Pregnancy Before Having Kids VS. Pregnancy While Having TWO Toddlers
As this pregnancy comes to an end (sometime in the near future), I am reflecting on what a different journey it has been with the Starfish Baby VS. when I was pregnant with Nolan and Judah, here are some of the biggest and some of the most surprising differences I have experienced...
1.) Physical Exhaustion: When I was pregnant with Nolan and Judah, I was carrying around TWO babies. I was certainly tired, certainly sore, and certainly physically tired. However, chasing those same two angels around, picking them up, bending over to pick up their toys, and not being able to rest very much because they always need me has actually made me MORE physically exhausted while being pregnant with the Starfish Baby. I essentially put myself on bed rest towards the end of my pregnancy with the twins; totally CANNOT do that this time :) While pregnant with Nolan and Judah, I rested when I wanted to, napped when I wanted to, took it easy when I wanted to, and sat around and did nothing when I wanted to... Not this time people! By the end of the day during this pregnancy (and sometimes even by like 9:00am) my body is absolutely pooped.
2.) As Time Passes: While pregnant with Nolan and Judah, those 38 weeks could not have gone any SLOWER. Every single thing in my life revolved around that pregnancy. I always had something to worry about, sometime to fret over, something to control my thoughts. With the Starfish baby, my amount of worry and fear was still the same no doubt, but Nolan and Judah needing my attention throughout the day has helped me incredibly to feel like this pregnancy has gone much faster. It's impossible to let this pregnancy control my everything even if I wanted it to because two other babies need me too. This has been a HUGE pro for a crazy person like me.
3.) Sleeping Abilities: Thankfully, during this pregnancy, I have been able to sleep better despite my crazy, despite my worrying, and despite being uncomfortable now that I'm much bigger. Nolan and Judah tire me out. In general, when it comes time to go to bed, I am out! Before having other children, when I was pregnant with Nolan and Judah, I was up during the night a lot. Towards the end, it was pretty much every night when I would eat my first breakfast sometime between 3-5am. The Starfish Baby wakes me up too, but I am so exhausted I have no trouble falling back asleep quickly. When the twins used to wake me up, I would be up for at least one hour minimum, but often more like two.
4.) Keeping a Pregnancy a Secret: As many doctors have said to me throughout these last 39 weeks, I have a very large studio apartment for the Starfish Baby to enjoy and he/she has his/her brothers to thank for that. Nolan and Judah stretched me out... like big time. I have been fairly large for a very very very long time, which made it harder for me to "hide" this pregnancy. Subsequently, I've gotten many more comments from strangers and acquaintances asking when I'm due over the last several months and they always look shocked when I would say the end of April because I have looked like I could give birth at any second for at least two months, but probably even three.
5.) The Starfish Baby's Genius: When you read pregnancy books, they always mention how powerful it is to read to the baby, sing to the baby, talk to the baby while pregnant. Josh and I certainly did that while pregnant with Nolan and Judah. However, the Starfish baby has a HUGE advantage here. I am already doing those things (talking, reading, singing) SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much during the day with Nolan and Judah and the Starfish Baby is able to reap the benefits. He/she probably gets 20-30 books read to him/her a day and certainly many, many songs sung to him/her. This baby will probably pop out being fluent in We're Going on a Bear Hunt or How Deep is the Sea? or Goodnight Gorilla and will probably be able to sing most popular songs from Disney movies and Raffi.
6.) Lack of Pregnancy "Glow": I LOVE maternity clothes, I really do. When browsing through the sale rack at Target, I've been known to pick out maternity clothes on accident because they're so cute and been bummed that they weren't for "regular people." However, it's a lot harder to look cute in cute pregnancy clothes when you have two toddlers at home. Does my hair ever get done? Please! Do I take care to make sure I keep up with the makeup I need? Yeah right! Do I make sure to accessorize to compliment my look? Ummmm, no. I am lucky if I've even showered! As I look back through the pictures I took every week with the boys while pregnant VS. the ones I've been taking while pregnant with the Starfish baby, there is clearly a difference between the way I have been taking care of myself. I guess that's what happens when you are taking care of other people...
Even though there are several things that feel really different this time around, there are also some things that definitely haven't changed for me between these pregnancies...
