Having A Baby Over 35 & Pregnant | Sharing My Baby Experience & Life As A Parent

"I cannot explain what it is like to be over 35 years old and pregnant
EXCEPT that it has been quite an experience" ~ LC Hunt :)

Hello, my name is Lea and I am the CWAHM (Christian Work At Home Mom) of a teen and a tween. I am expecting my 3rd child in just a few weeks and am feeling extremely nervous because I am an older mommy (age 38) and feeling really heavy right about now.

CLICK HERE to learn more about my family and me!

Although this is my 3rd child, I am extremely nervous about this pregnancy. What if something goes wrong? What if the doctors missed something and our baby is not born healthy? What if something happens to me? Both of my older sons insist on being in the room while I am in labor

... Is this a good idea?

WHAT WAS I THINKING?

These are some of the things going through my mind this month. Meanwhile, our baby is due the first week of January ... The excitement is more than we can bare, though their is always an overshadow of nervousness that my body is too old to have a baby. I do have to admit that this was the best pregnancy I've had -well until the end when it felt like the baby would drop out - but I am hearing the same things from 1st time moms. Maybe that is not an age issue, but that babies are heavier or our bodies are different. Here is a list of what I experienced during my pregnancy:

• I developed high blood pressure with this pregnancy.
  
  
• I was rather fit before pregnancy, but put on about 30 pounds in my 1st trimester. My over all weight gain was more than I would have liked it to be, but I am always a fat pregnancy lady :)
  
  
• The nurses and staff treated me differently because I was an older mommy to be. I was considered high risk and always had to answer the same questions over and over again. Additionally, it was hard to find a new OB / GYN when we moved and I needed to find a doctor that was closer. Thank God, I found one that treated me like gold.
  
  
• I was really tired the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. This is more than I was used to being with my 1st two sons.
  
  
• I started growing grey hairs like crazy.
  
  
• I was always so hot. I could barely wear PJs or a gown at night.
  
  
• My water retention was more than it was in previous pregnancies.

All-in-all, being pregnant over 35 was ok; not much worse then when I was 21 and 25 years old except towards the end when it felt like the baby was falling out of me when I walked a lot.

Being almost 40 and pregnant does have it's risks, advantages and disadvantages. Can you relate? If you were over 35 and pregnant, share your experience in the comment section below.

UPDATE: I was induced and had our baby on December 27th while my family was in town for Christmas. It was an incredible experience of minimal pain and lots of family support. My older son got to cut the cord and - little did I know - my 11 year old son was at my side and dispensed the epidural when I needed it. My mother and husband were also by my side. Praise the Lord for this wonderful blessing of having a baby over 35, my husband and loving family. We named our baby Maxwell. He was a healthy 7.7 lb baby boy that had no complications (my other two boys did have complications during labor).


In Motherly Love,
Mother Baby Child