Harder?

[Jencocoa]

I will be 35 in a couple weeks. I had my daughter when I was 26 and my son when I was 32. I felt like everything was harder, more tiring second time when I was older. I am even older now and I am sooo exhausted. This was unexpected. When my period did not come I thought I was going to pre-menopause lol! Anyone else ridiculously exhausted? Sometimes I am afraid I can't do it.

 

[44npregnant]

I will be 35 in a couple weeks. I had my daughter when I was 26 and my son when I was 32. I felt like everything was harder, more tiring second time when I was older. I am even older now and I am sooo exhausted. This was unexpected. When my period did not come I thought I was going to pre-menopause lol! Anyone else ridiculously exhausted? Sometimes I am afraid I can't do it.

I'm 44 and this is my first child. I've been taking 2-3 hours naps everyday. I'm not too worried. I work full time so it's to be expected.

 

[Creative]

I had my first baby at 22 and 24 and then at 30 I had my last one. Now I am 44 and expecting number 4. Yes it is most certainly more tiring and for me the side effects like morning sickness, swelling and heart burn are a lot more severe. I sailed through my other pregnancies and worked through them all. There have been times during this one I've just been utterly exhausted and felt every bit my age so you are not alone. I certainly am calling it a day after this one!!

 

[Jencocoa]

I work full time too. And my youngest is autistic. Not sure I can continue at work. Didn't feel that way before. Though recently my job changed and it is more work and stress...same pay of course! I think I need more time to rest

 

[MonyMony]

I have always worked full-time and have two kids. Was 22 when pg for first time and 31 for second. Both were hard due to symptoms and tiredness, but nothing like what I feel now at 38. Exhaustion is just getting getting started too. My husband and I agreed that I may need to quit this time--and we worked out a budget. Personally, I feel I have to face facts: I'm older and we already have two active kids that still need attention and ferrying around to all their activities.

I've been really reluctant to comtemplate quitting and going to freelance work not only for financial reasons, but also for social and long-term marketability reasons. But I think that along with age has also come a lessening of ambition. I guess we'll see how things go.

 

[Jencocoa]

I have always worked full-time and have two kids. Was 22 when pg for first time and 31 for second. Both were hard due to symptoms and tiredness, but nothing like what I feel now at 38. Exhaustion is just getting getting started too. My husband and I agreed that I may need to quit this time--and we worked out a budget. Personally, I feel I have to face facts: I'm older and we already have two active kids that still need attention and ferrying around to all their activities.

I've been really reluctant to comtemplate quitting and going to freelance work not only for financial reasons, but also for social and long-term marketability reasons. But I think that along with age has also come a lessening of ambition. I guess we'll see how things go.

GoOd luck! I feel very similar. My husband is trying to get a better job so I can quit. I took off a day yesterday and I felt so much than I do today, and I think it was because I rested so much. Feel like crap today and the day is not even half over!

 

[FeistyMom]

I am in a similar boat. So far the first tri fatigue has subsided and I do have that bit of 2nd tri energy, but no where near as much as with my previous pregnancies.

DH and I frequently wonder what we were thinking to not use any birth control. We were ntnp, because we both thought 4 would be a great number of kids. Now between work, budget, caring for the 3 LOs... we are really worried about being bad parents.

He tried to work out a budget that would allow me to quit after this one is born, but I was stupidly stubborn on one section, and schooling didnt work out for our middle child, so we are financially committed to a private school for at least this school year if not the next too. No idea if we could get by without my salary without cutting that expense. I am considering parttime work - I did that part of last year, and it was SUPER stressful, but I *LOVED* picking up my girls right when they got out of school. My afternoons were awesome. My boss however, was not really thrilled with my decision (she's a typical workaholic, 80+ hrs a week, turned 40 and realized she didn't have much of a social life outside of work and took it out on me). I have a different boss now, so I think it would be less stressful.

I really do wonder how we're going to manage without shortchanging the kids or ourselves of good quality time with each other, and one-on-one.

Anyone have any plans or ideas as to how to maximize quality time with OH AND the LOs, both as a group and one-on-one? DH and I did very well with 2, but since #3 came around, we have been horrible about doing enough date night type stuff for each other, and I'm desperate for ideas before #4 comes and we drift even further apart

 

[MonyMony]

Also considering part-time, but I'd have to be pretty pushy about it to get it approved, and my hubby thinks it might not really be any less stressful (since you usually don't have so much less work, just less pay!)

Also, just dreading the nanny search and hiring process for the third time. And the pumping while at work. My milk supply is okay when nursing, but terrible when pumping. Really would just love to work from home full-time, but there's little chance of that.

Time is also a worry here. With two older ones, we've settled into a great routine. I get one night a week to myself (Zumba/gym), OH gets one night to himself (salsa lessons) and we get a date night about once a month. Part of deal for baby #3 was that we'd make every effort to maintain this arrangement. But that will all go out the window if I don't work because we won't be able to afford the gym membership, the lessons, or the babysitting!

No easy answers I'm afraid...