INDIANAPOLIS — What appears to be a baby boom is happening right now, at least at one local hospital.
When shutdowns began across the country back in March, doctors were anticipating a quarantine “baby boom” might materialize nine months later.
So far this year, deliveries have increased 30% compared to last January at Community Health Network.
“So we are expecting 30% more people to have a baby this year than we did last year,” said OB/GYN Dr. Julia Kearney. “And then by March, it’s 70% more.”
Dr. Kearney credits this increase completely on quarantine. “I saw it in my friends first and then I saw it at the practice too and was just like, it’s the year! People were like, if not now when?” said Dr. Kearney.
“Who would’ve thought? Who would’ve thought? We are holding Quinn Patrick Vetor,” said Taylor Vetor, who delivered her baby on January 7.
Josh and Taylor Vetor didn’t let the pandemic stop them from growing their little family. “We continued to try,” said Vetor. “Having a baby has been something that’s pretty important to us and we knew that we didn’t really want to delay it.”
Though Taylor’s pregnancy was a little different; they didn’t get to have a baby shower. “Thankfully we had a great, awesome family and friends who threw some virtual showers and everything like that,” she said. “And so we still felt so much love and support from all of these people whether it be just dropping stuff off at her porch, sending a package. We had a package arriving every day for like months.”
“I think if this may have been our second, we would’ve had a different perspective,” said Josh Vetor. “But I think it just allowed us to maybe grow a little closer during this.”
Dr. Kearney says people were initially delaying getting pregnant in March right when the pandemic hit over fears of the coronavirus, leading to a decrease in deliveries in November and December. But once it became clear, the pandemic wasn’t ending anytime soon, they began trying.
“I think other people who are working from home sort of realized it’s not the worst time to have a newborn baby at home,” said Dr. Kearney. “If they were thinking maybe we will try at some point for a second or third or even the first kid, but they were thinking, oh we’re going to travel before we have kids, that wasn’t happening.”
She expects to see a “baby boom” nationally, after speaking with colleagues in other states, as long as people are quarantined at home. “It’s got to go on!” the doctor said. “And I think it’s kind of a silver lining. It’s the only thing that we get in this pandemic is time with your immediate family.”
Though Josh and Taylor’s nine-month journey was perhaps lonelier than those before them, it was special and served as a glimmer of light in a time of such darkness. “This whole time, this whole pandemic has been such a burden on the whole country. It’s one been one of the darkest times in our country‘s history probably,” said Josh Vetor. “And yet here we are, I hate to say it this is been the best time of our entire life.”
“We wouldn’t change it for the world,” said Taylor Vetor.
