which was harder? last weeks of pregnancy or first few weeks w/newborns?

kiwi443

Just curious.

JosiePosy

That's a tough one because I was on hospital bedrest and delivered way early. I guess I would say the first few weeks once they came home, but really the NICU life sucked. We were so relieved to finally have them home that we initially glossed over how exhausted we were. 

adoubleu12

I would say the last. The first few weeks are pretty tough.  You are (At least I was) miserable, tired, can't eat anything.  But the last few weeks you are miserable, tired, can't eat anything, and extremely huge...

ETA:  Obviously I misread the question.  Sorry.  The first few weeks that the girls were home from the NICU was 10x harder than any week of pregnancy. 

natb22

For me this question is a no brainer..first week (really first month) with newborns. But I had a great pregnancy with no issues and delivered via C section full term at 38w 2d.

srh08.05.06

By far the first few weeks with newborns.  My girls were about 13 lbs combined when they were born, so I was uncomfortable at the end.  But I still slept ok and had so much relaxation time.  That was cake compared to the lack of sleep once I brought home 2 newborns!!  Although I would probably feel differently if I had older children to run after during pregnancy.

ETA - I also had a rough delivery (postpartum hemorrhage which required blood transfusions, pulmonary edema which required me to be on oxygen, etc.), which made the first few weeks after they were born that much harder.

pea-kay

last weeks of pregnancy, i'd say. (although only the last week was really horrific.)

they came home after less than 2 weeks, and were still "sleepy preemies" for a while, so the first several weeks were cake.

crystina06

For me the last weeks of pregnancy were definitely harder. I was so uncomfortable and so tired. I couldn't sleep at the end of my pregnancy because I could not find a comfortable position, and I was still working right up until the end. So no sleep plus working 40+ hours a week plus being enormous and uncomfortable equals hell. My girls were/are really easy babies. They didn't have colic and once they were out, I could actually sleep! It was heavenly.

Fancy3Face

Last weeks of pg, hands down.  I could barely walk.  I didn't mind the nb stage-HUGE adjustment, sure, but they were mostly sleeping eating and pooping and I had my body back.  Both are ridiculously tough, but I could handle the no sleep and adjusting to newborns better than I could the constant pain of the end of pg. 

LALASEPT05

For me it was definitely the first few weeks once they came home. It was a huge adjustment for me and I'm sure there was some ppd or ppa involved. That said I also had a pretty easy pregnancy.

Danse

For me the newborn transition was much, much harder. I had a good pregnancy and it was pretty easy, esp. considering it was twins.

I wasn't prepared for how difficult BFing would be, or sleep deprivation. I didn't realize how the PP hormones would effect me - it was just really hard. Don't get me wrong, I'd do it again in a heartbeat - but it was a difficult transition and it was hard on the marriage (but it got better!)

jcath

Definitely the last few weeks of pregnancy.  I think I slept more with two newborns than I did while pregnant.  I also had lots of help when the girls were born.

SLPMel

The last weeks of pregnancy, no doubt.  I was exhausted, huge, swollen, mentally a mess, lonely, in pain, contracting-and so itchy that I would scratch myself until I bled when I *could* sleep.  Then it was time in the hospital, and bed rest, and all together I was just ready to be done.

I wouldn't say the first couple of weeks were easy, but we handled it really well and we had help until they were 5 weeks old.

LoveTravel

As some has said for me it would be the first few weeks at home- execpt for being on bedrest from 30-34 weeks I had a good pregnancy (IMO) even though I didn't sleep great I think having two newborns and getting use to and learning to BF and so one was harder...I'd say after about two weeks of being on routine, although some days weren't without chaos things we seemed to be on track

Rangergal9

For me, the last few weeks of being pg were the worst!!!  I'll take recovering from a c/s and taking care of NB twins any day over being 38 weeks pg with twins!  