1.) I am just as grateful and just as appreciative to be pregnant
2.) The flutters, kicks, and other movements are just as special
3.) The prayers Josh and I say at night over my growing belly are exactly the
same
4.) My "crazy" has caused me to have some very worrisome moments/nights/days/weeks, etc
5.) Josh and I did our baby name bracket just like last time
6.) This pregnancy is an incredible miracle too... different, yes, but a miracle just the same
1.) Physical Exhaustion: When I was pregnant with Nolan and Judah, I was carrying around TWO babies. I was certainly tired, certainly sore, and certainly physically tired. However, chasing those same two angels around, picking them up, bending over to pick up their toys, and not being able to rest very much because they always need me has actually made me MORE physically exhausted while being pregnant with the Starfish Baby. I essentially put myself on bed rest towards the end of my pregnancy with the twins; totally CANNOT do that this time :) While pregnant with Nolan and Judah, I rested when I wanted to, napped when I wanted to, took it easy when I wanted to, and sat around and did nothing when I wanted to... Not this time people! By the end of the day during this pregnancy (and sometimes even by like 9:00am) my body is absolutely pooped.
2.) As Time Passes: While pregnant with Nolan and Judah, those 38 weeks could not have gone any SLOWER. Every single thing in my life revolved around that pregnancy. I always had something to worry about, sometime to fret over, something to control my thoughts. With the Starfish baby, my amount of worry and fear was still the same no doubt, but Nolan and Judah needing my attention throughout the day has helped me incredibly to feel like this pregnancy has gone much faster. It's impossible to let this pregnancy control my everything even if I wanted it to because two other babies need me too. This has been a HUGE pro for a crazy person like me.
3.) Sleeping Abilities: Thankfully, during this pregnancy, I have been able to sleep better despite my crazy, despite my worrying, and despite being uncomfortable now that I'm much bigger. Nolan and Judah tire me out. In general, when it comes time to go to bed, I am out! Before having other children, when I was pregnant with Nolan and Judah, I was up during the night a lot. Towards the end, it was pretty much every night when I would eat my first breakfast sometime between 3-5am. The Starfish Baby wakes me up too, but I am so exhausted I have no trouble falling back asleep quickly. When the twins used to wake me up, I would be up for at least one hour minimum, but often more like two.
4.) Keeping a Pregnancy a Secret: As many doctors have said to me throughout these last 39 weeks, I have a very large studio apartment for the Starfish Baby to enjoy and he/she has his/her brothers to thank for that. Nolan and Judah stretched me out... like big time. I have been fairly large for a very very very long time, which made it harder for me to "hide" this pregnancy. Subsequently, I've gotten many more comments from strangers and acquaintances asking when I'm due over the last several months and they always look shocked when I would say the end of April because I have looked like I could give birth at any second for at least two months, but probably even three.
5.) The Starfish Baby's Genius: When you read pregnancy books, they always mention how powerful it is to read to the baby, sing to the baby, talk to the baby while pregnant. Josh and I certainly did that while pregnant with Nolan and Judah. However, the Starfish baby has a HUGE advantage here. I am already doing those things (talking, reading, singing) SOOOOOOOOOOOOO much during the day with Nolan and Judah and the Starfish Baby is able to reap the benefits. He/she probably gets 20-30 books read to him/her a day and certainly many, many songs sung to him/her. This baby will probably pop out being fluent in We're Going on a Bear Hunt or How Deep is the Sea? or Goodnight Gorilla and will probably be able to sing most popular songs from Disney movies and Raffi.
6.) Lack of Pregnancy "Glow": I LOVE maternity clothes, I really do. When browsing through the sale rack at Target, I've been known to pick out maternity clothes on accident because they're so cute and been bummed that they weren't for "regular people." However, it's a lot harder to look cute in cute pregnancy clothes when you have two toddlers at home. Does my hair ever get done? Please! Do I take care to make sure I keep up with the makeup I need? Yeah right! Do I make sure to accessorize to compliment my look? Ummmm, no. I am lucky if I've even showered! As I look back through the pictures I took every week with the boys while pregnant VS. the ones I've been taking while pregnant with the Starfish baby, there is clearly a difference between the way I have been taking care of myself. I guess that's what happens when you are taking care of other people...
Even though there are several things that feel really different this time around, there are also some things that definitely haven't changed for me between these pregnancies...
1.) I am just as grateful and just as appreciative to be pregnant
2.) The flutters, kicks, and other movements are just as special
3.) The prayers Josh and I say at night over my growing belly are exactly the
same
4.) My "crazy" has caused me to have some very worrisome moments/nights/days/weeks, etc
5.) Josh and I did our baby name bracket just like last time
6.) This pregnancy is an incredible miracle too... different, yes, but a miracle just the same
Comments
Post a Comment