We currently have six children and are now pregnant with our seventh! I’m due July 5 and my 40th birthday is July 12. This is NOT how I wanted to spend my 40th, but here we are. I love all my children dearly but I told my husband he’s getting a vasectomy for my birthday!
Per the doctors or whatever association decides it, I’ve been of “Advanced Maternal Age” for my last three pregnancies.
While it’s mainly been the same with each pregnancy, I have noticed some subtle differences and one big one that may or may not be related. The big one is, the last time I was pregnant, it was with twins! This may be due to my age or it may have happened randomly or it may have been because of the number of other children I had already.
A subtle difference is that I seem to be more tired than before. There again, it could be related to the pregnancy or it could be related to taking care of the others. Another difference from my first pregnancies is the physical aches and pains. My hips and lower back especially hurt but not enough that it keeps me down or require pain relievers.
This pregnancy and the last, my morning sickness was worse. Strangely, this singleton pregnancy has had more morning sickness and lasted longer (until 19 weeks) than with my twins. It did bring me all the way down and I had to take Unisom and B6 (which I hate taking anything extra during pregnancy or not). I also seem to be more moody than before, which could be related to the pregnancy or it could be just stress in general. The last difference that I’ve noticed thus far is my cravings for things are stronger. No particular craving, but when one comes, I just have to have it!
That’s it. Those are the only things I’ve noticed that are different (minus the products from my first pregnancy 15 years ago and the ever-changing medical advice). I decided to write this to give hope to my mama friends who are termed “Advanced Maternal Age.” Don’t let anybody scare you into being “too old” to have a baby or unable to have a healthy baby. Unnecessary tests, precautions, and even sometimes prescriptions don’t have to be a requirement to have a baby/babies later in life. As a matter of fact, my last two pregnancies (including the twins) were home births with almost no extra things and medical interventions. I plan on a home birth for this one, too!
Are any of you “older” and pregnant? What have you noticed that’s different from your last pregnancy/ies?
