Missing Being Pregnant

[Colinthecaterpillar35]

Hi all

I gave birth to my baby boy nearly 5 weeks ago. I love the fact he's now here but there's part of me that misses being pregnant and the anticipation of giving birth, to the point it makes me feel sad when I think about it. When I was pregnant I didn't really embrace pregnancy as I just felt uncomfortable and self conscious as I'd put on a lot of (non-baby) weight. Now it's all over I really miss it.

I don't really know what the point of this post was, maybe just to ask if anyone else felt the same after giving birth and if you did, did the feelings pass?

Thank you.

I absolutely loved being pregnant and it felt very strange to not be pregnant. It was probably worse that the 'settling' of my body felt similar to early pregnancy feelings. All I can say is that I missed my dc - despite them being in my arms 🤔 it was a very strange sensation. I experienced a sort of mild grief over not being pregnant, while simultaneously loving having my baby.
There are lots of emotions that I'd never experienced until becoming a mother, this one is just one of many!

My youngest is 4 and still have feelings of missing being pregnant but I can now freely talk about it as a happy memory rather than it feeling like grieving

Op! I Almost started a similar thread last night.

I had my daughter almost 14 weeks ago and I still want to cry. I don’t miss physically being pregnant, but the emotions and excitement. I am actually jealous of all the people that will get their BFP soon (as I got mine towards the end of jan 2021) I can’t believe a whole year has passed.

I still feel tots emosh whenever I pass the hospital…

Christ I was watching gavin and Stacy the other night and I cried when Ness had Neil the baby.

I loved being pregnant with my first, there was so much excitement, had plenty of time to organise things and get things ready, everyone was so nice & interested in my pregnancy. Second time round I was being sick so much more and for so much longer, I’m almost 34 weeks and have never had that blooming stage or where you get a surge of energy, I’ve been absolutely exhausted from the beginning and no one gives a shit that I’m pregnant this time haha! So yes I was quite sad and missed being pregnant first time round but don’t think I’ll feel like that this time lol

Me! My baby is 4 months and I miss being pregnant all the time and can’t wait to do it all again. I’m sure next time round it won’t be as relaxed as I’ll have my daughter to look after but I really loved being pregnant first time round.

I totally understand this. My little boy is nearly 10 months old and I love him more than anything in the world, but there's always this slight sadness that lingers because I miss being pregnant and want that feeling again. I had such a great pregnancy and felt fine all the way through so I really didn't mind being and feeling pregnant but I really miss feeling my baby kicking and moving inside me and the anticipation and excitement of meeting him without the responsibility of him being born yet. It's so strange even when they're in your arms and you have your baby you sort of lose that physical connection you have to your baby. I spent most of my pregnancy in lockdown not being able to go anywhere or see anyone and was worse once I went on maternity leave at 28 weeks as I wasn't seeing anyone at work. I'm already starting to think about trying for a second child beginning of next year and I feel like I'm looking forward to another pregnancy more than another baby, if that makes sense 🤣. I've not seen anyone else talk about this so I'm glad it's been brought up.

I can relate to this too. I think because I was lucky that I had fairly easy pregnancies, but unlucky that I had terrible non sleeping babies!! When pregnant you get to feel special, looked after, I had all the glowy skin and hair etc. Postnatally I was just fat and wobbly, tired and grumpy much of the time.

Currently considering a 3rd and reflecting now that part of the draw is the pregnancy and less so the baby! Just kidding. Kind of

Thank you all for the replies, it's good to know there's other people feeling or who have felt the same things. I agree that it almost feels a bit like I'm grieving - I feel guilty for saying that because I love my boy so much (to the point it makes me cry thinking about how much I love him) and love having him here but it is kind of like I'm mourning over something at the same time.

Hormones have a lot to answer for!!!

I miss that feeling of knowing baby was safe inside you and that connection between you both. Then they’re out and there’s that rush of love but now the outside world is involved.

My children are teens now and I had very bad sickness both pregnancies.
However pregnancy and birth is such a (for me) miraculous and mysterious process. The weirdness of little hands and feet kicking out and waiting for the birth…it’s all so incredible and I almost want to say a privilege. It’s hard to process what you go through and then to give birth to a new life…it’s a special time.
So in a sense I miss it and I’m glad I got to experience it.

I'm currently on the labour ward now about to start induction for my first baby. I know I'm going to miss feeling their little kicks and movement because they are a special feeling they only me and bub can feel - like our wee bond.

For me, pregnancy has been ok but I'm not envious of women just getting their BFPs etc, I'm looking forward to meeting my baby but at the same time, I'm sitting here terrified in case they hate me and I fail as a mum!!!

I understand this also. For me it's absolutely the anticipation, without anything having changed that much yet.
Things are so wonderful now with my 8 week old baby boy but there was something so exciting and special about being Pregnant and I miss it so much.

It's funny because I felt the sane as you after giving birth to my first and second. Almost like I missed pregnancy straight away and wished I could do it all again. But I knew I wasn't finished with two and seven years later I finally went through the whole process again with my third and enjoyed every minute of it (even the bad days) because I knew it was our last. He's now 3 weeks old and I don't have any of the same feelings of missing it or wanting to go through it again because in my heart I know we're done and I am now appreciating every moment of him being a newborn (even the sleepless nights!) knowing this will be the last time for us. Maybe it's just because you know you're not done?