Older Moms, Pregnancy ?

[Impish]

If you were over 35 when pregnant with not your first child, how did your energy levels compare?

 

Frankly, I'm constantly exhausted. I don't know if its just being 5 yrs older than when I had Princess, if its cause of RSD, or a combination of both.

 

 

I feel like I could sleep from now til baby's born :lol:

[Sasharowan]

I was 36 when my 4th was born and was more exhausted with him than with the others. And with #3, I was chasing a toddler and a 5yo. For #4, the others were 9, 6, and 4. So I'm fairly certain it was the age that made it harder, and the gestational diabetes may have had an effect.

[Lucy in Australia]

I can't say if the RSD has anything to do with it, but I was EXHAUSTED with this last one. There were days I was thinking about bed-time and it was 10am. I think it's a combination of being older AND having other kids to look after. Pregnancy multi-vitamins did help some, but it was hard. Big hugs to you :grouphug:

[Orthodox6]

I would imagine that your already-known health conditions exert more influence than your age. (I do not know how old you are.)

 

Mine were born when I was 31, 34, 39, and 44. Energy was bad for the last-mentioned pregnancy because we were living in an even hotter climate, we were homeschooling, and two of those dc were special needs still awaiting competent diagnosis.

[Gailmegan]

I was 37 with #3 and I was definitely more tired. I also was a good bit heavier than with my first two, so I think the extra weight and the age, as well as having to take care of two others all played a role in it.

[coffeegal]

If you were over 35 when pregnant with not your first child, how did your energy levels compare?

 

Quite frankly, it was much easier being pregnant in my early-mid 20s than it was in my 30s. Even with #4 I had more energy than I did with the last 2 pregnancies. #1 I was carrying 4X4's around to help dh build a fence. #4 I kept with with martial arts. #5 I was exhausted and on bedrest. #6 I was exhausted and under strict orders to "Take it easy!" :001_smile:

[vonfirmath]

I turned 34 weeks after having my first baby.

I will be 38 a few weeks after this one.

 

I have been a LOT more exhausted at the end of this pregnancy than the first. OTOH we lived in Washington then and we live in Texas now so I don't know how much of it is the heat. It is not so unrelentingly HOT in Washington as it is here.

[LinRTX]

I had my third when I was almost 35 and my fourth at 41. I was very tired with both of them. I had severe morning sickness with the first 2 and had to be put into the hospital, but once the dehydration was fixed I had energy. With #3, we had just moved and I was chasing a 7 and 3 year old around and trying to homeschool. With #4, the children were 14, 10, and 6 -- they brought me lunch at the school table because once I finally made it there to school them I only had energy to go to the bathroom.

 

Linda

[Carrie12345]

I was "only" 33/34 while pregnant with #5, but there was an enormous difference between that pregnancy and my first at 20/21.

 

That said, #4 at 30 was my easiest of all 5, so go figure!

[Mama Geek]

I only have dd but I was just over 35 when pregnant. The first 2 months all I wanted to do was sleep. For the first month I probably slept 14-16 hours a day. I had some morning sickness, but as soon as I did some research and started eating a lot of bananas, that got much better. I got a lot of exercise over the course of my pregnancy which I think helped a lot. I did have really bad back aches the last several weeks.

[JeneralMom]

I had kids at 31, 33, 35, and 37. I felt just great with all of them. No difference. I would do it again in a heartbeat at 39/40

[happypamama]

I won't be 35 until next spring, but I definitely felt a difference in energy levels in my first pregnancy vs. my fourth. With the first, I had just DH and a small house, and a flexible office job (where they didn't care if I didn't come in until ten); by the time the fourth came around, I had a much bigger house, three other children, many more demands on my time and body. And being almost a decade older made it harder too, I think -- I bounce back from lack of sleep more slowly, etc. I really had to pay more attention to what I ate this time around too, and to how much water I drank. My midwife recommended B-complex vitamins for the energy, and having been anemic in pregnancy before (with the major symptom being extreme tiredness), I took iron tablets too.

[gardenmom5]

If you were over 35 when pregnant with not your first child, how did your energy levels compare?

 

Frankly, I'm constantly exhausted. I don't know if its just being 5 yrs older than when I had Princess, if its cause of RSD, or a combination of both.

