I have had many friends and co-workers who were expecting that worked through their pregnancies, and I never understood why they kept saying it was so hard. I totally understand now. It turns out that growing another human life take A LOT of energy. I find that my brain no longer functions at full capacity and I am no longer as efficent as I once was at my job or really any aspect of life (actually I am better at sleeping that I was before).
Working while pregnant is a real challenge. My company is growing at a very rapid rate which means that I am putting in 10 or 12 hour days pretty much every day, and before I was pregnant that was no big deal. But now I am grouchy and my brain shuts off long before i really need it to. For all of you out there reading, pregnant brain is REAL!!!! I just hope that one day my brain will go back to normal and working will not be such challenge and I can begin to enjoy it the way I always used to.
I desperately wish that having both Ted and I working was not financially necessary, but in this day and age most people rely on two incomes to pay the bills.Before I became pregnant I never imagined a future where I didn't have a career, and now I imagine it all the time. Raising children is a career in itself, the most important job there is. But I wonder does the idea of a stay at home parent really exist for my generation?
Amy I totally agree with all of this. Mommy brain is worse and on less sleep! I adore my job but so often wish I could work less to be with Maddie more often. Love your thoughts. Thanks for sharing with the world!
ReplyDeleteActually, I know quite a few mothers who stay home to raise the kids (my eldest spawn being one of them). And not necessarily purposefully, but Les has been home off and on through much of the three youngest kids younger years. We've made do.
ReplyDeleteGoing to one income does obviously impact your lifestyle. But so does having a child. :) And for many, it also comes down to Mom working and having much (most? all?) of her income eaten up by paying for child care (this obviously becomes even more an issue with two or more kids). If the second income minus child care nets less than a few hundred dollars, it seems like a no-brainer (to me), unless it's Mom's job that is providing health insurance. In which case Ted should stay home. :)
Great post! Once you ditch the pregnancy brain you get baby brain for life! lol
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