Newborn - Sad pregnancy journey is over :(

[bellsblue]

I gave birth 5 days ago and tbh I absolutely hated being pregnant.

Had a really rough pregnancy with sickness all the way through but I feel so sad now it’s over. I wish I had enjoyed being pregnant a little more and made the most of it I keep getting emotional over it all which I’m sure is just my hormones 😂🙈 Is it normal to feel this way?

It's normal to feel emotional over everything at only 5 days post partum! Congrats on your newborn :) enjoy these early days as best you can.

Lots of women don't enjoy pregnancy, for all sorts of reasons. I never got to enjoy my pregnancies with my two DC, because prior to having them I'd had a still birth and so spent the whole of both subsequent pregnancies utterly stressed and panic stricken. Neither DC had a name until nearly a fortnight after they were born because we'd been too scared of jinxing things to discuss names properly beforehand (and both came early). Like you, when I see other couples all excited and planning and relishing their pregnancies, I feel a bit jealous and robbed.

But you know what - IT DOESN'T MATTER! What matters now is your lovely beautiful baby. Congratulations! Pregnancy is a very brief period, much sooner than you think you will barely be able to remember it. Just say to yourself "well that was no fun, thank goodness it's over, now I get to enjoy the reward", and go and cuddle your baby.

My baby is just over 2 weeks now, however I had this about 4-5 days after birth, all my maternity clothes and pregnancy stuff made me cry!! I missed my bump. I’m fine now, so it does pass 😂
I loved being pregnant and my mind has blanked out the bad bits, nature’s way of making me want to do it again?!?

5 days post partum is prime time for crying all day and being very irrational in my experience. Have a nice skin to skin cuddle with your baby, be kind to yourself and eat something nice.

I missed my bump

I'm just amazed your bump was gone to miss it! I remember googling "stomach 5 days post partum" as I was amazed at how pregnant I still looked

I definitely had this with my first. I think the first time being pregnant just feels so unique and ‘new’- there’s so much anticipation and excitement- and when you have your baby,
whilst it’s wonderful to finally meet them you sort of realise that you’ll never have that ‘first time’ again. It’s a kind of nostalgia I think.

I still feel quite wistful thinking about my first pregnancy and the wonder of all that lay ahead. But it does pass (mostly!) as you take on the various challenges of motherhood 😂

Totally normal!!! I hated being pregnant and then when it was over I beat myself up for not enjoying it more and wanted to do it again immediately so that I could "do it properly".

Look after yourself, eat well, watch happy TV and have lots of snuggles with your baby. Congrats

100% normal!!! I was exactly the same. I had extreme hyperemesis and I could not wait to not be pregnant anymore, I struggled so badly, then as soon as he was here I suddenly missed being pregnant and feeling the kicks and feeling special. The intensity of the feeling does go away though, and even though I hated pregnancy I cant wait to feel those little kicks and have all the excitement again.

My second baby is 8 weeks now and i still feel like that! I think I've already had my first post pregnancy period and I felt strangely sad that I was back to menstruating - felt like it was truly over, you know? It took over 4 years to get us into a place where we felt ready for baby number 2 and now I'm already considering number 3!! (Only half joking!)

I had my 3rd and last baby 7 weeks ago and also miss being pregnant although i definitely don't want any more children

Congratulations on your baby. I’m pretty sure it’s very normal to feel upset about anything and everything at 5 days postpartum (and for a good while after that in my case).

I got lucky and had a relatively easy pregnancy, at least from 16 weeks or so on (awful birth though) and really enjoyed most of it apart from the whole pandemic/ lockdown part! I was still really sad not to be pregnant anymore and can still feel like that sometimes and my dd is 3 months. I was, and still am, thrilled and relieved she’d arrived safely but I really missed her being part of me and all mine. The early few weeks for me were really tough and yet I still felt really sad putting her newborn clothes away and getting out the next size, and again when we went into 3-6 months clothes. I felt a bit sad today because I noticed she nearly filled her Moses basket and probably won’t be in it much longer. I think it’s going to be never ending really! Obviously it’s actually a good thing she’s getting bigger and stronger and is thriving and I’m really happy about it, it just goes so quick!

I think it’s ok to be sad and to acknowledge the fact you didn’t get the pregnancy you were hoping for. For me it was not getting the birth and then the feeding experience I’d hoped for. It’s a real and legitimate sadness BUT it’s also exacerbated by all the crazy hormones and once they settle a bit it really does get massively easier. Cuddle your new little bundle close and make sure you’re looking after yourself with plenty of food/ treats and drinking enough and it will pass - and if it doesn’t or gets worse then speak to your midwife or HV.