Coronials Baby

When a global event such as a pandemic strikes, it goes without saying that the world that we know drastically changes, and along with it, our vocabulary. New words are born to define and communicate these changes and their aftermath. One of these terms is ‘Coronials baby’, which has risen to popularity as a name for children born or conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically between December 2020 and Spring 2021.

Baby Boom or Baby Bust?

With people spending much more time indoors with their significant other, it is easy to see why some people forecast a baby boom, but in reality it could be more like a baby bust. In June last year, Brookings Institution, published a report that predicted a decline of between 300,000 and 500,000 births as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research was carried out into how birth rates were affected after both the Great Recession of 2008, which saw a 9% drop in births up until 2012, and the Spanish flu in 1918, which led to a 12.5% decline. With this in mind, the ‘Coronials baby’ might not be as common as previously thought.

In early May, A Guttmacher Institute survey including 2,009 women between the ages of 18 and 49 found that over 40% of women had altered their plans about when to have children or how many children to have because of Covid-19. Contrastingly, 17% of women reported wanting to have more children, or expand their families sooner.

Has COVID-19 Helped or Harmed Romantic Relationships?

In order to understand these figures, let’s first take a look at how COVID-19 has impacted people’s relationships. Two of the biggest strains on relationships in general are finances and work, both of which have played key roles in the pandemic play. The restlessness brought about by lockdown and the constant contact with significant others has naturally lead to an increase in interpersonal stress and conflict, meaning that it should come as no surprise that divorce rates have never been higher. Studies have shown a 34% increase in divorce filings. However, not enough research has been carried out to show that the pandemic itself is solely responsible for causing its own divorce epidemic. Alternatively, this shared adversity could be a way for couples to mutually bond and strengthen their relationship, augmenting feelings of closeness and appreciation, both of which are necessary components when planning to start a family.

Why Are People Hesitant About Having A Coronials Baby?

Now, let’s examine the reasons why people might be more hesitant than usual about conceiving during COVID-19. The physical and mental effects of the pandemic are predicted to be longstanding. Many people are experiencing increased feelings of isolation (particularly postpartum) and anxiety, both of which don’t couple well with being pregnant, which is a stressful enough time in itself. This anxiety is understandable when looking at a recent study which deduced that pregnant women with COVID-19 are 1.5 times more likely to be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) and 1.7 times more likely to require mechanical ventilation than non-pregnant women of childbearing age with COVID-19. While no evidence has been found that links the ‘Coronials baby’ to any birth defects as a result of the outbreak, many families still have concerns about this.

From a financial perspective, it is also understandable why many people are hesitant about having a ‘Coronials baby’. According to a report by USDA, the average middle-income family spends on average between $12,000 and $14,000 on child-related expenses each year. COVID-19 saw an increased number of jobs lost and people being placed on furlough, with the unemployment rate peaking at unprecedented levels at the height of the outbreak. Financial anxieties are already plaguing couples everywhere without the added extra of a 'coronials baby’ and with many companies curbing their employers retirement pay, it is understandable why many couples are placing a family on hold.

Are People Still Wanting To Have Children?

However, despite this possible ‘baby bust’, there are still plenty of pregnant people or people trying to get pregnant in these strange and stressful times. With divorce rates at an all time high in the USA, many couples have turned to the age old “let’s have a baby together” in a last-ditch effort to mend their relationships and marriages. The ‘Coronials baby’ has brought a sense of optimism, perhaps irrationally, in these dark times, a light at the end of the pandemic tunnel if you will. For others, having a ‘Coronials baby’ isn’t necessarily a choice. With COVID-19 death rates being plastered on our screens daily, many women have felt pressured into having a baby, fearing that they are running out of time.

Contrastingly, many people have been fortunate enough to not experience the hardships brought about by the pandemic. They’ve managed to keep their jobs, their relationship is thriving, and so is their health. In fact, many people have praised lockdown as being perfectly designed for the nesting that they were getting ready to do. Being forced to stay at home together has been a wonderful thing for a lot of people and has created a conducive environment in which to raise a ‘Coronials baby’.