Anyone hated being pregnant so much that having a newborn was a relief?

[Ruibies]

And did that feeling last??

I'm so over being pregnant and at 36w time is moving in slow motion. I am desperate for the baby to be here so I can start to get my body back to myself, hopefully my pelvis will stop falling apart and my backache will ease up a bit, and heartburn won't be a regular occurrence anymore. It's lovely to feel baby moving and know they are ok, but the movements often make me feel sea sick. I would very much like to not be hosting this baby much longer.

But then everyone is like 'oh well you won't know what's hit you when they arrive!' as if pregnancy (despite being shit) is infinitely better than having the baby around. Maybe there'll be some short-lived respite at least??

Interested to hear anyone else's experiences, especially if pregnancy was tough.

Yes I felt like that after all of mine. I found pregnancy miserable and with each of my three pregnancies I got more miserable. A newborn was a doddle in comparison

I felt the same, OP. I absolutely hated the late pregnancy stage, the heartburn, the breathlessness, the inability to get comfortable, the lack of energy and just feeling wiped out all the time. The newborn stage was so much easier in comparison, although I appreciate that I did have a reasonably content baby who slept for decent stretches at a time.

Watching with interest! I had a really straightforward first pregnancy with DD and when she arrived it was definitely a serious adjustment. I was recovering from a traumatic birth as well which did mean it was probably a couple of months before I really felt any 'benefit' of not being pregnant.

This time pregnancy has been much harder so I am hoping that I'll get a bit of that relief this time (pending straightforward delivery and recovery etc).

Yes, me, both times. I threw up every day of each pregnancy (and during labour!) and felt so bloody awful, and the moment the babies were out I just felt WELL again! Knackered, sore, stunned, shocked and possibly traumatized actually after second labour, but NOT SICK! Oh the relief.

Yep especially with my second. Newborn babies are a walk in the park for me compared to pregnancy!

Yes. Pregnancy was just an endurance test. Being able to move, roll over, lie on my stomach, eat, breathe - all amazing. At least when I did sleep, even if it was just two hours, I could actually find a comfortable position!

I had pregnancy insomnia both times, I got significantly more sleep with a new born than I did while pregnant.

I think I pissed of the in-laws the other day as they were both making "you don't know what tired is", "just you wait, you'll never sleep again" type comments. I said it's really not helpful and it would be nice to hear some positive remarks about the baby.

I'm 33 weeks, anaemic & on an antihistamine that makes me drowsy (polymorphic eruption of pregnancy rash). It doesn't matter how much sleep I get, I'm still tired. At least once baby is here the rash should clear up, the anaemia should improve and I can hopefully hand off to DH for an hour and have a nap.

I feel like people act like you are a silly little girl who's got pregnant with no foresight, rather than a couple in their 30s who've spent three bloody years trying to have a baby...

@AwkwardPaws27

I think I pissed of the in-laws the other day as they were both making "you don't know what tired is", "just you wait, you'll never sleep again" type comments. I said it's really not helpful and it would be nice to hear some positive remarks about the baby.

I'm 33 weeks, anaemic & on an antihistamine that makes me drowsy (polymorphic eruption of pregnancy rash). It doesn't matter how much sleep I get, I'm still tired. At least once baby is here the rash should clear up, the anaemia should improve and I can hopefully hand off to DH for an hour and have a nap.

I feel like people act like you are a silly little girl who's got pregnant with no foresight, rather than a couple in their 30s who've spent three bloody years trying to have a baby...

They sound annoying!

I have som 'just you waits' to offer - just you wait til you see your baby's face. Just you wait til you hold their little hand. Just you wait til they're sleeping on your chest. Really, you won't know how you ever lived without them. Best of luck xx

Another who was sick a lot and finally felt well as soon as I gave birth

Definitely got more sleep with newborn too

I loved the newborn stage in all honestly , plus no work for 9 months so been a bit tired wasn’t really an issue anyway

Oh my god this is so good to hear! Yes to all the crap bits - breathlessness, uncomfortable in literally any position be it standing up, sitting down, or lying down. Pregnancy insomnia! I'm usually a 9 hours a night kind of person but been wide awake since 4am for absolutely no reason.

