I’m wondering if it’s just me or if anyone else struggled with irritablity in their pregnancies. I’m on my fourth child and I do NOT remember feeling so irritable with my first three. I don’t think there’s any other way to describe it, I’m just short tempered and annoyed and NOT a very fun person to be around. It’s so frustrating, because I don’t like it and don’t want to act this way and I KNOW the Holy Spirit has the power to overcome hormones – but I’m just hoping that it really is JUST pregnancy and I’ll “snap into it” once I have the baby. I want to be HAPPY me again! Can I look forward to an end in this just like morning sickness? Or am I going to have to do some serious character building to regain ground? (I’m hoping it’s not the later because there’s already enough character work to be done without adding another one to the list!)
If I already had 3 and was pregnant with my fourth (planned or not) I would be irritable, especially with morning sickness and the heat:(
I wouldn’t be just irritable, I’d be miserable. Pregnancy and me don’t mixe well, that’s why we have 3 blessings and had to stop there.
I’m sure others will have more wisdom than I do and I’m sure you will be fine once the hormones level out or when the baby is born. Enjoy this time while it lasts.
I am expecting my 4th, and have 3 kids 6 and under – and I am cranky, irritable, and very emotional (ie, occasional crying jags.)
That said, I have just been diagnosed with a sleep disorder, and I start treatment tomorrow night – so I’m hoping at least some of it is being over-tired!
Rebekah, You aren’t alone. I was more irritable and short tempered with my 3rd pregnancy and monthly for 2 days. I think I’m very sensitive to hormonal changes and have been in much prayer about it! I have no advice, but you aren’t alone.
You are not alone. When I was expecting my fourth, our oldest was only four years old. With so many little ones to care for, and the regular challenges of pregnancy, it was often difficult.
On the bright side, it did end (the grouchiness) and I am left with only my regular bad habits, which really are enough 🙂
As an encouragement, we now have eight, and it has become much easier now that there are older ones to help out.
I am praying for your pregnancy, that you will find the needed strength in a busy home and patient endurance for the thorn in your side.
Gaeleen
“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
Hey there . I’m also expecting with my fourth. I’ve found it is so very easy for me to get irritable. I try not to. It’s hard. Pregnancies are not fun for me (I also always gain tons of weight…*big sigh*). It’s especially discouraging for me when I’m trying so hard to hold in my aggravation and not let it out on my family, only to have my husband joke with others that I’m a different, and grouchy, person when I’m pregnant. Well, anyway, no solution except to say you aren’t alone. We will get through this, and God-willing we will get to go through it again, right? haha.
I had my 4th a year ago, and yes, I was more irritable than with my others. Now, I had 3 girls first, and #4 was a boy. But my oldest was only 6 when he was born. So whether it was the different gender, or just having so many little ones, idk, but either way, it went away after having Baby, and I’ve been OK ever since. Hang in there, and enjoy your pregnancy! It’s only for a little while, although it can make it seem like forever when you can’t act the way you want to. 🙁 I’ll pray for you!
Ladies – thanks so much for your encouragement – I’m almost to the end of my pregnancy (June 25th) so I don’t have much longer, but my dh has been lovingly pointing out that my tone with my three girls (6, 4, and not quite 2) is NOT loving at all and he’s definitely right, but with so little time left I just wanted to be reminded that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and perhaps I can put in the extra effort now to be loving and patient for the next five weeks and then after the baby’s born (Lord willing) it will come more naturally again. It’s kind of hard to deal with irritability because I really have been blessed with fairly easy pregnancies and I know that there’s a lot of moms who struggle with major issues during pregnancy that I have not had to deal with, so it makes me feel guilty to be irritable AND to blame it on the pregnancy, but I’m grateful for your words of encouragement AND especially grateful for your prayers! By the way Sara B. my fourth is a girl, so perhaps it’s just the fourth pregnancy and not the gender. I also had one of my girlfriends relay a story from her OB/GYN that the fourth delivery can be a tricky/difficult one – from her years of delivering many babies, something about the fourth one that was just not the same as the previous or subsequent ones. We’ll see!
but I’d forgotten we had the same due dates, and as I recall pretty similar looking families. Well, we are in the last month countdown – so we will both just hang in there and soon we will have little babies in our arms! I wonder which of us will have the baby first???
I’m a mom of 6 and can assure you that hormones are definitely real. My advice is to be really easy on yourself and everyone else.
Go to the very basics: Food, sleep..and love. Lay on the floor half asleep in a safe area and let the little ones be around you or crawl on you so you know they’re safe. Do not clean. Do not plan. Repeat, do not plan. Do not worry, do not make major decisions unless you really really must. Do not do anything except keep everyone alive and realize a miracle is occurring within your body. Really, most things will be handled over time. This time of vulnerability and inability to “do” a lot is a different season. (You are doing something miraculous with God by the way.) We realize our agendas are not so central to the world. God working within us is, however.
I don’t know your specific situation, but if your husband is very busy working or otherwise unable to assist you, you can still do this. Do the minimum. It’s ok to have cereal for family dinner. People have eaten much worse, or less, and lived. Only do the minimum of laundry necessary…so wet things don’t mildew.
This time will pass and your sense of self will return,..in a new way., It’s so hard to remember in the middle of it all. Rely on God. Pray. Really believe He can help you; the Holy Spirit can carry you. Look in your little ones’ eyes and kiss them. It’s ok if you shut your eyes and doze.
Mom of 6 again… I’m also a Suzuki mom. You can relax on the music. My kids are really musicians and they have taken breaks. Teachers have seen this before. The joy of music will carry them. Also, you can just listen to CD and count it as practice. This is a miracle happening…Other things get to go on pause. It’s important to recognize your authority in this area. You are the co-creator with God. Don’t let all the other things pull you off track. Snuggle and read books, watch Veggie Tales. All is well.
Suzukimom – yes – our kids are really similar in age – I go for an ultrasound on Monday to see how my amniotic fluid level is – it was low with all my other kiddos so I’ve always been induced early – I’ll keep you posted!
crewfrank – I SO appreciate your advice, especially about not cleaning and planning – that is such good advice. I probably wouldn’t be half as irritable if I would just stop with the cleaning and planning… I just wanted to plan for next school year before baby came so that we could roll right into it, but I never seem to find the time to sit down with everything and get it done. My hubby is great – he keeps telling me to stop cleaning (and I am by NO means a neat freak – I am just wanting things put away – we moved a year ago and there’s stuff everywhere – the worst is clothes and getting those winter clothes put away, with three little girls I can’t just look at them, I’ve got to check the tags to see what size and then put them away by size and season – BLAH!) But you’re right, I need to just enjoy the nice weather and hang out with them, I know they’ll like that a lot more and maybe I’ll just put all the winter clothes in one box and deal with it, when the weather is not great.
Blessings,
Rebekah
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