I think I'm addicted to pregnancy

[Andysgirl15]

Yes yes you read the title right. I'm insane, I must be seeing as I only had a baby 2 weeks ago but I really can't wait to have my next. Yes it's a long 9 months and yes labour is painful but it's entirely worth it. To me there is no better feeling than seeing a positive ovulation test, dtd and then 2 weeks later seeing those 2 lines appear. Also the scans and feeling baby move is such an amazing experience.

I think the easy labours play a part too. With both DD and DS I laboured with mild to moderate pains until 4cm then my waters broke and half hour later they were both here, so I guess I'm lucky in some respect. Me and DP are both on the same page regarding wanting a big family and have agreed we will be trying for #3 in December this year. Yes yes I know it's soon and DS won't even be 1 but it's what we really want. DP will quit his job and be a stay at home dad (his decision) and as I'm the main breadwinner I'll be staying on at work. Please tell me I'm not the only one addicted to having babies I'm going crazy here

Ps. I was the same after having DD

I can't. You are crazy .

You are not alone - I think it is probably fairly hormonal that you are on a high after the birth and the miracle you have created.
Having said that, my ds2 is now 2 and half and there isn't enough money in the world to make me have another!

Hormones. Give it a couple of years and they wear off.

Babies are lovely. I can understand wanting another snuggly baby (although as I'm cuddling my 7 week old baby now, part of this feeling may be hormones).

But the whole pregnancy and childbirth thing wasn't particularly fun. I spent a lot of my pregnancies worrying about whether things were going okay. They were more of a stressful means to an end for me.

I did it once.

It was enough.

Put me off for life. Might also have something to do with the fact that I realised I don't particularly like children

I really don't think it's hormones DD is 27 months and I've had this feeling since I brought her home from hospital and it hasn't gone away. I come from a massive family so I think that plays a part too. I loved growing up with loads of siblings all of who have gone on to have plenty of their own children (I'm an auntie to 17 children).

I'm just worried that this feeling is never going to go away and I'm going to end up with loads of children, no money and a cramped house. I was hoping to stop at 4 at the most.

I think you are very lucky to have had such positive experiences of pregnancy. I got to the point where I dreaded pregnancy because for me it meant anxiety and grief.

I do get you in a way. When I had my daughter I kept reliving the Labour in my head, I felt so empowered and wished I could go back to having her in the hospital or I wished it was filmed so I could see the experience again. I'm pregnant with number 2 now and while I'm looking forward to reaching those final weeks, I know once he's here I'll be reflecting back on my pregnancy and Labour (if all goes well) and wishing I could do it again!

I only really feel that way after I've given birth. It's odd!

I totally get you! I really love the "is this a positive?" that's in conception compete with squinty photos of piss sticks. It's exciting. My last baby was the best experience. Far better than my previous two. Based on this, I've surprised myself by doing a full 180 on my feelings of ademently never wanting another to actually considering one more in the future.

Pregnancy hasn't always been a positive experience for me. With DD I was at the hospital every 2 weeks from 32 weeks because she was small on the 9th centile then when in labour she was back to back and she got stuck then spent 3 days in neonatal with and infection then with DS it was hospital apps every week from 28 weeks as he was on the 9th centile too and at times had intermittent blood flow through the cord so there were some stressful times but I would do it all again.

I think my feelings are part to do with the fact that when I was 16 I was told by my gp that I would never conceive without medical help and because I've gone on to have 2 children without intervention in my mind I want to have as many as I can just in case for some reason I suddenly can't have babies just like my gp said.

Making a baby and popping it out is the easy part. It's raising them that's hard. We have three and it's tough with both of us working FT.

We have the money for a brood of plenty but my body is damaged enough that having another is not on the cards. If we had a fourth I think my bladder would never forgive me.

You are crazy

I wanted 3 children close together. Am 34 weeks pregnant with #1; fell pregnant on our first month trying and had a fairly easy pregnancy so very thankful...But I can't say I've enjoyed it as much as I thought. To the point where we've agreed on 2 children and want at least two years off from TTC the next one!