 

 

I feel like I could sleep from now til baby's born :lol:

 

My four older children were all born in my 20's. (I had major sciatica with my boys). my last was in my fourties. it was a *miserable* pregnancy from almost day one. I started bleeding mere days after learning I was pregnant and that continued off and on for another six weeks. The next week after finding out baby was coming, I was diagnosed with pnuemonia and was hospitalized. I know the pnuemonia made the exhaustion 100'X's worse - and it killed my appetite. (oh, and pregnancy suppresses your immune system - so that made everything worse). I coughed constantly until I was nearly seven months pregnant. People would tell me how terrible my cough sounded, and all I coud say was "this is alot better than it was". then, I developed a mild abruption and started bleeding off and on again . . . . :banghead:.

 

the only good thing I can say, is after he was born, I bounced back really fast. Which was good, because he ended up in the special care nursery for six days. . . . .

Edited August 2, 2011 by gardenmom5

[RahRah]

I don't have a comparison between having babies younger and older - both of mine were after 35....first DS I was 37 when I got pregnant and 38 when I delivered, second I was 44 throughout the pregnancy, turned 45 a few months after he was born. I wouldn't say I was exceptionally tired during either pregnancy - I was blessed with uncomplicated pregnancies both times - only in the last month or so was I tired, but I think that's expected? I can only imagine the pregnancies would have been different if I were younger, but who knows?

[Cinder]

Pregnancy at any age was exhausting for me--and I had no health issues to deal with. I was 29 with my first, 39 with my third. For each one I had to nap 2 hours a day, no matter what else was going on. That said, I had terrible morning sickness with the third, but not with the first two.

[merry gardens]

If you were over 35 when pregnant with not your first child, how did your energy levels compare?

 

Frankly, I'm constantly exhausted. I don't know if its just being 5 yrs older than when I had Princess, if its cause of RSD, or a combination of both.

 

 

I feel like I could sleep from now til baby's born :lol:

The older I got, the more tired I was when pregnant. It may not have only been the age. The older I got, the more children I had to feed, teach and chase while pregnant. I had less help from outside my home and more people living inside my home that needed my help. I was exhausted! I'm still exhausted chasing a toddler and caring for my family now, but I'm not nearly as exhausted or in the same way as when I was pregnant with my last baby.

[gardenmom5]

I was "only" 33/34 while pregnant with #5, but there was an enormous difference between that pregnancy and my first at 20/21.

 

That said, #4 at 30 was my easiest of all 5, so go figure!

#2 was my easiest. I had tons of energy, painted my house, was constantly on the move. she never sleeps and has tons of energy - her roommates at college were very envious of her for that. they'd go to bed before her and get up after her.

 

I personally think she was exerting her influence on me before she was born.;)

 

#1 I slept ALL the time. I couldn't stay awake.

[Ester Maria]

I was more moody, but not significantly more tired, I think.

[Anna Marie]

I was 19 with my first and 42 with my last, I was A lot more tired during my last couple pregnancies then my first one's.

But with my later one's i had a lot more help from the older kid's :)

[WishboneDawn]

Thank you for this thread. I was expecting, remembering my first two pregnancies, that once I got over that first trimester I'd bounce right back but gosh, that sure hasn't happened. On weekdays I get up, make DH his breakfast and lunch before he goes to work, relax for an hour or so then nap. Get up, work around the house for a bit until the afternoon and then nap in the afternoon. Then crawl into bed around 10 pm.

 

Ugh.

 

ETA: I'm 37 and I'll be 38 by the time this baby comes along.

Edited August 2, 2011 by WishboneDawn

[LibraryLover]

I didn't have any health issues, so what I say means nothing, you hear me? My last pregnancy was my easiest and the birth itself was a breeze homebirth. There are 5 years between my 3rd and 4th children. I was also working OTH 25 hours a week. I worked until Friday and she was born on Sunday night. I was over 35.

Edited August 2, 2011 by LibraryLover

[~Kirsten~]

I'm 37 and pregnant with my third (I was 30 with our first). I've been significantly more tired with this pregnancy. I can't use my girls as an excuse, as I had a toddler when I was pregnant with number two, and the girls now are very willing to entertain themselves. :D I absolutely, positively MUST nap, even now in the third trimester. Now, I will say that I have stayed awake later throughout the whole pregnancy, even the first trimester. So that could be a factor--midday is a disaster for me.

 

But the whole thing has been quite different, and quite a bit more difficult. I've actually gained less overall weight, so that's not a factor in this case. But I had more severe morning sickness (actually, it was afternoon/evening sickness), we had a lot of other illnesses in the house, and we've had a lot of weird scares with this particular baby, though she's doing well and healthy. We haven't figured out yet if it's my age, if it's living in a different state and being pregnant in the heat of summer, or if it's just that each pregnancy is different.

