Differences in your pregnancies as you get older?

[Cassius2]

Another thread on here got me thinking...

Did you guys notice any difference in your pregnancies as you got older? Or is it just a numbers game (ie: second, third, fourth pregnancies just get different)?

My personal experience has been that my first two pregnancies were these blissful affairs without any physical worry or real impacts...but my third was a doozer. I just didnt seem to recover that well and the actual pregnancy was tough (bad MS, sore hips, pre term labour etc).

DH is keen to have another baby, but I am worried about the physical impacts and just how tough it was to be pregnant (and then the whole sleeplessness after baby is here...whole other thread hahahaha) and i have spent a considerable amount of time trying to figure out if it is an age thing that might make it rougher, or a number thing (three babies later), or if it is simply that i have had 3 kids in 5 years and a break might mean that the next pg is not so rough...

ANYWAY, i was wondering what others have felt/experienced...did your pregnancies follow a pattern? did they get easier/harder, or were they just dependent on the circumstances at the time?

As you can tell I have alot of random threads swirling around my head at the moment

[RainbowRiver]

I found my girl pregnancies extremely hard on my body and mentally draining. I don't think age was a factor for me, just the gender. Recovery time was easier as pregnancies went on. I've had 4 kids spread over 8 years.

[Mildez]

I am currently pregnant with no 4. Only 12.5weeks so a bit early to tell. The first 12 weeks with this one has been easier then my 3rd. I had severe HG with my 3rd but not my 1,2 or 4th.
With number 3 I have SPD and vulval varicose veins and an irritable uterus. This time I don't have any signs yet but I didn't develop this with no 3 until 15weeks.
Number 4 libido is non existant. Thats the first time thats ever happened. I hope it returns soon.
I am finding so far I am not enjoying this pregnancy as much as I had the others. I wonder if that is an age thing. I also have concerns about this baby/pregnancy/after birth I have not had with the others. Concerns about me coping, concerns about the birth, how it will effect our other children and us financially. I certainly am very happy I am pregnant but it has definitely being a different experience so far.

[meow]

No real difference for me. I've been pregnant at 31, 34 and 37 and they have been very similar pregnancies and all pretty easy. The only thing that has been harder in my 3rd pregnancy is that a varicose vein I have on one leg that has never been a real issue has exploded out of control and my leg is now covered in spider veins. I suspect that is because I got hep A in my first trimester and perhaps with my decreased liver function my circulation was poor. I don't think my age was a factor.

[HotI]

I struggled with pregnancy of my 3 rd baby. I think it was 3 full term pregnancies in 4 years that was pretty hard on my body. Not sure if being younger might have helped with recovery.

I do think feeling stronger before conceiving has to be a good thing.

[*Jessica*]

cassius2 I was exactly the same as you. I am finding this 3rd pregnancy a struggle compared to my other 2. I just feel so heavy and stretched and exhausted, nothing different official diagnosis wise. I'm 28 weeks now and have been feeling tired/heavy/faint for awhile! I look and feel 35+weeks pregnant. I loved being pregnant the other two times. I loved being one of the few women I knew that could truly say that! I was 25 and 27 with the first two, now I'm 35. It was always bound to be different id say for me, particularly given the gap between #2 and #3.

[*Jessica*]

Haha I just read your reply Rosetti. My first two were boys and we don't know the sex of this one... but people are joking maybe a girl as it's sucking the life out of you already!

[RainbowRiver]

Haha I just read your reply Rosetti. My first two were boys and we don't know the sex of this one... but people are joking maybe a girl as it's sucking the life out of you already!

I'm stuffed if I get another girl lol

[Mum2SweetCs]

Interesting thread!
For me the first pregnancy was a breeze and fantastic!!! But recovery took over 3 months.

For dd2, pregnancy was hard. GD with insulin injections, PUPPPS, D-MER.

Recovery was fast 2 weeks but i found i was mega grumpy, always tired and low patience!!

Can it be age related? Or just having two kids i am not sure lolll

[Tegam]

So I have been 25, 28, 30, 32 and 36 so a huge age difference from 1st to last. I haven't coped this pregnancy at all. I'm very tired and emotional. But is that age or the fact that I am trying to be a good mum to 4 and be a good wife and work and study.....hehe. One thing is for certain, pregnancy have gotten harder, more boring and longer BUT recoveries have been much faster and newborns so much more of a pleasure. I think the yucky pregnancy is totally worth the nicer newborn stage

[~Kim~]

Mine got easier. But, i think that was more to do with life circumstance than age.