I totally get where you're coming from - especially with how you describe the positive ovulation then the thrill of the positive HPT. And the scans and the baby moving. Almost immediately after having DC2 I said thank fuck I don't have to do that again! But I am 29 weeks with DC3 However, this pregnancy has been really hard. Not because the pregnancy is hard - though 24 weeks of MS is a bit shit. It's been hard because of my other two DC. The complete lack of rest, my middle child is a toddler and doesn't sleep through, has never slept through. My eldest is four and is REALLY hard work suddenly - needs tons of patience I just don't have. The physicalities of being pregnant and looking after two young children is really hard going. I am willing the weeks to pass so I have the baby, and can start to feel stronger. I can't rest when my back is killing me or my hips are hurting or when I have sciatica. Even if we're not out, it's still so much getting up and down getting food and drinks, playing with them, sorting things out for them. Being pregnant and having two young children is infinitely harder than what it was when I was pregnant with DC2 and DC1 was just a toddler. I don't really know. It's not exponentially harder - it's much harder. I just don't have it in my to have four and as much as I know I'll look back in thirty years or something and miss the feeling of being pregnant, right now I'm absolutely hating it.

Contender for the new 19 kids and counting ?

Did you have a good sleeper first time round? I didn't and am pg with second and am proper dreading the no sleep :( DH wants 3 but I don't think I can cope with the no sleep a third time.

Also if all goes well with this one I have a wierd feeling in the back of my mind that I don't want to push my luck as I have two healthy ones and would be worried about a late loss or serious medical problems. I'm not a stressed or anxious person but it would be so upsetting im worried about it!

How many children do you want? Does it get to the point where people can't afford to do good things like big holidays etc because your family is too big even if you are high earners? Xx

I don't think you should feel bad for loving being pregnant or producing babies. I wish I could have a teaspoon of whatever hormones you've been getting. And if you have the money and resources to bring up lots of children, go for it!

However, to sound a note of caution: just because you've had two very easy and lovely pregnancies, doesn't mean you can count on them being that way indefinitely... If I had had my second pregnancy first, I don't think there would have been a second.

My 2 are 9 and 7, I had the crazy idea at 34 I wanted another (35 now) worst pregnancy yet. 37 weeks and had enough. Hope I don't go 10 days over with this one

You crazy lady 😂 39+3 with third after nearly 9 years gap! I'm only 30 but feel older now 😂

God yes I totally agree, loved being pregnant, loved my labour & delivery, love having a baby. No. 2 is on the way and DD has just turned one

Totally agree although I'm just addicted to having children and watching them grow into lovely people! Currently expecting number 6!
I hate most of being pregnant but it's so worth it.

My mum had us late, but says if she'd known how much she enjoyed being pregnant she'd have been a surrogate - think she could quite easily have become addicted!

She loved it, barely showed, never felt ill, said it was the best she'd ever felt - she's a lifelong sufferer of anxiety and the hormones blasted it, she felt terrific. Giggled all the way through labour. There was a massive comedown afterwards resulting in PND and I don't think she enjoyed the actual child-rearing as much!

Babies are easy!!!! Children are hard work!
We have 3 DC 9,7&5. Eldest two both have ASD ... 7 YO is severely disabled.
I spend my lifetime in hospitals or with therapists.
Reading, homework, out of school clubs.
Babies are easy but raising children is hard work .... And I've not even got to the young adult stage yet!

I really get the thrill of getting pregnant- the tests and the positive result gave me a massive kick each time. I had nice pregnancies and pretty easy labours but after dc2 I just have some kind of block on my ability to feel laid back about doing it again. The fear of a tough pregnancy or of a traumatic loss or unwell baby is too great for me to really contemplate doing it again. I also increasingly realise that babies are lovely and relatively straightforward but the real work comes later as they become little people going out into the world.

Honestly I find your post a bit worrying. You don't once mentioned n anything about your actual children, not even holding your newborn, as high points. If those genuinely are the major reasons you want to get pregnant again, th I would say definitely don't.