how to older women have babies?

[Denisemomof4]

I mean not HOW, ;)but .......... energy wise? HOW do they do it?

 

I'm 48. Wasn't Michelle Duggar 46 or 48 when she had her last? Anyway, I'm 48 and I've been nursing a chick of ours back from the dead for 1.5 weeks now. If it were a male I'd call it Lazarus. Seriously, this chick was comatose, only breathing, for three days. Dd11 was hysterical because we've lost one hen and one chick this summer as it is, so I got to work to prevent another loss. I've tube fed her, then force fed by syringe, every 2 hours for 5 days, then I started to go 3 then 4 hours. Last night was my first full night's sleep in 1.5 weeks. I don't know HOW other women do it. One night I was writing here and I'm wondering if people think I was doing drugs. :tongue_smilie: I mean there was one post on prosperity, and I totally answered wrong. I was so tired that I didn't go back to fix it. In fact, I never have! Last night I was so tired that I decided not to post after 8:30 so nobody could have more evidence against me. :lol:

 

My friends and family are all understanding of me, laughing at my stupidity because I'm just so tired, and my family is understanding my TOTAL lack of patience at the moment.

 

I just don't know HOW older women do it! For me it's only been a week and a half and the night time feedings are done. I just can't cope with life feeling this way. I'm TOO OLD for this!

 

My source of exhaustion IS my animals. Maybe only farmers can understand. I'm on my second round of coccidiosis in my chickens in a month and a half. I'm going to treat EVERYONE, even though some 500 ft separate my two flocks. My llama had his cud stuck in his cheek and I thought it was going to explode. Again. I have a SWEET ferret on her final legs, a senile dog that is a LOVE but WORK, my dachsund BIT a kid this week (remember that thread where I wanted a great lunch recipe to bless the socks off of our homeschool leader and her son? Yup! HER SON WAS BITTEN BY MY DOG! That's another story!) My HUUUUUUUUUUGE pig ran away and was HIDING on the conservation land. I'm telling you, he backed into THICK brush and was quiet as a church mouse and watching me! I *ONLY* saw his two eyes through the thick brush because I saw his pink snout and the white patch. The pig fencing didn't work yet AGAIN and the potbellies and the HUGE Monster Pig (honestly - he's a LOVE and a pet, but he's trouble! The sweetest type of trouble any living creature could be!) broke into the barn and made a COMPLETE mess of it!!! I'm just WORN OUT, and the kitchen remodel SHOULD happen this coming week (which means emptying out the contents of my entire kitchen) and we haven't even started school yet.

 

I'm very tired.;) I also feel VEEEEEEERRRY old.:glare:

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Um, I'm 42 and only have 2 kids. I can imagine having more kids and even more babies, but I cannot imagine dealing with all those animals! That sounds way more exhausting than babies! :grouphug:

[stripe]

I hear you.

[DarlaS]

I mean not HOW, ;)but .......... energy wise? HOW do they do it?

 

I'm 48. Wasn't Michelle Duggar 46 or 48 when she had her last? Anyway, I'm 48 and I've been nursing a chick of ours back from the dead for 1.5 weeks now. If it were a male I'd call it Lazarus. Seriously, this chick was comatose, only breathing, for three days. Dd11 was hysterical because we've lost one hen and one chick this summer as it is, so I got to work to prevent another loss. I've tube fed her, then force fed by syringe, every 2 hours for 5 days, then I started to go 3 then 4 hours. Last night was my first full night's sleep in 1.5 weeks. I don't know HOW other women do it. One night I was writing here and I'm wondering if people think I was doing drugs. :tongue_smilie: I mean there was one post on prosperity, and I totally answered wrong. I was so tired that I didn't go back to fix it. In fact, I never have! Last night I was so tired that I decided not to post after 8:30 so nobody could have more evidence against me. :lol:

 

My friends and family are all understanding of me, laughing at my stupidity because I'm just so tired, and my family is understanding my TOTAL lack of patience at the moment.

 

I just don't know HOW older women do it! For me it's only been a week and a half and the night time feedings are done. I just can't cope with life feeling this way. I'm TOO OLD for this!

