Sad that pregnancy is almost over

[thewindbeneathmywings]

I'm currently 35 weeks and feeling so sad that my pregnancy is almost over. This will be my 3rd and final baby and the last 8 months had gone soooo fast! Too fast. I really wanted to enjoy it and savour it!
I'm excited to meet baby but right now my heart aches that I won't be pregnant again. My first 2 babies were born at 32 and 36 weeks so it could be any time!

I think some people just feel like this (I do). I feel really sad tonight that I won’t be pregnant again, I have 3 DS so more than enough children. It’s just an ache, as I love, love the excitement and the anticipation and the changes to my body.
Good luck with everything 💐

I understand. I loved being pregnant and found it 'easy' compared to most people. I also liked most of the changes to my body (then again, I'm one of those lucky people who bounces back almost instantly). I thought nurturing my babies and bonding via the bump was a wonderful experience. I have friends who say they'd happily have swapped with their husbands but I wouldn't swap it for anything.

We're toying with the idea of a third child and one of the (small) 'pros' on my list is getting to be pregnant again (it's obviously not a serious deciding factor, as pregnancy is just the start of a whole lifetime of parenting responsibility).

I felt like this after I had my son. I almost “mourned’ my pregnancy (I know that’s not the best word to use, but I really did). I felt that it was my “identity” and once baby came, I didn’t know who I was. I feel like when you’re pregnant, you’re someone and something, you feel as though you have something to give. After I had him, I had all the love in the world for him and more, but nothing could take away the “emptiness” (physical and mental) of not being pregnant anymore. I felt awful for feeling that was as there are mothers that go through the heartbreak of being pregnant and not having a baby to show for it at the end, and that just tore me up! That feeling did go away, it stung a little less. I found out I was pregnant in Jan and I felt felt it was “who I am” again, however unfortunately had a miscarriage. Trying again now and having the fear of it not happening and never having the magical feeling of being pregnant again. Sorry to waffle, it’s just nice to read someone feeling similar as when I talked about this after I gave birth no one could really relate! X

Ahh I understand this completely OP. My husband passed away before we could complete our family so it's very unlikely I'll have another child, and while obviously the bulk of my sadness about that is longing for a second child and a sibling for my DD, I'm also incredibly sad I won't get to be pregnant again. I loved every minute of it, I loved the way my body changed, I loved knowing my baby was safe inside me, I loved how great I felt. I'd do it again in a heartbeat and would take it over the new baby stage any day!

I felt like this when my 3rd baby was born. It did not last though as life got in the way. Hope all goes well

Thank you for your replies ladies. I so sorry to hear some of your stories. It is comforting to know others feel the same. It is so hard. My health visitor has referred me to the perinatal mental health nurse next week so I'm hoping she'll be able to help

I'm only 27 weeks and I'm already a tiny bit sad that in August I won't be pregnant anymore! It's the first child for us so hopefully more to come, and I'm fortunate not to be working through the pregnancy so feel I can enjoy it more.
But still! Love feeling the kicks etc and watching my body change 😊

This is a brilliant thread to read. I'm 7 weeks after 7 years of infertility and ivf and I'm so anxious. It's great to see that it can be enjoyable. Atm I'm thinking I'm never doing this again! Maybe it gets better after 12 weeks.

It is strange. As hard as pregnancy is, there is a grief afterwards as we adjust to not carrying our babies with us anymore.

Same! So sad. My third is now a month old. I have amazing pregnancies, I feel better than when not pregnant (so obviously think I have some hormonal deficiency or something when not pregnant which isn’t good, but makes no more pregnancy even sadder!). Also the movements and the feeling special 😄❤️

I’m sad my baby is getting bigger too - she’s still tiny but you can’t tell because she’s in a pavlik harness which makes her look bigger. We’ll never seen her true newborn tinyness again and her newborn clothes would still fit if not for the bloody harness, but don’t and won’t by the time she comes out of it. So so sad.

All that to say, I get it!

I couldn't wait for my pregnancy to be over but once I had my ds , I felt really empty and lonely for ages. I missed feeling him move and knowing that I was never alone. It was a bizarre feeling and eventually I got used to it. I definitely didn't expect to miss being pregnant

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I'd say, just savour it. Every moment! This time round was my worse one funnily enough. I had terrible nausea, sickness and constipation at the beginning. In the last few months I've suffered with reflux, sciatica and rhinitis but I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

I'm feeling a bit the same too at 7 weeks postpartum. DH wants to stop at two. I've always wanted 3, but it's very early days to know if I even want to try for a third. I didn't even particularly enjoy this pregnancy. Also, it had to end early again, for the same reasons as my first. Nothing traumatic in either case, but not ideal all the same.

But...

That first glimmer of a line indicating a BFP... Telling my husband and family... The scans... Bubbles of movement gradually becoming visible kicks... The bump growing bigger and bigger... The anticipation of birth... Meeting my baby... Finding out what sex they are...

These are the things I remember best about being pregnant. The memories of the aches and pains, and other unpleasant negatives are already fading. While all the good aspects are still bright. It felt like it was lasting an eternity when I was pregnant. Now it feels like it was the blink of an eye and gone too soon.

I think part of this wishing it wouldn't end feeling is due to you never having gone past 36 weeks as you may feel very differently at 41 weeks 😂all joking aside though, I loved every secnd of being pregnant the fist time, second time I am MUCH more tired and achey so not quite so attached but it's gone soooo fast and I do have pangs of similar at 37 weeks! Good luck for your last bit x

@Pamparam I do think that's part of it! I 'mourned' my first pregnancy. I remember sobbing in the shower a lot at the loss of my bump! It was quite traumatic as ds came at 32 weeks and was in scu for a month so I didn't have him home either!
I'm desperately trying to make it all the way this time! The constant worry about whether it's the last day today is draining!

@Dyra That totally sums it up! All those special moments! The secret that is yours for that first few moments, and just yours and your partners for as long as you decide.
The amazing miracle that I'm able to grow him still overwhelms me.

I understand this - I feel completely certain that we're done with two children and that it's the right number for us but my one sadness about it is that I'll never be pregnant again. I even look back nostalgically at taking pregnancy tests, which is mad because our first took us two years and three miscarriages so I took a million pregnancy tests and would not have described it as even slightly exciting or nice at the time. But I think back so fondly to seeing those two lines come up...

I think part of this wishing it wouldn't end feeling is due to you never having gone past 36 weeks as you may feel very differently at 41 weeks 😂

I have a feeling that's part of it for me too. Didn't make it past 38 weeks with either pregnancy. Plus the last week or two of both was spent in the hospital, instead of enjoying those last few days. Just getting to my due date, or even going into labour naturally would be amazing. Going overdue does sound hellish, but you can't knock something until you've tried it.

I reached 41+4 and 41+5 with my pregnancies, but still miss being pregnant!