Two years ago, I was a very proud mom of 3 gorgeous daughters. I was of the opinion that three children would automatically mark me as an expert in the field of pregnancy. When I discovered I was expecting for the fourth time, I had faith and was prepared to take on everything pregnancy had to provide.
As I sit here today, holding my fourth child, my son, I am able to say that I was wrong. There was nothing I could have prepared for the unexpected surprises that came my way as I was carrying my son! It was quite different from the experiences I had had with my girls! Every pregnancy is unique. I’ll share my thoughts on the ways that having an infant boy is different than having a baby girl.
I Was So Tired!
Pregnancy is an exhausting time. When you have a child growing inside you, it is inevitable that you will feel exhausted even when you’re not doing any work. While I felt a lot of fatigue and fatigue while the time I had my daughters but being pregnant with the boy brought my fatigue to a new level. The first three times I had a pregnancy, I was able to finish my chores around the house by noon. For the remainder days, I worked as a light. However, this time? It was like a flash of light when I awoke early in the day! Even something as small as climbing the stairs to my home was an impossible task. The only thing I wanted was to roll into a ball and then spread onto my couch!
I Ate Like A Monster
When I was pregnant with my daughters, I would have the occasional urge to eat. One of my favorite memories of this moment was when I was expecting my youngest daughter, and I was desperate to eat ice cream with cookie dough at 3 am early in the day. I was a scream to my husband until I finally got what I desired, and it was worth it! When I was carrying my son, However, the occasional cravings for food became more frequent! They were more of continuous eating! I could have eaten a family-sized pizza and still had room to eat dessert. One portion of food never was enough, and after I was done eating, I found myself hungry again within an hour or so.
Morning Sickness, Where You At?
I was terrified of vomiting and nausea. In my first three pregnancies, I had a difficult time with severe morning sickness, especially during the initial three months. It was an almost routine wake in the morning, puke, eat a meal and puke, go back to bed, and awake to puke once more. It left me exhausted and weak. I was miserable and was expecting it to happen during my fourth pregnancy as well. Strangely enough, I barely felt any morning sickness carrying my newborn son. The only moment I puked my bowels was the time my husband made scrambled eggs. He resulted in burning the eggs! However, I’m sure anyone would puke over the smell of burning eggs.
I Was Super-Heavy
It’s normal to feel heavy when carrying a child. I felt a fair amount of weight gain when pregnant with my daughters. But when having my first son, I felt much heavier. My belly appeared to be in a state of its own. It protruded further than it did in the past and drastically altered my body’s center of gravity.
My Boy Was A Lot More Active
It was like my son of mine was playing football during his time inside my belly. It was an amazing feeling, I’m sure. Each time I kicked him, it was like I was hearing him say, “Hey mom! I’m in here!”. This was an eerie contrast with my daughters. Their kicks were beautiful for their purpose; however, they occurred very seldom. However, when they did occur, they were a major event for all of us. It’s safe to say that I was enthralled by every kick I took. I have no complaints!
My Immune System Seemed To Be At Rest
It was as if I had an overly inflammatory response to everything and anything while I was pregnant with my daughters. I didn’t experience it as terrible when I had my first son. I believed that it was me, but now I realize that there’s evidence to support my experiences. Some researchers at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center discovered that mothers who have girls tend to have higher levels of Cytokines than mothers who have boys. Cytokines are indicators for immune responses like inflammation. This makes sense to explain why I didn’t experience many flares or attacks of asthma while carrying my baby! (1).
As I mentioned earlier, every mother is different from the other. Everything I experienced was unique to me; however, there are many mothers who had boys who might be able to relate! In the end, each of my four pregnancies was a beautiful, profound, and overwhelming experience. Do you have any personal experience with one of them? Tell us about your experiences with us in the comment section below!