Bessie Viola asked what it is like to be pregnant with a toddler. They currently have a 15 month (plus or minus a few weeks) old daughter and are considering when to expand their family again.
First, let me say that many of the readers of this blog have already gone before me! Hopefully you ladies will correct me if I am wrong :)
Now, the worst thing so far is dealing with AJU5 when I feel terrible. Being a WAHM makes this worse because I have to juggle her and work already. When I was throwing up multiple times a day, I could tell she didn't have a good day either. Luckily, AJU1 would play with her outside when he got home so she could burn off her energy and cheer up. In Bessie Viola's case, this won't be as bad. She is a working mom, so her daughter Madeline won't notice the difference when she is at day care.
Another thing to deal with is moodiness. I find myself getting to my breaking point a lot faster these days. As a result, AJU5 has ended up crying it out in bed a few times (note: I resort to this only near nap time). I have also left her to cry in a room where she could access me when she was done with her fit.
The third "big" hurdle to overcome is fatigue. AJU5 likes to be carried these days - inside that is. Outside she prefers to walk until she is exhausted :) It is hard to explain to her that Mommy can't carry her around the house meeting her every whim when she is already tired. This is the main reason for many of the fits mentioned above... Hopefully the second trimester will give me a little more energy!
I guess that is it so far. Again, you moms to more than one, feel free to share your experience! I am talking to you Becca, Sarah, Coach Mom, NoWheyMom, and any others that haven't commented in the last month or so!
3 comments:
Wow, I feel quite famous! ;)
Sounds like it isn't quite as bad as I was expecting. We're not planning to expand for another 9 months (at LEAST) so there's that. If my second pregnancy is anything like my first, fatigue will be my biggest hurdle.
Hope you're feeling better!
There were times in my first trimester when I would fall asleep mid-day when Harry was awake, and I would wake up to find him playing happily in my room while I was napping on a huge pile of laundry.
I napped when he napped everyday, and that helped, but the work part got in the way, to say the least.
Can you get a part time sitter or mother's helper? Just so you could sleep when AJU5 sleeps AND have work time?
Let me give you a little "wisdom" from my rough experiences...give yourself LOTS of forgiveness! Lots. It is challenging to be pregnant with a toddler. The physical demands are great inside and outside the womb, so it is hard to find balance. Not to forget working, running the household, and being a wife! There will be challenges. There will be successes. Cut yourself some slack, look for ways to cut corners on demands, and remind yourself that this is a little snapshot in life, the toddlers will be fine in the end, and this too will pass...
I've cut corners on my responsibilities in a variety of ways...a snack bin the kids can access (sometimes served as our food source for the whole day), setting up the couch for bedrest and dumping a slew of toys in the middle of the floor, putting on movies all day long, or having a pile of books in the floor for entertainment. And, (gasp!) I went to more playgroups at McDonalds when I was pregnant with toddlers than ever in my life...because it was a closed-in environment where someone else did the cooking, other kids did the entertaining, it was air conditioned, and I sat on my butt and pushed fluids, while my little one(s) wore themselves out!
The hardest part for me was the expectations I gave myself to try to accomplish more than I was doing. It was unnecessary stress. I don't recommend it. Go easy on yourself...you are doing a great job!
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