 

My source of exhaustion IS my animals. Maybe only farmers can understand. I'm on my second round of coccidiosis in my chickens in a month and a half. I'm going to treat EVERYONE, even though some 500 ft separate my two flocks. My llama had his cud stuck in his cheek and I thought it was going to explode. Again. I have a SWEET ferret on her final legs, a senile dog that is a LOVE but WORK, my dachsund BIT a kid this week (remember that thread where I wanted a great lunch recipe to bless the socks off of our homeschool leader and her son? Yup! HER SON WAS BITTEN BY MY DOG! That's another story!) My HUUUUUUUUUUGE pig ran away and was HIDING on the conservation land. I'm telling you, he backed into THICK brush and was quiet as a church mouse and watching me! I *ONLY* saw his two eyes through the thick brush because I saw his pink snout and the white patch. The pig fencing didn't work yet AGAIN and the potbellies and the HUGE Monster Pig (honestly - he's a LOVE and a pet, but he's trouble! The sweetest type of trouble any living creature could be!) broke into the barn and made a COMPLETE mess of it!!! I'm just WORN OUT, and the kitchen remodel SHOULD happen this coming week (which means emptying out the contents of my entire kitchen) and we haven't even started school yet.

 

I'm very tired.;) I also feel VEEEEEEERRRY old.:glare:

 

I have no idea. I do recall something about new mom hormones helping with the loss of sleep (to a point of course). You don't get that with animals...

 

Um, I'm 42 and only have 2 kids. I can imagine having more kids and even more babies, but I cannot imagine dealing with all those animals! That sounds way more exhausting than babies! :grouphug:

 

It can be. Back in April we got a new puppy. Fortunately, he slept at night pretty young. Unfortunately, he though 5:45 was a good time to wake up. Every day. For several very long weeks. :bored:

[Kathleen in VA]

I'm thinking maybe babies are easier than farm animals. People are more apt to sympathize and help when a newborn is around. Sick farm animals, otoh, don't evoke as much empathy from average folk - only other farmers. Maybe this is why farmers hire farm hands. Sounds like you need more hands and a clone or two.:grouphug:

[Denisemomof4]

We've had our farm for 8 years. We got off VERY easy the first 7 of those years. It's proving to be more and more difficult these days! I'm basically a rescuer, giving homes to animals in need. I know what I'm doing for my chick most people wouldn't. I can't help having the heart I do. I've loved animals since a young girl.

 

I'm getting too old for this though! And the first people call when an animal is in distress, or needs a home, is me. I'm getting good at saying "no" but I worry and get upset at not being able to help nonstop.

 

I think it must be those hormones that help the sleep deprivation.

[Maus]

Well, I try to stay off the road....:lol:

 

.....seriously, I blew right through a red light about six months ago and didn't even realize it until everyone was honking at me.... (driving is where the exhaustion hits me most.)

 

My oldest, DS8, was born two months before I turned 37, then DD6 almost exactly two years later. DD1.5 was born on my 44th birthday. I really didn't have much trouble energy wise with the first two, but then, when DS fell asleep, I slept, too.

 

I am really tired all the time now with the youngest, but it's gradually getting better now that she sleeps all night, and the older two are great friends to each other, so I was able to grab a nap now and then.

 

It CAN be done, if that's what life deals you.

 

We are more laid back about our parenting than most of the parents of our children's peers. Survival mechanism. We allow more TV, we let the kids play in the yard more (unattended, even), we taught the kids how to use the microwave earlier, and don't stress about junk food as much. (Is it really that bad to have P,B, and J for breakfast once in a while, if he can fix it quietly, by himself, while we sleep another half hour?)

[Joyofsixreboot]

I was 45 when I had my last. Was slowing down an option? :confused: Why wasn't I told:001_huh:~stomps foot~

[Pamela H in Texas]

We've told people we're just too old for babies. We said we weren't going to take anymore. The two we have now are *wonderful* and I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOO glad we accepted them. But most babies won't be as easy, I don't think. And I think we're too old.

 

I'm 36, not exactly "old." Just too old for ME to be getting up at night. I managed the once a night the first few weeks with Baby Girl but I'm so glad she dropped that quickly.

 

There is a foster family in our subdivision. They have a 33 yr old daughter (special needs, still at home) and a 2yr old son. They foster babies and toddlers with the hope of adopting. They are nuts. I'm guessing they are barely older than my parents (mid-50s) and they are working on just beginning, again, their parenting journey.

 

THERE IS NO WAY.

 

I'm pretty sure our 3yr old (who we hope to adopt with his older siblings soon) is going to be our youngest regardless of how many more children we adopt, if any. Sometimes I wonder if I'm not too old for THAT.

