AMA check-in week of 10/8

ChasingTheDog

Where my people at?? 

How are ya’ll feeling? If you’re a STM+ mom, how do you feel compared to when you were younger? 

molosmiles

Hey! Hey! I've been feeling pretty good. Aches and pains here and there. Tired. All to be expected. I honestly feel that each pregnancy has been easier than the one before. First one I was 26, then 34, and now 36. 

I tell you what though, I'm still upset about all the extra appointments, which translates to extra money. Even my OB was like, this is ridiculous, your pregnancy will be just like the one before so he's cutting back on the appointments they recommend towards the end of the pregnancy. Phew.

wkuandrea

@molosmiles you give me hope that if there is another pregnancy after this one, it'll be easier! I'm sooooo exhausted all of the time, probably from being sick alllllll of the time. Still have a lot of anxiety about everything going well (even if I was 29 instead of 39, I have a lot of health issues already) -- so, every day is a victory right now! 

ChasingTheDog

I’ve been surprised at how many more aches and pains I have this time. I wasn’t super young with #1 (30) but this time i definitely have a lot more grumbles about this and that hurting. 

@molosmiles I luckily haven’t had any extra dr visits. That sucks you have to pay for extra  

molosmiles

Yeah, I have to see the perinatal Dr for my ultrasounds, and instead of 2 , I will have 4! Then my doctor said starting at 34 weeks I'll have to go to the hospital once a week for some testing. He said they recommend 2x per week but he said that's too much. Stupid expensive . Plus I have to get lab work done every 4 weeks, but that is because of my thyroidectomy. It is 6-8 weeks normally but every 4 weeks while pregnant. You are lucky you haven't seen an increase in appts @ChasingTheDog

@wkuandrea it surprised me, I've had different symptoms with each pregnancy, but I definitely feel they've been easier each time. Hopefully you'll find the same thing to be true!

CoastieGirl79

Feeling pretty good over here. I had DS at 36, and I'm 39 now. Honestly I don't feel too much different. Typical pregnancy aches and pains. 

Funny story, I was within earshot of a conversation last week when a woman at the salon said that, at 30, she felt like she was too old to be pregnant. I got a good chuckle out of that. Then yesterday I went to the local mom and pop bagel cafe for breakfast. I know the owners. The wife said her daughter just had her first baby at 36 and doesn't know if she wants to do it again because she's getting too old. I told her I understand that worry. Everyone's perspective is different. 

bradleysmommy28

I had DS at 30 and I'm 36 now.  I was in better overall health this time around so things have been a tad easier and smoother but I've noticed I'm moving slower and definitely feeling all the aches and pains more.  I also feel like some of that is due to having a kid at home this go 'round and a busier life in general so less sleep and time to rest.  @CoastieGirl79 I have actually made similar comments about not having more kids because I feel like I'm too old and I know why people have kids in their 20s vs. 30s.  

tosh24

So, at 35, I don't feel AMA (and in Canada there is some additional AMA monitoring/testing that isn't even offered until you're over 40, rather than 35, since that's when the risk really seems to increase), but I'm just chiming in to say that my first two pregnancies at 22 and 27 were WAY easier. At 35, my body is really feeling the difference this time around. I have way more aches and pains, am way sicker, get winded and tired more easily....it has not been the breeze of a pregnancy my last one was at 27. Granted, some of that is probably because I am not as healthy as I was 12 and 7 years ago. Back then I was more active, BMI was 19, had better eating habits, etc. This time around I am coming off of years of stress eating and inactivity due to fertility treatments and multiple losses, and started off overweight with a BMI of 28. Writing that all out made me feel like this is probably why it's not as much fun this time around lol! I think if I was healthier like I was in my 20's, I wouldn't be feeling that much difference.

I will say that I do notice an emotional difference, though. I'm way more laid back about the transition of adding another child to the mix, fewer financial and logistical worries, etc. It's always worked out before and it will work out just fine again. Being older, DH and I are better set in our careers, are making more money, and having been married for 12.5 years at this point, are way more stable in our relationship than when we added the other two kids by our 5 year anniversary. It's a nice comfy spot to be in, so there are pluses to being older!  

CoastieGirl79

@bradleysmommy28 I can honestly say that I was no where ready for kids, or marriage, in my 20s. I do often discuss with DH if being pregnant younger would be any easier on the body. I'm assuming so, but I have nothing to base that assumption off of.

I will admit that I get nervous when I look toward the future and think about the age we will be when our kiddos graduate high school. We jokingly say they will have to wheel mom and dad into high school graduation! Lol! 

I can totally understand anyone's hesitancy to have children later in life. There's a entirely new set of worries to consider. 

@tosh24 I feel the same way you do. DH and I are stable (financially, resource-wise and in our relationship). We enjoy being home with our family, so having children at this point in our relationship, and at this point in our lives, hasn't rocked the boat too much. 

luckymay2x

So far this has been an easier pregnancy at 36 than my first at 32. I was sick a lot more with DD and depressed/moody more than this time. 

This time I am much more tired, but that's from having a 3.5 year old, and interviewing for jobs, and international travel.....ugh. 

Same amount of joint pain and discomfort. Also, almost exactly the same weight gain although starting weight was a little higher with thus pregnancy.