(Pre)school closures, canceled events, Covid cases in our inner circle, disrupted birth plans – it all feels like a bad re-run. It’s as if Omicron decided to make an appearance right on time to kill our hopes of a Covid-free new year.

Call us naive, but we’re not expecting a total déjà vu. Epidemiological predictions aside, we’ve simply learnt too much to let that happen. 

 

We’ve made a list of things that make us, as Urban Hatch, feel optimistic.

• The pandemic has reminded us that we can’t plan everything.
• We’ve re-learned to get comfortable with discomfort and uncertainty (a skill which btw sets you up for a more positive birth and parenting experience!)
• We’ve all seen that the pandemic has had its silver linings too, as parents of small babies and older kids alike.
• Fathers in particular have gotten more involved in parenting, thanks to work from home arrangements.
• Sky-rocketing mental health issues have raised awareness and a sense of urgency around postpartum depression and other emotional challenges parents face.
• Companies have stepped up their game in terms of benefits, flexibility and emotional support for parents in their teams.
• This doesn’t count for all countries (sadly) but policymakers have gotten wiser about how to contain Covid itself and its repercussions on daily life.
• We know a hell of a lot more about how to protect ourselves and our babies, inside the belly and out.
• There’s now  strong data  to indicate that vaccines are safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• There’s rising confidence in the safety of vaccines for children age 5 and above – which will hopefully help in decoupling Covid outbreaks from school and daycare closures.

 

What would you add? As hopeful as we do feel, we know it’s not all rainbows and sunshine, which is why…

We’ll work extra hard in 2022 to support parents by:

◌ Helping expecting parents feel ready for anything through our online pre/postnatal course Hatch™

◌ Offering one-on-one midwife support and coaching for parents (to be)

◌ Helping companies upgrade the support they offer to (expecting) parents in their teams through our corporate programmes

◌ Holding events to help you navigate the pandemic, such as our upcoming “Giving Birth in Times of Covid” (designed for Hong Kong-based parents)

 

Here’s to the light at the end of the tunnel!