A couple of weeks ago, I came down with a little cough. And then a slight headache. Long story short, I had COVID. Though I didn’t get told for sure, I’m pretty sure it was the omicron variant because, for me, it was pretty much a walk in the park. I’ve had colds worse than that. However, my very pregnant wife also got it, and, while things are okay now, there were a few things that might be helpful for any other men out there with pregnant wives … or wives who are pregnant and stumble across this article!
Of course, a disclaimer: This is only information I’ve garnered through my own experiences. (In fact, that was one of the frustrating things with this whole ordeal—being quarantined meant my access to advice and information was pretty limited!) So view it as such. Okay, let’s go.
YOU Can Get It
First, what you’re all wondering. Did I get vaccinated. Yes, I did. Vaxxed and boosted. I got three shots. I wore the mask when I went out. And during the incubation period, all I did was go out a handful of times to a cafe or restaurant.
And … a karaoke room. I’m pretty sure that’s where I got it, using the mic that countless other people had placed their filthy, sullied hands upon …
But anyway, the point is, if you’re concerned about COVID, then be careful. You can get it even if you’re cautious.
Or, on the other hand, you could just say, “Eff it, I’m going to get it no matter what I do,” and do what you want. However, seeing as how I had a pregnant wife to think about, I would have and should have been more vigilant, I think. Probably shouldn’t have done karaoke.
And what about that vaccine? Well, I don’t have a crystal ball, so who’s to say. Maybe it was useless. Or maybe it prevented me from getting a worse version of it. I don’t really know. I guess you’ll have to figure that out for yourself.
It’s More Dangerous for the Baby than a Cold
Don’t panic too much, and also keep in mind that I’m not a doctor, so double-check all this information. But, according to my research, just the fact that a woman has A cold or cough isn’t too much of a risk for the pregnancy. However, there are two main risks with COVID.
One is that it can potentially lead to premature birth. In our case, my wife was far enough along that this wasn’t a big deal (the baby is due 8 days), but had we gotten it earlier on, it could have been worse.
Also, keep in mind that pregnancy can be pretty taxing to women and their immune systems, so that means that they’re more vulnerable to serious symptoms of COVID. In fact my wife, whom I’ve only seen get sick once in the 6 years I’ve known her, took it a bit harder than I did.
And just as a side note, most of the information above can be found at the Mayo Clinic’s website, here.
Now what really concerned me was COVID’s accompanying fever. According to What to Expect When You’re Expecting, a pregnant woman should call the doctor if she has a fever of 100, and go to the doctor if she has fever of 101. Fevers can be bad news for babies, and, while I didn’t get a fever, my wife did. More advice on that later.
Even if the mother handles the virus like a champ, you have to consider quarantine regulations in your area. In my part o’ the world, we had to be placed in quarantine for a week, and we were lucky we didn’t have any problems during that time.
In the Event of a Fever
As I mentioned, call the doctor if this happens. That being said, here’s how we handled it.
First, use Tylenol. IMPORTANT: use Tylenol, NOT aspirin and NOT ibuprophen … ibuprofren … come on here, spellcheck, help me out … ibu—that other kind. They all have different ingredients in them, and only Tylenol (which uses acetaminophen) is recommended for pregnant women (henceforth referred to in this document as “preggos”.) Even then, I recommend using it conservatively and carefully, following directions on the label and your doctor’s recommendations. In fact, it might be worth talking about this sort of thing with the doc beforehand, in case the problem pops up.
Second, work on reducing personal body heat. My wife put up an argument when I told her she should take off the fuzzy vest she was wearing in the house, and then when I brought up and showed her information that recommended this as a fever countermeasure, she agreed, which is the closest I’ll ever get to her saying, “You were right, Dear.” (I’ll take what I can get.) We also turned off the heat. Finally, I got a towel, soaked it in cold water, wrung it out, and placed that on the preggo’s forehead. She also had the idea to put one on her belly, and I don’t know if that was helpful or not, but it didn’t hurt. These towels, by the way, actually ended up getting warm, at which point, I re-wet them. The cold water made them … well, cold once again and ready for re-use.
We were fortunate in that my wife’s fever only lasted about 30 minutes, and never approached danger levels. It did come back a bit the next day, but a little more Tylenol did the trick.
And That’s about It.
I don’t think I’m missing too much else. Bottom line, while you don’t have to lock yourself in a nuclear bunker, do be aware that COVID can involve a few more complications than your basic cold, and be mindful of it when going about your day-to-day business. In the event you do get the coof, make sure you read up on what to do and talk with the doctor when possible. And make sure you keep an eye on Mom’s temperature to avoid those nasty fevers. Here’s wishing you good health!
The Functional Male 