Aibu to ask what being broody feels like?

[roconnell]

No children. Have never felt anything that I would describe as 'broody', so what does being broody feel like?

For me it was a pang of envy when I saw my friends with their new babies and a disappointment every time my period arrived. My mind wandering and wondering what having a baby would be like.

I’d always liked children and knew I wanted my own one day. Started feeling like I’d actually want one in my late teens-early twenties, even though practically it was a bad idea. It was like a longing when I saw babies, feeling really in awe of them almost like I could watch and hold them all day, and imagining how amazing it would be to have my own. Feeling jealous of other people who were getting pregnant and wishing I could too. Thinking of how they’d look and names and whether I’d like a boy or girl. It became quite overwhelming until I got my wish and got pregnant. Then I felt it again when he was about 18 months old.

3 kids down the line and I think the feeling has gone I still think babies are lovely but I’m happy to hand them back and don’t feel any desire to go through it all again!

I am fast approaching menopause and my body is seemingly desperate to get me to squeeze out another one. So broody its ridiculous!

For me it manifests as desperately wanting to hold/squeeze/snuggle any baby that crosses my path (I may soon be arrested...)

An obsession. All consuming. It made me a horrible jealous person. I acted really out of character and when I reflect upon those times It makes me think that it is something primal driving it. I can't imagine feeling like that but I couldn't after each baby, it still came on again.

I thought i would never be one to want to have children but when I met my husband , we wanted to start a family after we got married so tried straight away. I had my son and that's when the broody thing happened for me.
It's like a feeling of excitement, overwelming and longing to be pregnant even though it's one of the hardest things to do. Although I would love to have another child we aren't having anymore we have a ds and a dd. But the urge is there all the time to feel how it is to be pregnant and then look at the little person you created and wonder what they will look like if we were to have another.
But with that feeling there is also the constant worry about them for everyday the rest of there lives which is the hardest part. All I've don't since having my two is worry

It feels physical to me. And yes it is similar to the feeling when you want to hug an animal but you can't because it's just a picture.

It's situated at my breast/chest. About where you'd hold a baby. I feel physically like something is missing there and I want it back. Also sort of in the womb area where you'd have a bump? But mostly, empty arms feeling.

I don't think you need a broody feeling in order to TTC. The broodiness is only about the baby part! That's such a small part of the whole experience. I don't think I have ever been broody for a nine year old even though DS at nine is really lovely and fun.

I forgot to add, there is also a longing/wistfulness a bit like being homesick.

I have a strong reaction, it feels chemical, like a different version of being tipsy or something. It's like I can feel the hormones releasing into me when I hold a little baby. Sometimes I can't really think straight. I've been like that since I was 16.

I think I definitely would have felt like I'd missed out if I hadn't had children.

I'm 27 and I've never felt broody. Children annoyed me even when I was a child

I visit my friends who have babies/children and I'll have a cuddle or get down on the floor to play with cars and Duplo with the best of them but when I return to my quiet flat I feel overwhelming relief that I don't have a kid. I'm a massive introvert and the thought of being "on" like that all time breaks me out in a cold sweat.

For me I don't want any more children but it is definitely hormonal, since my late 20's (when had my first) at particular points in menstural cycle will be very broody...it will then calm down but it is annoying as I really don't want any more kids, just need my body to realise it!

Purely based on your posts above and nothing more, OP, it sounds as if you want a baby! Good luck with whatever you choose.

So interesting reading these responses. I certainly have experienced it as akin to an intense physical craving. I have 3 DC and often say to my DP that it’s a good job I only started having babies at a relatively late stage or I’d have had dozens.

Even though I’ve had horrendous pregnancies (HG), there’s something about the physical and emotional intensity of pregnancy, childbirth and caring for a newborn that for me feels almost like a very addictive drug. That, plus the absolute weirdness and wonder of creating an actual new human from scratch - still can’t get my head around that somehow.

I never had it before or after my DD.

7 years later, My DS came along... & I’ve just felt this overwhelming feeling of needing another since having him. I look at my kids and think Their amazing.. I’m happy with 2 though, I think it’s actually my Body wanting more Kids when my head is a firm No! (My Womb is screaming out to have another Baby in there)

I've wondered this. No children. For me the desire to not have them is probably what most people feel about wanting children.

I certainly see a puppy and feel "I want that" - doesn't happen with kids.

I remember watching Bridget Jones's baby and being surprised that everyone was congratulating her as soon as she found out she was pregnant - just assuming she was happy about it !

I’ve always wanted children and assumed I would have them. I remember saying to my boyfriend ‘I want a baby!’ when I was 16 and he was 17 - that freaked him out a bit!

However, I was happy to wait until I was 30 and married before starting TTC because I knew that rationally I wasn’t ready for a child before then.

So I would say that, for me, it is a decision made by my head rather than the obsession / gut wrenching feeling described by some posters.

For me feeling broody was like feeling homesick or really really missing and yearning for a loved one that I hadn't seen for a while.

My DC are teens now and I still feel it occasionally when I think about them when they were little.

Thanks everyone.
So can I ask, how do you overcome these feelings if the time isn't right or for some reason you can't have a baby when you're broody?

Just put up with it and be sad

I have always managed to cope by knowing that I'm not done with babies and so there is still time and I will get there again. If I still have it after we're done or if our current fertility issues turn out to be no hope then I'll have to reevaluate but for the moment it's alright.

I also got pregnant at 19 I wouldn't recommend that one. Though it did cure my broodiness for a bit.

It wasn’t other people’s babies at all. All I could think of was my baby. I looked at pushchairs etc. I was completely obsessed. It was two years, until we could just afford to have the baby.

I always knew I would have children. And then I turned 31 and had to get started. That's what the first one felt like.

When we started TTC I was excited, but not broody as such. As time went on (and on) without conceiving, the broodiness felt physical to me. The only way I can describe it is as a constant awareness that my arms were empty.