Normal to have sudden sadness and anxiety at 36 weeks?

[RedPandaFluff]

36 weeks with DD2 and suddenly I feel anxious, overwhelmed, tearful, stressed . . .

We're so incredibly lucky to have one child, never mind a second on the way, so I should be feeling grateful and excited. But for the last few days I've felt a fear creep up on me - maybe because I'm starting to remember how tough it is, and the impact childbirth has on your body, life, relationship etc.

It probably doesn't help that I've had a bad cold, disrupted sleep for a while now, and DH had a serious illness and treatment in the last six months. Work is also tough but thankfully I only have one more week to go.

Is this normal? Will it pass? I feel really anxious and scared at the minute and I should be feeling happy and excited!

It maybe a hormone drop preceding the start of labour. I've had this with all four of mine. Just a dark, desperate, deeply unhappy feeling that lasted a day and woke the next in labour. Congratulations on your little one, wishing you well x

"dark, desperate, deeply unhappy feeling" describes it perfectly, @DidyouNO - although I'm really hoping labour isn't imminent, I have too much to do

@RedPandaFluff sorry to hear you're feeling like this. I've been feeling this way on and off for the last week. I'm also 36 weeks with my second. I'm assuming it's hormonally driven, though I also find disrupted sleep makes my mood a lot worse (and my ability to cope with things). Hoping it passes soon for you, and that your last week of work goes quickly!

Hi @Recoba - agreed, disrupted sleep has a lot to answer for; I'm hoping it's just that plus hormones.

I honestly don't know how I'm going to get through work this week. And I'd been thinking that I'd work right up until the birth - that's a 'nope'! I hope yours passes too, and we both get back to a happy, excited place soon.

Yes, I was the same around 36-37 weeks (with both pregnancies). Now 38+3 (with my second) and feeling a lot more cheerful about things.

Could've written this yesterday! I'm 36+4. Seem to have woken in better form this morning though!

Had this with all 3 of my kids!

Is it a sign of labour? 😅

I had the exact same at 36 weeks. It was awful. Just felt like I was staring in to a bleak abyss of despair, and I couldn't seem to shake it for days. Then it just went away. Hormones are weird.

I felt the same. I kept bursting into tears and saying I didn't want to be anyone else's mum.
I promise it doesn't mean anything. Everything was fine once the baby was born.

Ahh this is very reassuring, thank you; sounds very normal, then - just hormones messing with us! I do feel slightly better today - putting my foot down and passing on some work meetings seems to have helped! - so hopefully the despair feeling will pass soon enough.

@jollydollyirl wasn't a sign of labour for me. I was induced with my first and planned sections for the next 2!

Of course it's normal
Your hormones are everywhere and you aren't sleeping! Let yourself cry and cry and rest rest rest OP!

I think it’s very normal to have these sorts of feelings before #2 and it sounds like you’ve had a lot going on recently. I’m in the same boat and feeling all sorts of weird feelings about it approaching. I think I expected the whole thing to be awful last time and was pleasantly surprised but now I’m looking back at that I’m thinking was that just because I thought it was going to be SO bad that it was okay?! I’m worried I don’t love this baby the same and it’s blowing my mind that I will be expected to love them both the same 🙈 I feel like I will be constantly trying to overcompensate to make sure my first feels loved. It’s the sheer amount of time every single thing involving a baby takes up. They do sleep a lot in the early days but it’s quite relentless with the feeding, nappy changes, clothes changes, washing, sterilising etc 🙄 I feel like I’ve just got a handle on my life and I’m about to launch back into all of this when I don’t have the time or money for any of it 😂 Oh well, too late now!

You’re not alone, I’m sure itl all work out for us

Agree, @Babybabybabyy - there's definitely an element of feeling like we had just got things back under control after having our first, and now we're going to put ourselves through the chaos and mayhem again! The worry when inevitable things happen, like when they spike a temperature etc.

I'm even stressing about the c-section and recovery this time - didn't give it a second thought first time round and was very chilled, even with pre-eclampsia etc.

ARRRRRGHGGHHH