[*Jessica*]

I've just been to the midwife and she suspects some pretty bad stomach muscle separation. That more specifically explains this pregnancy feeling a lot tougher on me.

[Artechim]

My third pregnancy was physically the hardest with sore pelvis and I felt so slow and awkward but I wonder how much of that was because she was a kilo heavier than the first two. Also by that stage it was my third pregnancy in 5 years, always either pregnant or BF, waking every couple of hours at night for the previous 4 years and dealing with many tantrums. I was exhausted and that probably made it harder work. I think though that after a gap and all the other baby stuff has passed, another pregnancy wouldn't be as hard. With kids off at kindy and school there would be actual time in the day to sit down and rest that there just isn't when you have a house full of preschoolers.

Don't they say you regret the child you didn't have but never the one you did?

[Cassius2]

totally loving these replies...so much food for thought...

Meow: I am totally jealous hahaha! My last pg was so draining and tough: but i do wonder if that was circumstance...not great access to good wholesome food and whatnot and the stress of moving and living OS for awhile.

Tegam and Arte: that's been my biggest point of pondering...is it just simply that i have been going down this pg/baby road for a consistent without pause for so long that made the last pg so much harder (and had me vowing at the time to NEVER EVER want to go through it again...it was the hypermesis for sure that knocked me out).

Jessica: I too had bad muscle separation. i had it with all three but wonder if it has just been compounding and all of a sudden with my last baby it decided to really play up? Tubi grips...get some!

HotI: ahh and now another thing to consider! DD3 was an oops pg, unlike the other two i didnt have any body preparation or nourishment that was particular and i did feel that contributed in some way (I was still BF and a bit worn down).

The thing is, i get the comments from well meaning people that i can only have as many children as i want and cope because i am young and that if i were their age (they stopped at two) I wouldnt have the energy. Now, i find it a strange statement as i am tired and rundown, but maybe I am just not as tired or run down lol?!

[HomeStyleMumma]

Sounds like you're onto a plan artechim ;-)

Afm my girl pg have been more 'difficult' but not remarkably so... Or is that just the rose coloured glasses of hindsight LOL.
For me I doubt age has (had much chance) to play a part as I had my 1st at 20 and my 5th a couple months off 27. I am finding all the other answers really interesting. I'll have to ask mil her opinion as she had her 1st at 19 and last at 44.

[meow]

I really agree with a few comments about recovery between pregnancies. I think that will be a bigger factor in how you cope in subsequent pregnancies, more than your age does. If you allow some time and focus on replenishing your body and preparing it for another pregnancy then I think you can get through another. If you have babies close together then by the 3rd, 4th etc you are surely going to be fairly depleted and find it harder.

Tegam- my MW made that comment to me yesterday that she finds 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc time around mothers seem to recover better as they know what to do more by then. They rest when they need to and line all the supports up they need and generally have faster recoveries.

Just quietly- I haven't noticed gender have any significant effect on pregnancies.

Go for it Cassius! I totally believe you can have a healthy & well, nutrient rich pregnancy this time around

[wysiwyg]

The thing is, i get the comments from well meaning people that i can only have as many children as i want and cope because i am young and that if i were their age (they stopped at two) I wouldnt have the energy. Now, i find it a strange statement as i am tired and rundown, but maybe I am just not as tired or run down lol?!

I think people often say age, and tired rundown etc is reason for stopping as is like it is the 'acceptable' answer or one that is less likely to be questioned. I had mine at 32 and 34 no real difference between pregnancies and neither were hard. Age made no difference at all in not wanting anymore, or the thought of tiredness etc, I just don't want anymore and knew that before number two was born. But sometimes people don't seem to believe that answer, and the 'too old' answer is more easily accepted. I used to think that money (housing) comes into the decision, and if had endless money then would want more children but now I think that for me I still wouldn't want more. Sometimes the only thing that people take as a real indication you don't want anymore is if they know DH has had the snip.

So you probably are as tired and rundown, but if there is that inkling of desire for another will make it seem less.

[Arimeh]

I had 4 in 4 years, then a break for 2.5 years.

All my pregnancies were pretty much the same, the spd got worse each time, however I got better at managing it so it never felt worse - itms?
oh and I'm not a particularly young mum - I had my first at 29!

I say have another! Hehe