Accepting limitations of pregnancy? !

[Shellywelly1973]

I'm 35 weeks pregnant with dc6. I'm a small lady about 5'3, size 8 about 9 stone normally. I run my own business. 3 dc still a home. 2 younger boys have ASD.

I honestly believe I can do anything. I've moved house by myself with no help, decorating, gardening etc. I only ever sleep for 5/6 hours. I used to work 2 jobs & studied for a law degree when I only had 2 dc.

Suddenly my body isn't co operating! I'm exhausted. My legs are really swollen. I haven't been able to get any shoes on since Monday. I have to move bedrooms. I need to paint the living room, bathroom, loo & kitchen. I was still decorating at 38 weeks in my last pregnancy.

I'm still working. Exdp was supposed to do the decorating but never got round to it...

Dc go back to school on 7/1. I will be 37 weeks. Ive only got to EDD with 1 dc- all others were born at 37/38 weeks. This baby is breech.

I will never get it all done in time. I would normally but I'm suddenly, for the first time ever- im actually thinking i won't physically be able to do everything. It's bloody scary!!

Yet i know my way of thinking is mad but I'm literally scared of not being able to carry on as normal.

Do other people find pregnancy limiting or is it just me? Am I totally unrealistic?

Hi Shelly, I'm 36 weeks pregnant with my first. I've been signed off work since 26 weeks. My job is high powered and I love it, and I (usually!) have an attitude similar to yours. I never would have thought I'd be sitting on the sofa for the majority of 10 weeks. But I have tried to see it as "if that's what the baby needs then that's what the baby gets". I'm currently growing a baby and I will do it with 100% effort.

In your case the baby NEEDS you to rest, it doesn't NEED a fresh coat of paint in its room in time for birth.

It is very difficult to shift your expectations I agree. I feel really useless and frankly a bit ridiculous when some people are able to carry on until 40 weeks. But as my DH pointed out, they're lucky rather than me just being lazy... I would have loved to carry on until the end.

hi shelley,

i know how you feel (except have only one child currently and 34 wks with number 2).

i work in a high pressured job and set to continue until 37 weeks, but having had millions of people for christmas (and having to have house pristine perfect menu etc) decorating rooms, back and forth to attic, i am utterly beyond exhausted.

have you got kids at home or are the non school ones at nursery? can anyone else help take care. it sounds like you need to completely switch off and put your feet up..

re your actual question lazy people (ie my mil) thinks its amazing that i do all i do when so pregnant [but lazy cow too fat and inept to cook or clean at best of times]. the reality is, when your hugely pregnant youcan force yourself to carry on as normal but your body IS tired. my father has terminal cancer and he often says we must feel the same for different reasons which probably isnt all that far from the truth. theres no prizes for bravado just rest when you are able x

I'm same stage as you and the last two days have left me feeling unable to cope.i'm physically more able than in my previous two pregnancies but mentally my two DC are wearing me out and I've become a bit of a mood hoover.

you've got tonnes going on-cancel the decorating,make a cup of tea and find something good on the telly.both my kids have additional needs so I can empathise with you there.The youngest with ASD is exasperating at times and it makes me wonder how I'll cope with a new baby and his demands.

have you had your swollen legs checked out?hopefully the next few weeks will fly by for us!

Thanks! MW said to rest so my legs will go down...yeah right ! Part of the problem is I'm still working. I won't really stop, just reduce what I do.

I really don't want the weeks to fly by. Currently this baby had no where to sleep. Youngest ds is still in my room. I will end up sleeping in the living room if i don't get these rooms cleared & moved!

The 3 youngest are school age but youngest dc only attends school morning's due to his SNs. Middle ds has nearly a month of Christmas holidays!

I don't have anyone to help. I'm cross at myself for leaving it all too late. I've never found it this difficult, with previous pregnancies I just carried on as normal.

I don't worry about how i will cope once the baby arrives as i no i will be back to normal within a few weeks.

Routine, routine & routine!