Is pregnancy harder in your 40s?

[Rubybasset]

I am 8wks with my 4th child and I'm 41. Its been 10 years since my last pregnancy and it's like I've erased all memory of how I felt! I have nausea all day long which I can cope with, but oh my word the exhaustion I'm feeling is ridiculous! Is it harder because I'm older?? Or do I just not remember 🤔

I had no 3 at 43, felt way more tired n crap on no 2 at 36. Had a lovely pregnancy & she my easiest baby think cos I was way more relaxed. But the nausea etc you can get at any age!! Hope once you get out of 1st trimester you will feel better.

I didn't have any of my kids in my forties but I can tell you that it was a lot harder at 33 than it was at 23.

I'm not in my forties yet but my PG at 27 was a lot worse than the one at 32. At 27 I had HG and was exhausted all the time. Five years later at 32 it was fairly straightforward by comparison. No HG. Tiredness still hit me like a brick. I think it's easy to forget how hard something is after it's happened. Every pregnancy is different though.

I was exhausted in the first trimester with all of them. Both in my thirties and my forties.

I had my first at 18 and my last at 36 with a few in between. I struggled a lot more being pregnant at 36 than I did with my first or the 2 in my twenties.

I'm 35, currently 8 months pregnant with 2nd, absolutely bloody beyond exhausted. And the first trimester was horrendous

I had my one and only at 41, and although it was a high risk pregnancy I ended up with a textbook pregnancy and birth. I didn't have other children to care for and could rest whenever I needed to though.

I was 47 and pregnant with twins. I sailed through pregnancy with no symptoms (until near the end when I had SPD and reflux).
I hid it in work till 25 weeks. I was tired, but also had a very busy job, so had to just get on with it.

The first trimester is hell. I was only 22 the first time I was pg, I was so tired that I’d stumble out out to my car on my lunch break, close the door and I’d be asleep within about 2 seconds (had to set my alarm for 55 mins later!). And the same after work, I’d just get in my car and sleep for a couple of hours before I could drive home.

I was so tired that I’d stumble out out to my car on my lunch break, close the door and I’d be asleep within about 2 seconds (had to set my alarm for 55 mins later!). And the same after work, I’d just get in my car and sleep for a couple of hours before I could drive home.

That sounds quite extreme. Maybe you were anaemic at the time?

@RampantIvy

I was so tired that I’d stumble out out to my car on my lunch break, close the door and I’d be asleep within about 2 seconds (had to set my alarm for 55 mins later!). And the same after work, I’d just get in my car and sleep for a couple of hours before I could drive home.

That sounds quite extreme. Maybe you were anaemic at the time?

I was similar in the first trimester and I wasn't anaemic - it just absolutely wiped me out beyond anything I've felt before.

Depends on your general level of fitness!

I had an easy pregnancy at 40/41 - felt bloody amazing! But it’s my only pregnancy so I can’t compare.
Anecdotally, it seems to be harder for subsequent babies but not firsts.

@pepeleputois

Depends on your general level of fitness!

Does it? Ive always been a very gym fit person, run several times a week etc... but early pregnancy at 35 still knocked my completely off my feet!

I was 38 after a 9 year gap, and the second time round I did find it waaaay harder. I was shattered. Went on to have a great birth though. I did struggle with the sleep deprivation much more due to being older I thiink. I looked alot more shattered and rough than I had when I was in my 20s!

At 32 I spent the first tri desperately fighting sleep all day every day. I sat in interviews pinching my legs so I could stay awake and not offend candidates by yawning. It passed but I still remember it.

At 41 I was working full time and full of beans throughout.

At 43 the one yr old was a bit bumpy on sleep but I wasn't working and was just fine.

I'm a bit fat. Had diabetes for 2nd and 3rd pregnancy, and certainly not the fittest I've ever been.

So, um, not really?! I just think every preg is different and hopefully once you get a bit further you will have a lovely, glowy 2nd trimester. Fingers crossed for you!

I had my first two in my 20s, my last one in my 40s. Can honestly say there was no difference, if anything, I was more relaxed and just rolled with it. It had its moments with SPD but then my previous pregnancies had issues with carpel tunnel, sciatica etc so I think it was just different experiences rather than age. This time around people actually told me I was glowing, which never happened when I was younger!

I was quite the opposite. I found it draining in my 20's but my 2nd pregnancy at 42 was much easier. I was, however, fitter and slimmer and didn't make the mistake of eating for two like I did the first time round. I also didn't stop exercise like I did the first time round. Had no sickness and a good birth. I'm now 52 almost with a 10 year old and I am now a single mum and he's exhausting! 😂 I keep up as best I can but bloody hell it's hard work!

Every pregnancy is different

First pregnancy at 31 I slept 2/3 of the day for the first half. Honestly. Thankfully was still looking for work (which I ended up not finding) because it would have been a disaster if I was working! Especially in a hospital.

I would suppose what later pregnancies bring is more risk (hopefully yours will be easy and nice ) and possibly more tiredness from bad nights with a small baby. I do think that if I had been in my 20s, sleep wouldn't be so much of a problem, I used to do all nighters for university all the time

I had twins st 35, dc at 38 and dc at 43. Twins was the hardest

No definitely wasn’t anaemic, bloods showed iron levels were fine, I was just completely useless for a few weeks. From memory it was around 8-12 weeks that were the worst.

I think it depends. I had my first age 33 and I was working a 60 to 70 hour week, had a sick relative to care for, a hectic London social life. I was exhausted.

I had my last baby at 43 and I was much fitter, mentally prepared and financially comfortable so I found the pregnancy was fine.

I guess I've been fortunate.

I had:
DC1 at 21
DC2 at 29
DC3 at 30
DC4 at 39
And am pregnant with DC5 at 41.

DC1 was emotionally the hardest.

DC3 had the worst SPD and heartburn and a baby to look after (17m gap)

DC4 pretty sick early on, no SPD and on omeprazole. I was 40 when I delivered, I felt fit and healthy throughout.

I'm currently nearly 27wks with DC5. I had pretty bad nausea until quite late on and SPD has hit now too but energy wise I feel ok. The last few months have been harder (as I'm sure is the case for most of us) DC4 is 19m and managing him plus the homeschooling of DC2 and 3 was awful. This is also the first time in my life I've not been working so it's been lonely.

But physically, even with a toddler in tow again, I don't (yet) feel worse than I did in my 20s and early 30s.

I'm 43 and 36 weeks pregnant. I'm having an easier pregnancy than I did 6 years ago with my first.

Not really- I’ve had 3 babies, 2 in my late 30’s and 1 in my late 40’s. If anything my last pregnancy (when I was 48) was the easiest. I had SPD with my first but I was a lot fitter this last time (I started running in my mid 40’s) and this made things much better.
Only small niggles -MSickness was a lot worse the third time but I think that was because I had a baby girl after two boys! My Bh contractions were very strong third time too and I had more after pains but these were all short lived and manageable.