[WishboneDawn]

38 and the farther I go with this pregnancy the more I think, this is it. I'm too old to do this again. :)

 

Glad to hear the chick is coming 'round. I thought for sure it wouldn't make it! :)

[butterflymommy]

I'm 38 and finding pregnancy to be quite brutal on my body compared to when I was 23. :) I'm almost full term and have gained less than 20 lbs, but I'm having great difficulty just climbing the stairs without my heart pounding so much that I actually wonder if I'm about to drop dead of a heart attack.

 

As far as energy levels, I have suffered from chronic fatigue type symptoms for about 8 years now, so I've learned lots of tricks and coping mechanisms to try to be as functional as possible despite the exhaustion. Never push yourself to the point of severe exhaustion. Let yourself sleep/ rest if you need it. Get help wherever you can find it willingly given. Pick the most important things to worry about in terms of chores etc.. I would never have pets or animals, for instance, because what energy I have must go to the kids. I bet if you didn't have the animals to care for (I'm not suggesting you do that!!) then you would find a lot of energy leftover for other things.

[Susan in TX]

I'm almost 43 and I just had my 10th baby. I've been trying to figure out why it is so much harder. I just have a 3yo and the baby...all the others are over the age of eight and can even help with the 3yo and the baby. When my 4th was born, I had 4 under 5 and it wasn't this hard. Oh, but I was only 25 then...

 

Susan in TX

[FrogMom5]

:grouphug: I'm happy the chick is doing better and you're finally getting some sleep - at least for now.

 

I was 43 when I had my dd. The first 3 years I lived in a hormone induced haze. This year, I'm tired. She's older and much more independent but it doesn't seem to help. Maybe it's that I'm beginning menopause so not sleeping well.

 

I do hope your chick grows up to be healthy and robust. All the things you've done, you're a very kind-hearted person.

Another Denise

[WishboneDawn]

Thing to remember with Michelle Duggar though...She has LOTS of helpers. :)

[Guest lahmeh]

I'm pretty sure Michelle Duggar was 41 when her last baby was born. :)

[jbemom]

I was 24 when I had my first and 43 when I had my last. It was easier for me with my last child and I would have had more if God were willing. My daughter keeps me young! :001_smile:

[Mom in High Heels]

I turned 38 in March and exactly a week later, Han Solo was born. OMG, it is so much harder than when Indy was born and I was 29. I'm exhausted all the time. Babies are HARD.

 

James Bond got the big V a few months back because I could never, ever, EVER do this again. I don't know how women who are 10+ years older than me do it. BTW, Michelle Dugger has many, many (MANY) older children who can help her out, so I don't think she counts. :tongue_smilie:

[tiredmommyof8]

I'm thinking maybe babies are easier than farm animals. People are more apt to sympathize and help when a newborn is around. Sick farm animals, otoh, don't evoke as much empathy from average folk - only other farmers. Maybe this is why farmers hire farm hands. Sounds like you need more hands and a clone or two.:grouphug:

 

:iagree: I haven't had real sleep in so long I don't remember what it is like. Our youngest baby is 9 months old and was born when I was 43 1/2. With my babies I have coslept and nursed them throughout the night which I find to be easier than bottle feeding (I bottle fed first baby) You are a much stronger and/or dedicated person than I am because I don't think I'd be able to function if I had to get up all night and take care of needy animals as well as my family.

[MrsMe]

I believe she was 42, because she's 44 now. My neighbor was 44 and another neighbor adopted two toddlers at 52.

 

First MD has a lot of help and that is a big plus. I had my only at almost 40 and I'm with you. Tired, tired, tired. I'm also not type A. I've always been someone who needs a lot of sleep. Without it, I felt sick, almost hung over.

 

I also think that people who are more easy-going or have less stress and can handle things better. Stress zaps energy.

 

So as long as there no underlying issues, thyroid, etc. I think it's personality type. I have a friend that is oodles overweight. I mean oodles and she can run circles around me and then again. Who knows!

[TammyinTN]

I don't know how they do it! I'm 44 and the grand-baby is staying with us for the year with dd (dh is deployed). I drop into bed each night exhausted. It's fun, but exhausting. :D

[dancer67]

I am going to be 44, and I cannot even fathom the thought of being pregnant again. And lack of sleep, potty training, etc etc.........

 

I will wait for grandchildren. I can spoil them and send them home:D

[KRG]

I am 40 and baby turns a year old next week. I am exhausted--he has yet to sleep thru the night. He is in to everything. I feel like I am stuck in some sleep deprived loop. It's a good thing he is so sweet and cute ;)