Anyone else pregnant with 2nd, small age gap and working?

[Sparrowlegs248]

And if so how are you managing?

Ds is almost 15 months, I'm 25 wks, and work 3 days a week and am just shattered. Thank God I'm not doing 5 days. The first pregnancy was a breeze compared to this (because I could sleep whenever I fancied!!)

[PotteringAlong]

I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old and work 3 days a week. I worked full time when I was pregnant with ds2 - I am thanking my lucky stars that I am part time this time.

It's not so much the tiredness, more that I appear to be doing everything at the pace of a sloth!

[Sparrowlegs248]

Pottering, I am just so tired! I will have an 18 month gap. Please tell me it gets better!!

I worked full time with ds and had 4 days maternity leave before my planned c section!

[Laineymc7]

I know how you feel I'm also 25 weeks and have a 6 month old. I work 3 long days. Luckily I have enough leave to finish at 34 weeks. Im to keep my dd in nursery for the three days I would work and use them to rest. Is this something you could do? I only manage by going to bed at 9 ish every night and resting as soon as dd is in bed. Congratulations I hope it gets better. Try and sleep when you can. I also employed a cleaner a few weeks ago just to do the main bits. This helps as it's one less thing to do. Ask for help when you can.

[WankersHacksandThieves]

I went back to work full time when DS1 was 4.5 months - I have a 13 month gap, had sacroiliac hip dysfunction and finished up a week and a half before DS2 was due to be delivered.

I know how you feel - there were days I picked DS1 up from the childminder and went home and coud have wept with sheer exhaustion.

[Sparrowlegs248]

lainey a 6 month old!!!!!? Bloody hell!

I can only take 9 months maternity I think so am loath to finish too early but needs must I guess. I really feel like I need a break though. Mum and Mil have ds when I work which is great, but means if I have a day off I don't like to ask them. I think I need a couple of days off and ask then to still have him, and make sure I don't run around like a loon 'doing stuff'

[Sparrowlegs248]

walkers you must be superwoman. I have also had moderate to severe hip pain on and off since very early on. Had physio, typically little to no pain that day, couldn't walk two days later. The severity seems to be reducing but I am getting it most days now.


I could just go to bed once ds is asleep but have made the mistake of thinking I feel a bit better (than in the frankly awful first 16 weeks) and 'stating up' til 9.30 or later. Ds is often up at 5 and several times a night. Yawn.

[Laineymc7]

Nottalotta sorry typo lol I meant to write 16 months so very similar to you. Definitely ask your mum and mil to help they will know you need to rest and sort stuff out. It is exhausting running around after a toddler, working and doing everything else. I get a lay in one day a week at the weekend as dp gets up.

[TheEagle]

I got pregnant with DTs when DS1 was 10 months old.

The end of that twin pregnancy was hellish; I worked as a teacher up to 31 weeks when I literally couldn't work anymore.

Being heavily pregnant with a toddler to care for was the toughest time of my life.

I didn't find the work aspect too hard, but I did struggle to mind DS1 by myself. I couldn't chase after him and at the end I couldn't sit down on the floor to play with him.

Once DTs were out it was much easier!

Rest whenever you can and mind yourself

[WankersHacksandThieves]

Notta you just get on with it really as there isn't really an opt out option :o

I had the hip issues with both pregnancies - you need to avoid sitting or lying on anything hard and make sure you are as easily balanced as you can be in terms of weight carrying. I had a section after 36 hours of labour with 9lb 13 oz DS1. he was a really good baby though. I'd go to work early in the morning after feeding and resettling baby and DH would get his organised and ready, drop him at the childminder and do a back shift, getting home about 10pm. I'd finish work at 4, get off the bus and pick up DS from the childminder and walk home with him. Coming home to then organise him, feed us both and get him to bed when I could barely walk was a time I'd never want to repeat. DS2 was an elective section. I went back full time again when DS2 was 5 months old. DH went part time. 2 evenings and a full day Sunday and stayed at home to look after them during the week.

Tough but happy times. They are 16 and 15 now, I'm glad we got all the hard work done in one go.

All the best to you and make sure you take care of yourself.

[EsmesBees]

9 weeks pregnant here with a 19 month old and working for days. It's so so different from the first time. Because I appear to be utterly insane I'm starting a new job in a month. I don't know how I'm going to do it. I'm exhausted come lunch time.

[EsmesBees]

Working four days that should be. Told you I was tired!

[Whatthefreakinwhatnow]

33 weeks with no 3, have a 9 year old and a 15 month old and work 5 days a week with a hours commute each way out 6.30-5.30, have chronic back pain, SPD and bloody sciatica and basically want to cry a lot of the time. It's utterly shit and I feel for you all

[Sparrowlegs248]

Gosh many people in the same boat.

I have never in my life been one for falling asleep on the settee, yet I've done it every night this week. I think.i will book a couple of days off and ask mum and Mil to still have the baby so I can sleep.

I don't get any lay ins and haven't since ds arrived, and he has never napped well (have to walk him in the pram etc) so the 'sleep when he sheep's thing doesn't apply. Although I am working on that and have managed two decent cot naps this week.

wankers how was the c section recovery with a Toddler? I had elcs due to breech and am torn about whether to try for a vbac. The odds if it being successful seem against me yet I wonder how I will manage ds if I gave another c section.

[WankersHacksandThieves]

It was fine Notta, thankfully DS1 decided to learn to walk 2 weeks before DS2 arrived so he was able to take himself up the stairs to bed, climb onto the chair next to his cot and I was able to just reach over and chuck him in. We also taught him to come downstairs on his tummy backwards so I didn't have to pick him up. He would also climb into the buggy when asked - he was such an obliging wee soul for 13 months old :). I also walked into town (1.5 miles each way - and a fecking hill on the way back) when DS2 was a week old with them both in the buggy to go and register him. My hips cleared up really quickly. The Elective section was such a breeze after DS1s birth - he was stuck solid so took a lot of removing back up the birth canal and I lost a lot of blood but elected not to have a transfusion as it was borderline. Plus i'd been in labour for ages. Went into the hospital on the Sunday night as he was lying back to back and I was in agony and waters had broken, was in established labour on Monday and he wasn't born until wednesday morning. I was quite tired by then. I checked out after 2 days against hospital advice but they weren't helping and I wanted to go home. checked out after 2 days with DS2 as well but they were happy for me to go as there were no issues.

I just love the way they tell you not to carry anything heavy and then hand you a near 10lb baby :o

[VikingChallenger]

14 months old and 5 months pregnant. Working full time. I'm shattered, don't know how I'll cope

[Annabrooke90]

I had my little girl 14 weeks ago at 31 weeks. I was working 4 days a week and had a 7,5,2 and 15 month old just before she arrived. I was absolutely exhausted. I can honestly say it get so much easier when baby arrives (minus the neonatal journey that is absolutely terrible and a rollercoaster) I started back work 2 weeks ago and feel so much different looking after five children and working to what I did with four and being pregnant. Pregnancy can sometimes be so difficult. Hold tight it does get better :)