To ask you to slap some sense into me?

[Closetlibrarian]

This morning, walking around the supermarket, I saw a mum carrying a tiny baby in a sling, pushing an older toddler in a pram. Out of nowhere, I was hit by a huge wave of broodiness. Thing is, we're done having DC. DC1 is 3.5yo, DC2 is 11mo. I'm 40. DH is 45. I'm finally getting my career back on track after two kids and DH is now working pt and a SAHD the rest of it. Life is good. Things are settled.

But I keep on getting these waves of broodiness and feeling terribly terribly sentimental that I'll never give birth again, never breastfeed a newborn again, never have snuffly baby cuddles again. I'm even nostalgic for those early blurry months of broken nights what is wrong with me??.

Help! Please slap some sense into me.

Consider yourself slapped. Don't do it again😂😱
I only felt like it once, he's 17 and life will soon be our own again.
Your settled life is good, things get better as they get bigger & you & dh will be young enough to still act like teens (like me & dh at 50)

God, that's a good point. I'll be nearly 60 by the time DC2 leaves home. I do not want teenagers living at home in my 60s!

Slap, slap, slap.

I am 42, DH is 44. DC both at primary school. DH wouldn't mind a third dc, I'm not keen.

DH and I have had 5 nights of really crap sleep for a range of reasons. Including being awake for 3+ hours in the night. It is hell on earth. There is no way I would want to go back to night feeds. DH now sees it my way.

Just tell yourself "This too will pass".

Nothing helpful to say but please save some slaps for me. We are so done (4.5 yo and 20mo) but I am so emotional this week with ds1 starting school, I'd happily start all over again with another. I need dh constantly reminding me how much easier our lives are just starting to get! It's hard to imagine life without toddler though isn't it? They take up such a big space in your heart and life, I can't think what will fill it (apart from getting my professional/social/love life back, that is...!)

It will pass, won't it??! DC2 has recently started crawling and I remember getting terribly broody when DC1 did the same.

but, but, but... snuffly little babies with milky smelling heads... aaaaaah!

Closet I'm the same as you. DS2 isn't even 4 months and I'm gagging for DC3. DS1 is nearly 4 and is all arms and legs, not even a sniff of baby-ness about him now :(

However, DH just wails plaintively when I mention another baby - 'I'm too old!' (He's 44, I'm 35) - and it took me 2 years to conceive DS2 (DS1 a co-sleeping boob-monster until nearly 3).

Maybe you could borrow a friend's baby for the afternoon?

Consider yourself beaten to a pulp. DC1 is 2 and I'm expecting DC2 in 4 weeks. Pregnancy with already having DC is hard. This is before sleep deprivation etc and you know this. Behave yourself!!! (Says someone whose trying to work out best age gap for DC3.......)

Think of it as giving birth to a teenager.

Oh thanks Nuggy - I hadn't actually thought about the pregnancy bit! I hate being pregnant.

but, but... tiny little baby fingers and toes

I think if you're naturally a broody type, you'll feel those inclinations all of your life. You have a lovely life now; don't give in to desires that will be always with you. Imagine having another and then immediately wanting just one more?

Hang in there, and if you are lucky, eventually you will get the tiny baby snuggles again with grandchildren. With the added bonus of being able to hand them back, and enjoy unbroken sleep.

Thing is Imperial, I'm not naturally broody. No broodiness prior to having children at all. The first time I experienced it was after I'd had DC1.

Any friends got a little one you can borrow (entirely selfless giving them time to themselves !)

There's often a huge rush of broodiness in the peri-menopause, OP.

No no no. Three is not a good number. Imagine colic, night feeds, teething, screaming babies, burning, sick, giving birth.