Why I Am Loving Being Pregnant With #3

During my first pregnancy, I could probably tell you how many weeks and days pregnant I was. I wrote in my pregnancy journal obsessively and could not wait for the days to fly by so we could meet our baby. During my second pregnancy, I generally knew how pregnant I was, and wrote sporadically in my pregnancy journal, but there were many unknowns that robbed joy from that pregnancy like how was I going to watch a toddler and an infant at the same time?! 

They say the “third time’s a charm,” and for me, that seems true. This third pregnancy has been totally different than the other two, in a great way. Here are 4 reasons why: 

  1. I do not have to be massively pregnant all summer: My first two were September babies {I had the same due date for them – 2 years apart!} which meant I spent the entire, humid, sweltering summer approximately the size of a school bus. I waddled around in striped maternity sundresses that looked like circus tents, sweat like it was my job, watched in horror as my feet swelled so much I could barely shove those bricks into flip flops, and sometimes needed ice cream so badly that tears were involved. Plus, I gave birth at the worst time – the first weekend of the school year {my husband is a teacher… if only I could have had those babies any other time in the summer, right?!} This time around, it’s a whole new ballgame. While I was queasy all summer and couldn’t have a beer at summer barbecues, facing the first trimester instead of the third in the summer felt like a cakewalk. I am due in January and can’t wait to take a picture this fall with a pumpkin next to my round belly, to happily wear maternity pants at Thanksgiving dinner, and use my internal oven to keep me cozy during the upcoming winter months.
     
  2. Aches and pains don’t cause me as much anxiety: During my first pregnancy, every twinge was interpreted by me to mean disaster. Was that headache indicative of pre-eclampsia? Was that pain in my chest a blood clot? If I was dizzy, did that mean there was something wrong with the baby?! And don’t even get me started on round ligament pain… that really had me in a tizzy. The second time around, these concerns had already lessened, so by the third time around? No sweat. Pregnancy helps you learn to listen to your body in a way nothing else can, so when I got a positive pregnancy test for #3, I knew what my body was likely to feel. I knew what was “normal” for me. There is a peace that comes with knowing what to expect, which has made this pregnancy a much calmer experience.

    third pregnancy
    20 weeks pregnant with #3!
  3. I know I will get big and I know I can lose most of the weight: I am a tall, curvy woman to start with and during my first pregnancy I gained 40 pounds. I thought I’d be one of those people that lost the baby weight effortlessly, but it turns out my body really “holds on” to weight while breastfeeding. My post-baby self can lose weight, it just happens at a slower rate than in college and requires double the attention. Through efforts to eat better, get enough sleep, and incorporate more movement into my day, I got down to within 10 pounds of my pre-baby weight before #2 and did the same thing before #3. It’s never very comfortable for me to watch the scale climb as the trimesters flip by, especially knowing how much effort it took to get the number low, but I know I’ve lost the weight before and I can do it again. I know that breastfeeding and sleep deprivation work together to keep weight on my frame, but I’ve also learned how to eat and move to maintain milk supply and usher in {slow!} weight loss. Plus, that weight I’m gaining? It’s a new soul that I’m growing, not an overblown Cheetos addiction. It is a gift to be able to carry a baby, even if it means carrying extra pounds.

    Days away from delivering #2 – worrying that I could never love a baby as much as I loved my girl!
  4. I know I have enough love for our new addition: As the arrival of baby #2 approached, I was terrified! I was excited to be a mother again, but I had a deep dread that I would never be able to love another child as much as I loved my daughter. I shouldn’t have worried so much. The second they put my son on my chest, it was like what happens The Grinch when his heart grows three sizes instantaneously. It was effortless. I just loved him infinitely because he was my son. His birth proved to me that new babies don’t subtract from, but instead multiply the love in a family. I can’t wait to see the love grow as we go from a family of four to a family of five! You have enough love to go around for all your children and all the members of your family – I promise.

Babies are a blessing, no matter when or how they happen. I am grateful for this pregnancy and all of the confidence that comes with doing something major for the third time. Though recently a mom of NINE told me that taking care of three kids was the hardest for her {and polls seem to confirm that!} Please send me coffee come January! The ease of being pregnant for the third time has been a delightful surprise. If you are a mom of two and are on the fence about #3, I’d encourage you to give three a try! It just might amaze you. 

Did you enjoy your third pregnancy? Why or why not?

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Hi, I'm Katie, a teacher by training who is currently loving the SAHM life. I live in Chesaning with my husband, principal of Zion Lutheran School, and our three young kids. My roots are in Milwaukee, but have been a small-town Michigander for the past 6 years and love it! I run a toddler/baby playgroup called Mornings with Mommy in Chesaning - come check us out! My loves include coffee, reading, cooking, writing, my family, and Jesus most of all. Being a mother is a great blessing, and I am grateful to be a contributor with Mid Michigan Moms - can't wait to journey through motherhood with you!