I really felt amazing just hours after the c/s.  I also was nauseous/ throwing up my entire pregnancy so to finally not be sick and able to eat was wonderful!  I was able to eat, move around (the last few weeks I was basically bed ridden from all the swelling, my legs ached if I stood up for a couple seconds...terrible heartburn, etc).

My girls were sleeping 4 hours stretches from the start, and it wasnt that crazy in the beginning since they slept so much!!  Like I said I was so miserable at the end that the NB stage seemed wonderful to me! 

Eriksgal

Last weeks of pg for sure! I had a lot of help when my trio came home from the nicu otherwise my answer may be different

schoolsoutbride

Last few weeks of pg for sure. I felt really bad at the end.

amanda31H

HAHAHAHAHAH.  Easy.

I would rather experience the last few weeks of pregnancy for 2 months if it meant I could avoid the first month with newborns.

Yes I was uncomfortable, in pain, not sleeping, bored, peeing constantly, etc.  But it was NOTHING compared to having two newborns.

Sorry!

macchiatto

For me it was definitely the newborn stage. I couldn't walk the last 4 weeks of pregnancy and had a really bad pregnancy rash so I was constantly itchy and not sleeping much and very uncomfortable. It WAS wonderful to lose 35 lbs almost right away and be able to walk again and even run up and down the stairs again. But I had a wicked case of the baby blues and was really overwhelmed in the beginning. DH was home the first 10 days and people from church brought meals several times a week but otherwise we were mostly on our own.

I think if you have help--with your DS, and also find ways to get uninterrupted chunks of sleep here and there, like if you and your DH take shifts at night--that will really help. And hopefully the fact that you're an experienced mom now will help some too? I know definitely part of my feeling overwhelmed was feeling like I didn't know what I was doing at first, how to interpret their cries, how to soothe them, and BFing was really really tough. I feel like if I had to do it again knowing what I do now it wouldn't be *as* bad (you know, other than having the two almost 3 y/o's to take care of as well ).

macchiatto

I am super excited for you by the way. How are you feeling now? I can't believe how close it's getting!! Have you had any complications or anything?

kiwi443

macchiatto:

I am super excited for you by the way. How are you feeling now? I can't believe how close it's getting!! Have you had any complications or anything?

Thanks, M. I'm hanging in there. Some days are better than others, but I just keep chugging along . Being doubly pregnant is getting wearisome (mostly the dealing with an adorably mischevious toddler part while feeling like a whale), but I want to carry these girls as long as possible. On the other hand, I can't wait to meet them! I get so excited when I look at the closet full of cute, girl clothing.

Everything is looking good so far. One of them is measuring a little small, but continues to grow at her own rate. And my first NST went well, so that was encouraging.

September2007

I agree 110% with JosiePosey -- I spent the last 6 weeks of my pregnancy on hospitalized bedrest, and then the first 6 weeks of their lives in the NICU.  The NICU was by far some of the most trying times in my life...  Seeing our babies through plexiglass isolettes and not being able to hold them was heartwrenching for me, taking two steps forward and then four steps back on what seemed like an every other day basis, having a discharge date and then watching my LOs have As&Bs which prolonged their stay. 

We had a pretty easy transition home, but I have the NICU teams to thank for that!  They encouraged 100% parent-driven care, with my DH and I doing all the feeding, changing, bathing, etc, while we were there.  I spent upwards of 18-hours a day bedside with them both, learning as much as I could as quickly as I could. 

I'm not sure either one is better/worse than the other -- the bedrest was tough on me, their NICU stay was tougher on me, and both DH and I suffered from PTSD from our whole experience. 

Good Luck to you in your final weeks of pregnancy and your transitioning home into your new role of MoM!! 

j&j508

Totally the first few weeks with newborns.  I was on bedrest with PUPPPS the last three weeks of pregnancy, but at least I got to sleep and watch TV!  Those sleepless nights nursing two were a little rough.  But you get through it and now we laugh about it!