15 Celebs Who Got Real About Being Pregnant During the Pandemic

Right as things were getting scary in America, Rachel Bloom went into labor with her first child. At the hospital, her baby had to stay in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), making things even scarier. When she and baby were eventually both home, Rachel wrote about the experience on Instagram.

"Having a baby in the NICU during a pandemic while a dear friend was in the hospital 3,000 miles away made this by far the most emotionally intense week of mine and Gregor's lives," she said. "As the lovely doctors and nurses helped my daughter get some fluid out of her lungs, we watched the maternity ward around us change hourly to prepare for the upcoming … storm. The whole family is now home safe and I am just so grateful to all of our medical workers."

A very pregnant America Ferrera posted early in the lockdown that she was impressed by all moms during this tough time. "As this baby grows inside and I attempt to breathe through the fears and unknowns of this time, I am thinking of all you other mamas bringing new life into this world right now," she wrote on Instagram. "And also of all the women across generations and centuries and borders who have and are currently birthing new life in the midst of so many extraordinary and daunting circumstances. Life is a miracle, and mamas make it possible through their strength and power. Hang in there pregnant mamas!"

The Married at First Sight star changed her whole birth plan when things started getting bad last spring. She told People magazine that she was going to opt for a home birth instead of going to the hospital during such a crazy time. Her husband Doug Hehner added, "The fact that I may or may not be able to be a support person at the delivery in the hospital… What do we do with our [older] daughter if I can’t leave the hospital? At least with our house, we know it's a more controlled environment," he said.

Ahead of her May labor, actress Chloe Sevigny was shaken up by reports that her partner may not have been able to be in the hospital with her while she gave birth. "I was told that Sinisa, my boyfriend, might not be allowed to come to the delivery," she told The Cut. "I had a super-panic attack and was crying uncontrollably. I have a doula, and she called me really panicked. She's supposed to be the calm in the storm, so hearing her really irate made it even more scary."

Mindy was one of the celebs who hid her pregnancy all year long only to reveal in October that she'd had a son. No one even knew she was expecting! She later wrote about her experience on Instagram. "Being pregnant during the pandemic was a little scary, but it made me appreciate all the doctors, nurses and medical professionals who continue to work tirelessly giving treatment to those who need it, putting their own lives at risk," she said.

Many first-time moms who were pregnant during the past year missed out on milestone events — including Nikki Bella. Though she told People that she was grateful that she and her baby were healthy, she was grieving the loss of some of those experiences.

"I imagined getting pregnant forever and I had to cancel my baby shower," she said. "Anything fun that you do that you get so excited for your first time pregnant, I had to cancel, and that really bummed me out. Just going to classes with [my husband] Artem, and now we’re going to do everything online, or even going out and shopping for a baby and grabbing lunch. Just everything we do is from the computer."

As model Gigi Hadid prepared to welcome her child with Zayn Malik, she said on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that she was doing her best to find the positives in the lockdown. "[It's a] nice silver lining to be able to be home and together and to really experience it day by day," she said.

The Bachelor in Paradise star also used her pregnancy to focus on the positives during such a chaotic time. "Although this time has its uncertainties, we are so thankful and excited for this baby," she wrote on Instagram when she announced her pregnancy. "I truly believe babies being born during this time are here for a special reason, to be light workers."

The reality for many moms-to-be in 2020 was that their partners often weren't permitted to come to check ups. Ciara documented one such doctor's visit where she was all masked up and FaceTiming with her husband Russell Wilson so he could see the ultrasound. She lamented, "We don’t hear to much about US during this time."

The singer found it challenging to satisfy her cravings while pregnant because she was trying to stick to only essential trips out of the house. She said on Good Morning America, "Usually in the past you've heard stories of [a] pregnant woman craving something and the husband or fiancé goes and rushes to the grocery store at two in the morning," Katy said. "There's no, like, rushing to the grocery store! It's like, 'Do you really want that watermelon, do you really need that orange, do you really need that pickle? Or do you wanna, like, risk your life for a pickle?"

Ahead of giving birth to her first child last August, Katherine explained that she took the stay-at-home protections very seriously since she was pregnant. And her husband Chris Pratt was totally on board with that. "I have a very wonderful husband who's very, it's been amazing having him home and also very understanding about my need to sanitize everything, having everyone wear masks all the time. That's been helpful," she said.

For the Destiny's Child singer, the time staying at home presented the opportunity to focus on getting pregnant. As she explained to Women's Health, "We had been talking about it loosely, and then [everything] happened, and we were just like, 'Let's see what happens.'" She got pregnant almost immediately, and considers the pregnancy her silver lining. "You still want to remind people that life is important," she said.

The Parks and Rec actress revealed her pregnancy on Late Night With Seth Meyers in December. When Seth asked her how her lockdown had been, she stood up to show off her baby bump. "Um, how have the exact last nine months been? They've been real pregnant for me," she said. Then she added that amidst the chaos of 2020, her pregnancy had been the one bright spot.

"It's very nice to have something that's incredibly positive during a time that's hard and sad," she said. "It's nice to have a little secret treasure. But yeah, I've basically been just chilling out, doing exactly what I want to do, not having to see anyone or figure out how to gracefully wear pants. I haven't worn pants in many moons."

One of the scariest parts of Joy-Anna Duggar's pregnancy in 2020 is that she came down with COVID-19. "I was still pregnant with Evelyn," she revealed on Instagram in early January, adding that her husband Austin also got sick. "We both had body aches, a slight fever, and lost our taste and smell. Thankfully, we recovered quickly."

As she's expecting her third child, Hilary admitted that she's struggling with her changing body — especially since it's hard to keep a healthy routine during this tough time. She told her followers, "I know it's extra hard to keep up and find normalcy in quarantine but I truly hope you make at least 30 mins a day for yourself to stay connected. Do whatever feels good for you even if it's not food or fitness related!"