WTT but not trying hard enough to prepare while I'm waiting (baby #3).

[babytobe]

Anyone else WTT but feeling like they could be doing so much more to prepare themselves for getting pregnant?

We are WTT for baby #3, and I'm hoping to start in the next several months, as long as the doctor thinks I'm ok to try (I just posted on having low iron, so we will see what the doctor says).

I am slowly getting things in the house more organized, and trying to take advantage of having energy and time to do stuff as a family during the summer. But I am truly doing TERRIBLE at taking care of my body! I suffered from major fatigue and anxiety last year, so I should have learned my lesson by now, but I just find it so hard to not "go go go" as a mom. I've been drinking coffee, eating too much sugar, not exercising much, and I know my stress levels are not that great. I am enjoying myself this summer and indulging, which isn't terrible, but I also just feel lots of pressure to always have everything "just so", and I overwork and end up "wired but tired" by the end of the day. I know I can turn things around and feel my best soon, I just need to DO IT! Anyone else in the same boat?
(As a side note I did not drink coffee at all with my other two babies, before or after having them, as coffee really affects me. This is why I know it's so bad for me though, as it drains all my energy more and will eventually lead to adrenal fatigue again if I keep it up. But it tastes so good and makes me feel powerful. Lol).

Anyway, I guess this post is just me acknowledging that I could be doing better to prepare my body to host a baby again. I want to feel my best going into pregnancy, so if I want to get pregnant, I need to buck up and buckle down a bit. Obviously no one is perfect, but I don't want to set myself up for not being able to conceive or miscarrying because of stress and not that great of health. Part of my lack of motivation is that naturally slim and by appearance, I don't need to eat better or exercise. But looks are deceiving and I am not in great shape and the chocolate consumption is large these days. Last year after my anxiety and fatigue I really had to buckle down and get healthier, and I DID. I felt amazing. I know I can turn things around and feel better within a month if I choose to do so...

Anyone else in the same boat? I think it's just also..... Baby #3. Finding the motivation to be healthy for another baby. I really want this. But I also should be trying to get healthy FOR ME, right? Not just to survive another pregnancy and newborn (sorry if I'm scaring you, first time WTT moms! You can do it and I'm sure you'll be great!).

From the mom who wants to have her cake and eat it too.

 

[Mom15]

I could have written your post. Lol. My #2 is only 2 months old but I am already thinking about #3. I had gestational diabetes with #2 so now I am indulging all the time. No excercise either. And as you I am naturally slim. Still have some baby weight to lose but nursing will take care of that. At 6 weeks pp I was 158lbs at 5’-9” tall. But like you said that doesn’t mean I am in good shape. I’m tired (physically) all the time. I am thinking of ttc in about a year. And I do want to get in better shape. We’d also like to fix up our house and rent it so we can move to the country. Right now I’m lucky if I get to go to the bathroom without either holding my baby or my preschooler following me, so we’ll see. So I am sort of in the same boat. How old are your first two?

 

[babytobe]

Yup, you sound like me lol. Except my youngest is already two. She just turned two and the oldest is four. Our original plan was to space our kids two years apart again if we could, but then last year with my anxiety we just were trying to get through each day. Now a year later I'm wanting to start trying now! Maybe the summer is making it hard to buckle down health wise too? I was thinking once September comes we will be more in a routine and maybe it'll be easier to focus on health goals then. There is just always so much to do as a mom with two, so unless I make it a priority I know it won't happen. On a side note my husband is not ready to start trying again and that's mostly why we're waiting now. My doctor gave me the go ahead to start trying (he thinks I'm healthy haha), but my husband has been pretty stressed and wants to wait a bit. So I'm thinking I really should use this time to get healthy now before another pregnancy, but there's this voice inside saying "just clean up your act after you have a third". Like that's gonna happen lol. Not that I'm terribly unhealthy, butI know I could just be feeling better and giving a possible baby better chances of being healthy. I do tend to over think things though, so that could also be part of the equation!

 

[Mom15]

Yes! It has been so hot here. I’m smack in the middle of the US. DS1 is starting preschool next week for the first time. So I think too once we get the hang of that and fall comes, I hope to be more active. With DS1 I used to go on walks all the time. I also want to try to work on my abs a bit. Getting tired of looking pregnant. I have a 6” x 3.5” fibroid and that doesn’t help with not looking pregnant. Lol. I think my ttc date for #3 is roughly a 12-13 months from now. It all depends on if I can wean DS2 at 12months. DS1 I nursed till 21mo. So I might feel too guilty weaning DS2 early. I am thinking about building up a 6 months freezer supply. I temped and it showed me that when I nurse it drastically affects my luteal phase to where it’s not long enough. I had a cp first cycle after weaning and got pregnant the next, but later mc’ed. So I want to give my body two normal cycles once I wean to make sure my lining is good etc. Not sure if you mentioned it, but do you have a date in mind to start ttc?

 

[babytobe]

Sorry for my late reply. Been busy!

I hear you on wanting to breastfeed longer. Pumping is a great idea if you still want you babe to get milk for longer, but you want to ensure your cycle is where it needs to be for ttc again. I breastfed my first for 17 months, but then my second only a year, as my milk supply pretty much died around that time due to anxiety. If we have a third I hope to breastfeed longer again!
We don't actually have a date. A few months ago we talked about August, but we didn't suspect that my husband would be so stressed out right now. I keep telling myself not to bug him, but I want to start trying now haha. It's still a few weeks until my period, so maybe next month he'll be ready to start trying. In the meantime I just have to stay patient and try to get healthy in general.

 

[Mom15]

It’s tough to bring up the conversation about something so life changing when your loved one is stressed. Even thought the biggest life change seems to be going from no kids to one, adding a third still has quite an impact on your life, financially I guess. Something I think I hadn’t thought about too much. Kind of don’t want to 😊. So don’t laugh, but I’ve been wanting to google if there is any ab work out you can do in bed. That’s how lazy I feel. Haha.

 

[babytobe]

An ab workout for in bed sounds perfect lol. At least you have the excuse of having a little baby still! I have no excuse except laziness. Tomorrow I'm going to try to gradually start getting back to my better habits, starting with a green smoothie in the morning and a short workout in the afternoon. Wish me luck!
Also, I had a terribly shameful idea today!..... That I could steal the sperm out of a condom we just used and impregnate myself behind my husband's back! I know...so bad lol. I don't think I could ever do it. But the thought was there, so I guess I really am ready! No sense bringing on the stress of a new baby if hubby isn't ready. Every day I keep asking him how he's feeling, and he knows I'm just itching haha. Poor guy can't get a break.