MoMs (Mothers of Many) Late Winter Thread

[rajahkat]

Since things seem a little jumbled. :)

Come on in & introduce yourself!!

[4Marmalade]

I only have four but it's "many" to us and everyone else we know .  Plus there's always great ideas on these threads.  Right now my youngest one is sick.  So now it's just waiting for everyone else to fall apart.  So, I've spent today, while dh is home, getting ready for a week where I can let things go in case I need to care for more sick kiddos.

[Endofjune]

Same here! Just four. And seriously contemplating to have no more. Not that I wouldn't like another baby. But being able to give each one enough attention is already quite tough sometimes. DS#1 is quite boisterous and asking a lot of attention. I don't seem to be able to give him enough and to tend to the others at the same time.

And when DH got up at six again this morning. Not because he wanted to, but because he always takes morning duty with the kids. I felt guilty for wanting so many and leaving the early hours to him. It's quite tiering sometimes, isn't it? I mean, I love it and I am fine, but also because DH does so much. If he wouldn't be able to anymore, or gets too old to handle the wee ones, or if sleep deprivation burns him out. That would really make things too hard.

Then again, I know, as do you now, that I have a tendency to worry a bit too much ;-).

So four it will be.

Right.

I just can't stand the idea that DS#4 will be our last ;-)

So, MoM, will there ever be a time when I won't long for that next tiny baby....? What's your experience?

[Peony]

Popping in to introduce myself. I am pg with #4 and for DH's sake, this will be our last. I think I will be at peace with it as well. I am spending this pg thinking it is my last time, and honestly that is a little exciting to think that. Anyway, we've got DD1 8, DD2 4, and DS 1. I am nervous about the whole 4th child, and how that will work in our family. All of the children have some special needs. Two require weekly or daily therapies, another is always, always ill due to her health issues. We manage now but barely. I should say I manage, DH works a lot. I work very part time and most of the time can rearrange my schedule if need be. 

Looking forward to meeting everyone!

[rajahkat]

I didn't want more after #4.  I spent that pregnancy thinking it was my last.  But then was surprised by #5, and now I want a #6. :)  I think I've said all this recently.....maybe on the other thread.  Dh would be happy to keep having babies, but I really think 6 is my limit.  (Ask me again after I actually have a sixth.)

Now with 5, (oldest will be 10 this year, youngest will be 1 on Feb 7th) is the first time I've felt like I'm having a difficult time staying on top of all the housework.  Most days it feels like by the time I get done vacuuming the house,  I need to start again.

[peaceful_mama]

I also have 4, and I think I might be done.  DH made a comment about being done "for now" and "maybe in 5 years" the other day.  In 5 years, I will be 38 and our youngest will be 5.  DH will be past 50.  We're in a seriously stressful time right now, and I had some sort of major PP something this time that I have NEVER had before.  (My midwife gave me some Standard Process adrenal support something that has worked WONDERS)  But I NEVER want to feel that again, it was scary.

Also, DS #3, the youngest, was born with low imperforate anus, had his first surgery--to give him his colostomy--at age 3 days, and will have 2 more surgeries within the next about 15 months.  The next one will repair his bottom, the last will reverse the colostomy.  From what I understand currently, this will all be behind us by the time he is 18 months old, and the lasting effect may be that he poops in a toilet later than other kids.  (they could not do everything at birth because a small part of his colon is narrower than it should be, they could not stretch the 'normal' part to connect it to his bottom without risking complications that could affect him long-term.  This will be possible and safe when he reaches 20 pounds)

[MyFullHouse]

Originally Posted by Endofjune 

So, MoM, will there ever be a time when I won't long for that next tiny baby....? What's your experience?

My #5 is 5 weeks old.  As much as I'm in love with him, this is the very first time I haven't felt a single twinge of longing for another infant.

But I do have to admit, I only feel done with *infants* (and most definitely pregnancy), not necessarily with child rearing as a whole.  If we find ourselves with a larger house, I'm pretty sure I'd attempt to jump into the adoption process as soon as I could!

[elisheva]

I posted my answer on the last thread but will repeat here. I'm preg with #4 and I'm 99.9% sure we're done. Our oldest, ds1, will be 4.5 when this baby is born. Age is a consideration for us, too. While I know there are many people who do it longer, DH will be 40 when this babe comes and he did the math to figure out how old he'll be when this babe is a teenager. I think he hit his upper limit :) I'm done with the baby stage and with being pregnant. My dd (14 mo) is walking well enough now that I consider her a toddler and I'm breathing a sigh of relief that she's more able to play with the big boys now. I'm planning to get a Mirena IUD after this babe and I really hope it works for us. 