 

Hang in there! :grouphug:

[kathkath]

35 with #3 and my 3rd pg was definitely the hardest in a lot of ways--nausea, fatigue, bedrest etc.

[canadianmomtofour]

My fourth pregnancy was my easiest. I had only a little morning sickness whereas with the boys, it was awful. The challenge for me came during recovery after birth. I. was. exhausted. I struggled with multiple bouts of mastitis, and it just took forever to feel back to normal.

[Just Beachy]

I had DD#1 a month before my 34th birthday. I had DD#2 just 2.5 years later. I was always exhausted after my youngest. That second nighttime feeding was a killer. I honestly couldn't say if it was because 1. I was a couple of years older 2. I also had a toddler to care for 3. my youngest was just more damanding/difficult to begin with. It was probably a combination of all 3.

 

:) Beachy

[AuntieM]

Almost 42 when my last was born. Yes, I was very noticeably more tired!

[Impish]

Thank you for this thread. I was expecting, remembering my first two pregnancies, that once I got over that first trimester I'd bounce right back but gosh, that sure hasn't happened. On weekdays I get up, make DH his breakfast and lunch before he goes to work, relax for an hour or so then nap. Get up, work around the house for a bit until the afternoon and then nap in the afternoon. Then crawl into bed around 10 pm.

 

Ugh.

 

ETA: I'm 37 and I'll be 38 by the time this baby comes along.

Word for word my experience, except I have 4 previous pregnancies! My birthday is a week today.

[butterflymommy]

I've had 3 pregnancies since being 35, one ended in miscarriage. I felt horrible fatigue (was bed ridden) for the first one, somewhat horrible for the second (I lost that baby), but with this current pregnancy I feel pretty good. I tend to suffer from severe fatigue though-- I have CFS-- but actually have been feeling better during this pregnancy. I think some pregnancies just hit you like a ton of bricks and some are easier.

 

Aside from fatigue, I do see more wear and tear on my body-- I have severe varicosities this time around and actually had to see a vascular surgeon. I don't know if it's age or multiple pregnancies, but my leg is a mess right now. I never lost the weight from the miscarriage so have that extra weight with me too-- again I don't know if it's age related or just the fact that I've been pregnant so many times.

[Laura Corin]

I think I had more energy with my second (when I was 37). In my case, it was just to do with being in a better situation: less stressed, less busy.

 

Laura

[mama2cntrykids]

With my first two, I was 23 and 25 yrs old and had pretty good energy. I didn't really nap or anything.

 

With the second two, I was/am 28 and 33 yrs old. I worked while pregnant with #3 and at the end of the pregnancy went to p/t b/c I couldn't hang. I would pass out by 3pm for a couple of hrs by that point. With this last one I am 33 and I spent a lot of time sleeping.

 

I know that I'm not by any means an older mom, but I was a tired pregnant mom none the less:tongue_smilie:.

[wilsonx6]

Just had twins and turned 37 (already have 12 and 3 yr. old). Wasn't more tired during either of my other pregnancies but most definitely more tired now that they are here!:lol:

[WeeBeaks]

Tired, very tired. But I was also chasing other young children, so it could have been that too.

[foxbridgeacademy]

My mother spaced her 4 children out over 20 years, and I remember her complaining (which she NEVER does) about being tired all the time with my brother her last. She wasn't chasing any toddlers around just my then 14 yo, and 10 yo sisters, but the stress was nearly to much for her. She also had gestational diabetes, and anemia, you might want to have your iron checked again.

[LibraryLover]

I think I had more energy with my second (when I was 37). In my case, it was just to do with being in a better situation: less stressed, less busy.

 

Laura

 

I understand that. Everything was easier.

Edited August 2, 2011 by LibraryLover

[Mom in High Heels]

Ugh. I had Indy when I was 29 and Han Solo just after I turned 38 this year. I was exhausted the WHOLE time with him. Good grief. It's amazing we got any home schooling done because I wanted to sleep all the time.

[PentecostalMom]

40 here. Definite difference. Dh can tell as well! We would like to have more, but my level of exhaustion and not being able to keep up and hs the littles may be a factor. Praying for God's will for our family!

[Evergreen State Sue]

I was 38 and had an 18 month old when my 2nd was born. Yes I was tired! However, I'm still tired 14 years later. That's what getting old does to ya.