isolate as much as possible in the last weeks of pregnancy. Anything that saves them a trip out of the house will be a major kindness. 

- Offer to grab any baby or nursing gear they’re missing as the due date arrives, like comfy tops and bottoms that can mix and match. 

- Consider running errands on behalf of the mom-to-be, especially if she is bedridden. 

- You can also be their personal delivery driver for groceries and other necessities - offering to pay is a generous bonus, but if it’s not in your budget you can use a payment app to facilitate no-touch repayment. 

Following Their Rules

Parents deserve to have their safety choices respected. 

- It’s always best to defer to the new parent’s judgment when it comes to visits, contacts, and other safety matters, but the stakes are higher now than ever. 

- Expecting parents may ask you to get certain vaccines before visiting them or the newborn: If you decline, gracefully accept that you won’t get to visit. 

- Remember, we don’t yet know the long-term effects of COVID-19 during pregnancy, and a family with COVID-19 at birth can wind up separated from their newborn for days. Respect parents’ decisions about how to reduce this risk. 

A kind gesture, a chore finished, or a listening ear offered are some of the most meaningful moments for expecting parents. This is a uniquely fraught time to be pregnant, so anything you can do to make their lives easier, less stressful, and more hopeful will be well appreciated. And remember, you can turn to MomsBeyond for ideas, connection, and support.

Article written by MomsBeyond's guest writer, Lacie Martin.