If you have a medically necessary appointment, like an anatomy scan if you’re pregnant, and the risk of postponing or canceling is greater than the risk of coronavirus exposure, you’re probably thinking of what you can do to stay safe.
Someone (or, hypothetically BOTH your mom AND your mother-in-law) is likely calling, texting and emailing you with safety measure ideas, concerns and articles.
For my anatomy scan, which required me to go into midtown Manhattan on April 3 2020, I did a lot of reading and just thinking about protective layers and processes.
Here is what I ended up doing to try to keep the baby, myself, my toddler and my husband as safe as possible.
Packing and prepping for my anatomy scan.
A full outfit is under this outfit.
(Please ignore the mess my toddler made on this mirror!)
Here we go.
First, since my husband was no longer allowed into the appointment and we didn’t want to introduce a new person into our home (a babysitter), we all drove in. They would just park and wait for me. And that way my son would be strapped into his carseat and wouldn’t be able to hug me, kiss me or touch me after the appointment.
(NOTE: If you cannot drive and are taking an uber or taxi or mass transportation, you can still use and modify this checklist.)
Once transportation and childcare was decided on, I had to figure out what to wear, bring, do immediately after the appointment and do once I got home. I made checklists for everything. The morning of the appointment I felt as prepared as I could be and knowing that, I didn’t feel anxious. I felt ready. And excited to see the baby.
I’m sharing my checklists with you here in case you too have a medically necessary appointment coming up and you want to feel prepared and ready.
There are maybe things you’ll add to this, and maybe things you’ll cut, but I think it’s a good start.
WEAR
[ ] No Bag/Purse
[ ] iPhone in ziplock, right pocket
[ ] Wallet and Health Insurance Card in ziplock, left pocket
[ ] 2 Layers of Clothing (Meaning, a full outfit under an outfit. I wore leggings under joggers and a shirt under a shirt
[ ] Scarf (Goal is no exposed skin)
[ ] Socks (Goal is no exposed skin)
[ ] Shoe Covers
[ ] No Coat
[ ] Sweatshirt and Extra Loose Pants to Leave in Car (To wear home over your bottom layer in case your bottom layer is somehow compromised. This happened to me and I was glad I had a second set.)
[ ] No “Clingy” Fabrics (No wool sweater, faux fur vest, or chunky knit scarf)
[ ] Disposable Gloves
[ ] Medical or Disposable Mask or Face Covering
[ ] Oversized Glasses or Goggles
[ ] Wide Headband or Headscarf (Cover as much hair as you can)
[ ] Hat
[ ] Robe (Leave this by the entrance to your home for when you get back)
BRING
[ ] Hand Sanitizer and/or Alcohol Spray and/or Disinfectant Wipes
[ ] 2 Garbage Bags: big and small
[ ] Diaper Bag with Toys, Books, Snacks, Drink
[ ] Water and snacks
AFTER APPOINTMENT
[ ] Remove headband into your BIG garbage bag to be washed
[ ] Remove top set of clothing into BIG garbage bag to be washed
[ ] Remove shoe covers into SMALL garbage bag to be disposed
[ ] Remove mask and set aside to be sanitized and cleaned (we hung mine from the door handle above the passenger side window once it was sanitized)
[ ] Remove gloves (doctor style) last into SMALL garbage bag to be disposed
[ ] Throw out SMALL garbage bag
[ ] Sanitize hands
[ ] Knot and place BIG garbage bag in trunk of car
[ ] Sanitize hands again as well as your car door handle
AT HOME
[ ] Go into your home first
[ ] Sanitize door handles (Even though by now your hands are clean and sanitized)
[ ] Strip down and immediately change into robe at the entrance to your home
[ ] Shower (Be sure to wash hair, hands and body thoroughly)
[ ] Wash all sets of clothes and your shoes
[ ] Clean passenger car seat (or wherever you sat)
I hope this helps! It worked out for us. And PS, our baby is doing great ❤️
Stay safe and well!
XOLC
NOTE: This post is not sponsored. All thoughts are unbiased and my own. All photos and content are property of Lauren Cosenza Beauty LLC.
Lauren Cosenza consults for top brands, websites, and magazines and serves as a trusted beauty/fashion/mom expert, a brand ambassador, an on-camera personality and spokesperson, a creative director, a published editorial contributor and writer, the creator and owner of DIVAlicious®, the creator and owner of BEAUTYfull®, a product junkie and an insatiable style seeker — with a former life at Cosmopolitan, Shape and Bustle/BDG brands. She currently runs Señor Lechuga Hot Sauce with her husband and baby boy as the Co-Founder + Head of Brand.
Find Lauren on Instagram.