[4Marmalade]

Originally Posted by Endofjune 

So, MoM, will there ever be a time when I won't long for that next tiny baby....? What's your experience?

I kind of fell into the MoM category by accident.  I had always wanted three children.  After we had two dh could have been done.  I had this feeling that I couldn't shake.  I really, really wanted to have just one more.  I knew I would feel complete after that.  We talked back and forth for many months before we came to an agreement.  Of course, I then became pregnant with twins so our well thought out plan was pretty much shot .  Now we are in a crazy but generally happy place.  And I feel completely done.  I know there is no way we would choose to have any more.  And hopefully we have taken care of any unplanned pregnancies .  I do however, feel quite nostalgic that I will no longer be pregnant (even though I was always so sick) or that I will never give birth again.  My twins just recently weaned too so that's another part of my life that is over.  It's just a sad, happy, content feeling that it's done and I'm moving on to the next stage.    

[KBG8]

Hey everyone! 

I do not have a lot of time now but I wanted to join the thread and can't wait to read everything!

I have 4 DS!  3 have bdays coming up in the next 3 months.. they will be 13,11,7 & 4.5! 

We are thinking about another.... all of the kids would like a sister :p

Will be back later to chat!

[pixiekisses]

Subbing. Expecting #7 any day now!

[droolgoddess]

hi everyone!  homeschooling/unschooling mama to 5 (ages 11, 8, 5, 3, and 1) and also raising my niece(3) and nephew(2).  would love to chat with other busy mamas!

[ChildoftheMoon]

Subbing....... Hello everyone!  I am NAK, so short and sweet posts these days.

 I am not a no or a yes about having anymore, youngest is just a month old.  Dh, who is turning 41 this year is already talking about the next baby :)

We have five with us and one little angel.  

[amj'smommy]

I guess I'm a MoM but it doesn't feel like many, lol. I guess if I hadmore than 10 dc it would feel like many to me ;) Currently we have 5 dc dd who will be 12 this Friday :D ds#1 is 10, ds#2 is 6, ds#3 is 3 and ds#4 is23m.  I felt "done" after #5 but lately have been having thoughts about #6, probably because there is about a 1 1/yr-2yr diff between each dc (had a loss between ds#2 and ds#3) and since the littlest is going to be turning 2 next month I think my uterus is wondering why isn't there a baby in there, lol. idk... I am happy with my 5 though can't say as I feel "complete" though even if I had 15 dc I don't know if I'ld ever have that "complete" feeling.  We do joke trying one last time for another girl but knowing us it would be triplet boys ;)

[rajahkat]

I've got 4 boys and 1 girl too.  My girl throws me for a loop!  Another boy would be just fine by me! :)

[amj'smommy]

Originally Posted by rajahkat 

I've got 4 boys and 1 girl too.  My girl throws me for a loop!  Another boy would be just fine by me! :)

lol...  I'm from a family of 4 girls so boys were a whole new experience for me!

[SandyBeachBums]

We are expecting number 5 next month.

I want more kids, but I don't know if our marriage can handle it. My husband is happy with the kids, but he is really struggling with finding a job. The last month has been really stressful for us.

[Endofjune]

Oh my, I am already reconsidering that fifth . So for the MoM's of five or more: was it a big difference, a big change, from four to five? And what, if not for religious reasons, were your reasons to keep on wanting more? For me, I am starting to wonder if it might be something hormonal. I guess I am just a little closer to the pre historic earth woman than most of the other women .

[rajahkat]

Going from 4 to 5 for me, it's the first time that I felt like I couldn't keep on top of all the household chores.   Now, I'm sure it's a combination of things, not just increasing family size, and I've just not found the perfect balance or I'm too uptight to just let some things slide.  I can't say that 5 feels outrageously larger than 4 though......

Our family size is not a religious choice for us per se.  I guess you could say it is spiritual, especially for my husband who says that he feels if the universe blesses us with them so easily, then there must be a reason.  His view is the children are a natural result of our love and should be respected as that.  He is happy to just go with the flow and when the babies come they come.  It is comforting to me that he feels that way, though I tend to waffle a lot.  Sometimes I want more, sometimes I don't. :)

[Agatha_Ann]

Originally Posted by rajahkat 

I've got 4 boys and 1 girl too.  My girl throws me for a loop!  Another boy would be just fine by me! :)

 This is what my MIL says all the time. She has 7 boys and number 8 is a girl. She still says she would want more if she knew they would be boys!

Introducing myself, I am pregnant with number 5! Three boys and a girl so far. Happy to get to know all of you!