Can I do this again?
Should I do this again?
Can I be done after this?
Is this my last pregnancy?
(I suppose those are all thoughts better left on the back burner for now!)
I have absolutely LOVED having babies. But I have absolutely struggled with pregnancy. I really don't want to do this again....ever. But I've also wondered a lot: How will I know when I am done having children? It will be so sad to be DONE! I love babies! I'm sure I could continue to love quite a few more little babies. Babies are my favorite thing in the world! They are my reward for a long nine months. But I think I've finally figured out how you know when you are getting close to being done having children. You see, after my first baby started to become a toddler, I realized that I had the ability to handle a lot more. In some ways I was bored a lot of the day...so the answer was obvious: another baby! That was so fun, and Greg and I handled baby #2 fabulously. Things were pretty simple, life was fairly ordered and fun. So we made the decision: baby #3. By that point, with three small children I was feeling a little maxed out, but all I needed was a little time for the little ones to grow a bit so that at least one person could buckle their own seatbelt. When that happened, we moved on the baby #4. So fun! We loved him and were very busy keeping up with all four. Upon contemplating another baby, I stopped and thought, "Hmmm, I still have a shred of sanity left, my marriage is hanging in there, I haven't completely collapsed from overwork... I guess I'll have another baby." And now I am 24 weeks pregnant. I think I have lost all sanity. Greg wonders where his "normal" wife has gone, and I am collapsing from overwork most days. I guess that is a good sign that I should be done!
So, if you find yourself wondering about more children, just ask yourself: "Have I completely lost it yet?" and if the answer is "No, I'm still holding up okay," then maybe you're ready for another baby! Or maybe I should have stopped when I was hanging onto a shred of sanity! Who knows. I just hope my sanity isn't permanently gone.
November can't come soon enough! The other day I asked Greg if he thought this pregnancy was going by quickly. He responded, "Time is going fast, but the pregnancy is at a standstill!" Oh, good. I'm glad I'm not the only one stuck in a time warp. But at least quite a few of my sisters are stuck in that same warp. AND...I'm still sane enough to know and remember that a pregnancy eventually does run its course. Even if it doesn't quite feel like it will ever end.
Best wishes to Joni. She is so close to being done with this pregnancy and I am so jealous! :)
4 comments:
I agree... that's how we KNEW my last pregnancy was my LAST one. I completely lost it. Of course now that she's 17-months-old, I get a little sad every once in a while. But then I get really excited when I get to get rid of baby things... like today I threw away a bunch of tiny bibs. It is really exciting! :) Good luck! I know just how you feel!
Believe mthe Lord let's you know that you would be at the point of no return it you even contemplated another child!! Just offer to babysit an active infant when you have the thought of another and He'll relieve your ability or inability.
Believe me the Lord let's you know that you would be at the point of no return it you even contemplated another child!!
I had the same thoughts with pregnancy #5. Right now my baby is 7 months old and I love the baby stage. I have absolutely no desire to ever be pregnant again. Of course Nathan says it is still too soon, but I think we are done. I struggled with 4 and now we have 5. Things will be better when they get older right?
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