Trying for baby number 4.

[Mummybear9]

Hi lovely people,

What are you experiences of having a fourth baby?

Thank you x

Easy getting pregnant

Pregnancy was the hardest of the bunch. First tri and the MS was hideous : so hard dealing with that alongside sorting out three other children. Then the pregnancy had the worst effect of them all on my body: bad varicose veins (still there, 16m app), dodgy blood work and having to go in twice weekly for monitoring... ended up being induced early. Labour no worse or better than the others (I have very long labours and this one was similar, despite the midwifes assuring me fourth babies just popped out...!!).

So definitely the hardest. Enough to make me 100% that there’ll be no 5th!!

Yeh as pp pregnancy was worse.

Also my life went from normal to a bit crazy with 4 but I quite like crazy 😜

Following as we are ttc number 4 😍

To be blunt, I wouldn’t do 4 again. I adore them all obviously and wouldn’t be without any of them, but four has nearly broken me at times.

If you want to do anything other than be a mum (have a career etc) then think very carefully before having #4. It’s utterly relentless unless you have serious levels of reliable help available, and trying to do both at times has seriously brought me very close to the edge.

I may have made things worse for myself because I’m still BF a 16m old, get up early to fit in my work out etc etc, and there are obviously wonderful moments, but I’m fairly sure I’d do things differently if I did it again (but I still couldn’t imagine my life without my baby: hope you understand the contradiction!!).

Found DC4 the easiest of the bunch if I’m being totally honest.

Pregnancy with DC1 was very difficult then as a newborn he had serious colic and never seemed to stop screaming from day one until he was approx 3 months old. Longest three months of my life but once the colic disappeared he was a truly delightful baby.

DC2&3 pregnancies were much easier although exhausting because I also had toddlers to look after. However DC2&3 were much more clingy and ‘high needs’ than DC1 was. They just never wanted to be put down, it was relentless.

I had DC4 nine weeks ago and the other three are now primary school age (youngest is six) so I found it all much easier. With the pregnancy I could nap after work since they’re old enough to be trusted alone for an hour or so. They’re also independent enough to dress themselves, brush their own teeth, wash themselves, get breakfast etc so I don’t have to exhaust myself running around after them.

DC4 is also the easiest baby out of the four touch wood so he has honestly just slotted in to our every day family life without any real issues. The DC adore him and I don’t feel drained of all energy as I did when they were all small.

I'm 31 weeks pregnant with #4, my eldest is 7. I've found the pregnancy really easy (as were the other 3) but now I'm nearing the end I'm hoping to actively focus on the baby (yoga or aquanatal) as I haven't really had chance to do that. TTC - it happened reasonably for us each time, the novelty had definitely worn off by #4 though.

I'm mega excited although like PP says, I'm aware that I'll be spread thinly and my plans to have a proper "career" are on the backburner! I'll be 30 when this one arrives and there is a part of me that's excited to put pregnancy, birth and eventually breastfeeding behind me.

I've not had too many rude comments, but everyone assumes it's an accident and loves to tell me how knackered I'll be. I don't mind though, they're just making conversation!

Thank you for all your comments, really appreciate it. Xx