Last month of pregnancy SO much harder second time around

[Anonymous]

OK, so noone likes the last four weeks of pregnancy...you're huge, bloated, and can't sleep. But now that I'm chasing after a 22 m.o., I'm on the edge of insanity! I'm so tired b/c I'm getting up 2-3 times a night to pee and am still working (so that I can save vacation days to stretch out maternity leave). The hours between 6:30 and 8 (when DH comes home from work) are H*ll and I'm usually so exhausted that I park DS in front of Seseme Street, which makes me feel like a horrible mom. Plus, I think I'm just generally hormonal and nervous about going back to the baby phase (which wasn't that much fun for me) AND having an increasingly willful 2.y.o. around. Any tips on how to cope?

[Anonymous]

One of the only ways to deal is to let go of the guilt and do what you can until you have the baby. The last four weeks are brutal, and if TV and take out are what you can do, it isn't going to to really hurt anyone. If you can, hire more help or even ask your friends for more help. Hire a cleaning lady if you don't have one. Or just do the BARE minimum. It was SO much easier AFTER I had the baby and you will be there soon! NO GUILT!

Good luck

[Anonymous]

Cut out EVERYTHING but essentials. Also, I loved Sesame Street as a kid -- I learned so much from it.

[Anonymous]

can your husband come home earlier?
go to bed as soon as your 2yo does!

[Anonymous]

Wow, you just described my life 4 months ago! Give yourself a break! Don't worry about using the tv to get you through these last weeks--or the first ones after the baby is born. Remind yourself that it's just temporary and that, when you're more physically capable, you'll cut back on tv and fill DC's time with other stuff that you're more comfortable with.

My daughter was just 14 mo when my son was born. I got her a Baby Einstein "My First Signs" DVD that I would have her watch sometimes while I was nursing and unable to chase her down if she got into trouble. I felt guilty about using the tv as a crutch too--until, to my surprise, my daughter starting using the signs from the DVD during a conversation with my sister! I was amazed--and hugely relieved that the tv I had imposed on her turned out to be educational! Point is, it's not all bad!

[Anonymous]

I am right here with you! I could have written your post. My dc is only 20 mos old, but virtually all the same situation... and the evenings are sooooo long and hard. I have been giving dc extra long baths (almost every night) with lots of time to play and splash, while I sit on the edge of the tub or on the floor next to the tub. The bath is a good stretch of time that I don't have to chase him around the house AND he can get some more energy out before bedtime. I am using a little moisturizer on his skin before bed to make sure he's not getting to dried out from the baths.
Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I'm 34 weeks and my son is 27 months old...let me just say in the last couple of weeks his Dora/other TV watching has dramatically increased. I have a feeling it will be like this for a while though - I see myself turning on the tv when the newborn is here.

Yes, I feel guilty too. But I know I can't physically get down on the floor and play with him every minute.

[Anonymous]

I actually can't really relate, since I am currently pregnant with our first.... But I can say that I am 37.5 weeks pregnant and going CRAZY!!!!! I can't sleep, am so uncomfortable, and feel like I am going to be pregnant forever. Does this time always go by so slowly????

[Anonymous]

Yes, it does always go by this slowly. It's God/Buddha/Allah's way of getting you to want to have the baby and have pregnancy be over with

[Anonymous]

I'm 32 weeks and I totally relate to the poster who gives a lot of baths, but man, it is getting hard to actually bend over the tub these days! Forget about cleaning it after DS gets out. On more than one occassion, DH has walked in the door and been handed the scrubbing bubbles to clean up after us!

[Anonymous]

I am in the same boat as you!! I feel so tired...sometimes I don't even go out because I find the heat sooo exhausting. On top of that my husband travels a ton, so I am often alone with our 27th month old. i have definitely relied on tv to get through some days...i do feel bad about it too, but i'm just soooo tired!!

[kabol77]

I was so happy to read all of these responses b/c it is so comforting to know I'm not alone. I'm 24 wks along, but I have a 21 month old, and I'm exhausted too. He just started sleeping through the night 4 months ago (if you can call getting up at 5 am sleeping through the night). I'll be using the TV now, through, and after my delivery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 32 weeks and I totally relate to the poster who gives a lot of baths, but man, it is getting hard to actually bend over the tub these days! Forget about cleaning it after DS gets out. On more than one occassion, DH has walked in the door and been handed the scrubbing bubbles to clean up after us!

You clean the bathtub after every bath? Man, I wait until there's a ring forming.

I'm only 9 weeks pregnant and having a harder time with the morning (all day, really) sickness. When I was working and pregnant with my almost 4-year old at least I had an office where I could shut the door and pretend I was in the middle of something so people would leave me alone. And we had a cafeteria downstairs when I needed to eat. . .