Yes, I'm a pregnant working mom with three very active children (8 year old boy and soon to be 7 year old boy and girl twins), and I'm truly loving the experience! Of course with everything in life (not matter what age), not everything is picture perfect.
As a mom already, I don't have the stresses and worries that new time mom's have such as should I continue working full-time or become a stay-at-home mom? Will I be a good mom? And will everything go well during labor and delivery? After I had my first child, I made the decision to be a self-employed, work-at-home mom, giving me the flexibility to also be more of a hands-on mom, volunteering at their elementary school and taking them to their extracurricular actitivies. I've also had 8 years of being a mom, giving me the confidence that I can do it! In addition, I've already experienced two pregnancies (with the twins being a high risk pregnancy), two labors, and two deliveries. I know what to expect, and now I have three little helpers to help me feed, play, and entertain our soon to be newest addition.
However, there are stresses and worries that come with being pregnant over the age of 40 years old. All statistically calculated, but apparent.
First, with age comes the possibility of having twins. As a woman ages, they are more likely to release more than one egg during ovulation. And yes, this was a major concern for my husband and I. First, we already had twins. Second, twins run on both sides of my mom's side of the family. The good news is I'm carrying a singleton this pregnancy!
Second, many woman in their 40's may not workout as often or as vigorous as they did in their 20's and 30's, putting their pregnancy at risk for developing high blood pressure, diabetes, and other pregnancy related concerns. And yes, I was concerned! Not because I didn't workout before I got pregnant, but because I didn't workout (at all) the first three months of this pregnancy-I was way too physically exhausted. Instead, every spare moment I had in between work and kids, I slept. Literally, there were some days I slept the entire seven hours my children were at school.
That brings me to the one area that has really impacted me this pregnancy-physcial exhaustion! A little background. I am a high energy, active mom who thrives on very little sleep. I work, coach my children's sports teams, and enjoy having other children at my house. Being pregnant at 41 years old has truly been a sleeping experience. My pregnant body and mind can't seem to get enough sleep. One could say it's age induced. Another may say it's because I'm working, volunteering, and taking care of three active children. I'm leaning towards the later as the valid reason.
So if you are over 40 years old, thinking about getting pregnant, now is the time to start focusing on eating well and starting a physical fitness routine. And if you are already pregnant, I'd love to hear (and share) how your experience is going and what your worries and stresses are!
Enjoy the milestones!
Melissa (19 weeks pregnant)
I am happy to hear that this