I know it will be an adjustment (and I have made my peace with no more 9 hour stretches of sleep haha) but it is SO reassuring to hear people started to feel well again once baby was out.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a straightforward labour and delivery, and even if things take time to heal postpartum, I just cannot wait to lie down on my back, and hopefully be able to walk up the stairs without pausing for breath

@ReggaetonLente you've honestly just brought a tear to my eye. Thank you.
All anyone seems to say at the moment is that it's awful being a parent!

I hated being pregnant. I had SPD so badly I couldn't walk, sit or stand. I had reflux that woke me up vomiting. I couldn't breathe or eat properly for months. I went to 42+3 and started to think it was all some kind of elaborate hoax.
A newborn was nothing in comparison!!

Yes, looking after a baby, even a badly sleeping one was so so much easier than being pregnant!

If you’re not on omazaprole for reflux look into it OP, my second pregnancy was night and day from my first because I didn’t know it existed during my first. At 36 weeks you could be have a few weeks of no reflux which would be like a dream…

Absolutely hated being pregnant, both physically and also how “open” it makes you to comments that can affect you mentally.

Up until DS was 4 months, I got more sleep than when I was pregnant.

We want three kids, but I’m dreading having to go through that again twice more. As soon as he was born, I was back to being me.

Being a parent isn’t exactly easy, but I’m not finding it hard. It’s just different. I’ve absolutely loved every stage so far but the toddler stage currently is hilarious.

I hated being pregnant so much that when I met my now-OH I asked him, 6 months in, to get a vasectomy. We both had 2 children each and although I truly would have loved a child of "our" own, I couldn't bear to go through another pregnancy.

I had sickness throughout, SPD both times, had to come off antidepressants with the 2nd pregnancy. It was just awful.

I absolutely bloody loved the newborn stage though, if I could get that without the 9 months of hell I'd be mother to 20 children by now 😂

Don't get me wrong it is hard and exhausting, but I truly enjoyed how special it was and its been my favourite part of motherhood (said with 18 yo, 9yo and 2 stepchildren, all of whom I adore)

Yes!! I had a difficult twin pregnancy and by the end couldn't walk due to SPD. I also threw up all the way through.

It was amazing post c section to be able to walk again (the spd mostly disappeared straight away) I found the newborn twins period relatively so much easier. I breezed through the early weeks! Lack of Sleep was shit of course but the quality of it compared to pregnancy sleep...

Yes! I found it much easier having a newborn than being pregnant. Yes, you do get very busy looking after baby, and you can't sleep for long stretches overnight for a while but after the baby is born you won't be feeling physically tired from lugging around all the extra weight.

Don't forget that if you're currently working, going on maternity leave will mean you suddenly find you can take the day at your own pace and have little daytime naps if you're feeling tired.

YES!!! I had many complications and was poorly during pregnancy it was miserable and stressful, the tiredness when baby was born was bloody hard as was bf but I felt like a cloud had been lifted abs was never as miserable as when I was pregnant. Baby 7 months now and it never changed

Apart from the odd moment (first kicks etc) pregnancy was on the whole to be endured by me rather than enjoyed. I’ve heard people say they loved being pregnant and I’m always a bit jealous as that was not my experience.
I found that at least when they’re born you can put them down/ask someone to cuddle etc and physically have yourself back

I loved being pregnant apart from the last 2 weeks or so. I was 100% DONE by 37 weeks. Thankfully DD arrived at 39 weeks spot on.

Newborns are pretty easy, it can be a bit shocking how much time they manage take up (compared to only looking after yourself) even though they sleep a lot, but you soon get used to that

and you aren't heavy and uncomfortable and heartburny all the time - and you have your cute baby to go soppy over and cuddle.

Definitely! Even with newborn twins and a toddler. Babies are gorgeous - all the pregnancy discomfort is so wearisome.
I'm excited for you!

Yes a thousand times over. I would rather be woken 10 times overnight by a newborn than exist for 10 minutes heavily pregnant. I loathe it. When both my children were born it was like a switch was flicked and I felt HAPPY for the first time in months, not to mention more comfortable despite having just given birth.

100%. Had a rough birth, postnatal tearyness and baby had colic and it was still a million times better than being pregnant.

This thread is giving me hope. Am 40 weeks and my c section is booked for Tuesday... absolutely desperate to get this baby out and off my bladder. Pregnancy is miserable and I was worried I was going to feel the same about the newborn bit but you're all giving me hope that even with a c section my body will feel better just for the sheer relief of no longer carrying around a bloody watermelon