To ask what you miss most about pre-baby life?

[missb00]

Just that really. We are thinking about starting a family but want to know what you miss most about pre-parenthood??

Sleep, having time to myself, getting stuff done.

I never really appreciated what it was like to have a full 7-8 hours sleep a night and being able to have an early night if I didn't sleep well the night before. Oh and being able to rest when you're ill. I had a tummy bug recently and couldn't just sleep it off as I have a 9 week old to look after

Sleep, having time to myself, getting stuff done.

I never really appreciated what it was like to have a full 7-8 hours sleep a night and being able to have an early night if I didn't sleep well the night before. Oh and being able to rest when you're ill. I had a tummy bug recently and couldn't just sleep it off as I have a 9 week old to look after

Sleep

Being able to spend an afternoon (or even an hour) working uninterrupted on something.

The house staying nice and not being trashed by sticky hands and muddy feet.

Spontaneous nights out after work for food or drinks or theatre or cinema. Months of planning required these days.

Spare cash.

1. Sleep.
2. Work. It's taken me ages to find a job after taking a break... And nursery is 1500 / month, which brings us to...
3. Money. We're not exactly struggling but we're very restrained these days.

Uninterrupted sleep
Free time to do as I please
My career
Feeling looked after. Now we have 2 young dc, both dh and I spend all our resources looking after them, without much left for each other. I was ill last week and rather than look concerned for me, I could tell he was just thinking about whether I was well enough to look after dc
Going places I like not just places dc like
Going out for relaxed meals and drinks, rather than child friendly cafes and rushing to eat before dc get bored
Exotic holidays
Spontaneity
Only really having to think about ourselves
My flat stomach
Not having to consider school catchment areas
Libido

Drinking without having to think about the time you have to get up the next morning to deal with a small, wide awake person who has no respect for mummy's sore head.

Nothing. I sometimes have a quick whinge that I'm tired and would kill for a full nights sleep, or that I'd like a tidier house. But to go as far as to say I miss it... no. What I have now is far lovelier. My dh and my 4.5 year old ds make me happier than I ever thought I could be. The things I did beforehand were fun at the time and I would never change having done them, but I feel like my life truly became meaningful when ds came along.

I'm currently 18 weeks with #2 after 3 years of secondary infertility and am expecting life to get a whole lot harder. But I can't wait.

Lie-ins
Holidays where you sunbathe and read a book - will I ever have one again?
Time to myself and time with DH
The time where once you tidied the house it stayed that way.
Seeing friends - now requires huge planning.
But I wouldn't send any child back. It's bloody hard work but they're gorgeous and worth it

Sleep.
Spontaneity.
Sleep.
Money.
Wouldn't have it any other way though

Holidays where you sunbathe and read a book....

Oh God - this times 1'000.

I've had two holidays since the arrival of DS, the first when he was 18 months and the second when he'd just turned 3 years and they were both draining! The whole holiday is led by them, same crap as homelike but just in a different location.

We've just got back of our latest holiday and I managed to read about 1/3 of a book in 10 days and I'm as pasty now as I was when we arrived there.

Time

Spontaneity for me too. Just deciding to go for a drink or a meal or staying out later than planned without having to plan in advance for babysitting.

My children are 16 and 13 so a long, long way away from the "baby life" that obsesses you when they are little. For example, dh and I can go out in the evening now without organising a babysitter which is quite a novelty after all this time.

But - what do I miss most about my pre-baby life? It's really simple.

1. being able to go away for a day or two or seven or fourteen without having to think about other people

1. not having the worries of my young dependents on my shoulders. Once you have children, all their concerns become your own.

Sleep. Every other area of my life has improved a tillion fold since DD was born. But yeah, sleep I miss you.

Mostly just the quiet. I really miss peace and quiet. Some days I would cut off my arm to sit in a tidy room with no toys, no noise, just me and a hot cup of tea and maybe a book. Bliss.

Doing things like deciding to go to the cinema for a film that starts in an hour, or going away for a weekend last minute. We went out for lunch without DS last weekend, and planning it was like a military operation. We have to work harder to maintain 'us' than we did before.

It is hard sometimes, but I love DS more than I could possibly describe. He is worth it. And it's amazing knowing that DH loves him as much as I do.

.... Feeling particularly soppy tonight because DS is poorly and sad.

I hope I haven't depressed anyone too much for asking for your stories!

Spontaneity.

There's no need to add the disclaimer "but I wouldn't swap my DC for the world!"

Of course you wouldn't! None of us would. Just allow yourselves a tiny little guilt-free moan, ffs!

Sleep
Spontaneity
Time to just sit and exist without anyone needing something from me
Lazy days with dh

It's hard. It's really hard, but then she giggles and any negatives fall away and I'm just hopelessly in love with her.

The quality of my sleep - it's been severely dented and broken for 6yrs and rarely get into a deep sleep now. It's messed up, I wake up throughout the night what feels like 50 times plus...

the quality of my or_gas ms. Gone from 500% amazing long lasting to a little squeak that lasts 2 seconds. I have not even told DH this as I think it will affect things for him.

And every single other thing people listed on here.

Time alone, even if travelling to work - is the thing I treasure the very most. Work people - if someone you work with is going out for lunch and is a tired mum, dont just say you will go out with them to keep them company. They are generally going out to clear their head and have time completely and utterly alone. Go away !

Someone told me to stop thinking about the things I have lost but the things i have gained.

That carries me through. it's all worth it.

That's very true Blue, thank you.

Oh I forgot - time to do admin! When I was very bored towards the end of pregnancy I did my tax return for the next year. Thought I was mad at the time but future me was very grateful!

sleep
having zillions of jobs constantly