Here is my Journey of Pregnancy at 40:
Table of Contents
The Disappointment
Seems like just yesterday, that I and my husband were having this conversation:
Me – Looks like we will have to suffice with only one baby. I am nearing 40 and I don’t think we will have another baby.
Him – I wish we had a baby girl along with Dhruv (our son who was going to be 10 years)
Saying this we both hugged each other with all emotions overflowing along with our welled-up eyes.
Next morning, we started as usual. Hubby went off to office & I left son in his school. After coming back home, I did my normal household chores and then relaxed on the sofa with my laptop on my lap.
Suddenly, I noticed the date on the laptop. And, I remembered I missed my period. Something struck my head.
Was this for real? Could I be pregnant? No, I don’t think so. Or maybe YES ……..
This post contains affiliate links to various products. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. To find out more, you can read my disclaimer here
The Test
Only a Pregnancy Test can tell for now. Now all these years, I didn’t miss my period or didn’t have any pregnancy symptoms for me to keep a pregnancy test kit at home.
I decided to buy a pregnancy test kit when I go to pick up Dhruv from his school.
Time was ticking & I was getting restless, I wanted to know If I was Pregnant.
Finally, I bought the kit & picked up Dhruv from his school. Came home & went straight into the bathroom & did the test.
The Thrill
And …… waiting for my result now …………
OMG ….. Is this for real? We just spoke about this last night. We had given up & lost all hope of having another baby.
And now, here is the Pregnancy Test in my hand which shows two vertical lines.
YES …… I AM PREGNANT …. After long 10 years …. I am pregnant AGAIN.
I could not believe it. How? When? I was trying to rewind back & think.
Lots of thoughts running on my mind. How will I be able to cope? I am 10 years older than my first pregnancy. Age is on higher side. Husband’s age is also on higher side. Will we be able to manage financially at this juncture? Husband …. omg I have not informed him. I totally panicked. I didn’t know what to do, what to think. I had to inform my husband. Talk about the next steps.
All thoughts flowing one by one. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. And I took one big breath.
Telling Hubby about the Big News
I called my husband, he was in office. Asked if he could come home faster? He panicked, what happened he asked. I was just smiling & I said ‘Nothing, you come home once you are done’ and I kept the phone.
I could not tell him this BIG NEWS over a telephone call.
Every minute, I was getting more restless & thinking of ways of how I will inform my husband about this new happiness.
Finally the wait was over & my husband came home.
He was eager to know what had prompted me to call him at his office & ask him to come home faster than usual. He could sense something special looking at me. I took him upstairs to the bathroom & showed him the pregnancy test whilst putting his hand on my tummy.
His happiness knew no bounds. We were waiting for this for years.
Tears welled up our eyes, again. But this time it was happiness flowing through our eyes.
We always wanted to have two kids. And now we would have them.
All this years Dhruv was the apple of our eyes, But now we will have one more apple of our eyes. Dhruv will have a sibling !!!!!!!!
Breaking news to the Big Brother Dhruv
We need to tell him, but how? He asked us for a sibling several times before. We always said that maybe its not going to happen. So now how do we break this news to him.
Before we told him the news we wanted to be doubly sure that the test was actually positive. So we waited for two more days and did the home test again.
After we saw the second positive pregnancy test, we decided to tell Dhruv about the pregnancy. He was going to be the big brother and he deserved to know about it. We wanted him to enjoy the whole pregnancy just as I and my husband will be enjoying my pregnancy.
So, we went to Dhruv who was sitting in the living room to announce our pregnancy.
We told him that he was going to be a big brother & that he will have a sibling in few months.
Guess what? He thought we were joking. Just telling him as he used to ask us about baby several times.
We had to literally show him the pregnancy test to make him believe we were telling him the truth. And that he will actually be an elder brother and have a little sibling to play with.
His joy & happiness knew no boundaries. He smiled & laughed his heart out in happiness & thought like his dream has come true.
Just like we wanted a second child, Dhruv also wanted a baby sister or brother who would be his own sibling.
The Pregnancy at 40
Well as the days were passing by, the truth of pregnancy at 40 was sinking in.
So now we have our big question.
What is Pregnancy at 40 like? How is it different from Pregnancy at 30?
Hold your horses. We are just going to find that out. Stay with me.
Well to be honest, my first Pregnancy at 30 was very different from my second Pregnancy at 40.
Normally one would think that second pregnancy would be easier than the first. I would say, Think Again.
My second Pregnancy after 40 did mean that I knew the process of Pregnancy & also was more experienced in Parenting.
I was more relaxed in my second Pregnancy as to the process than I was in my first Pregnancy at 30 when I was a First Time Mom.
That being said, it doesn’t mean I didn’t have any surprises in my second pregnancy. Many things had changed.
For me the Most Important part was Being Tired ALL the Time. My body was 10 years more older & it was showing up.
Pregnancy at 40 will not only throw in Challenges and but would also come with some Benefits too.
You always need to see both the sides of the coin. Also, I still had some birthing questions.
So let’s go through the Challenges of Pregnancy at 40 as compared to Pregnancy at 30
1. Exhausting
Tired, Tired, Tired … Your body will time and again tell you that it is no longer the 10 years younger body that you had at 30. I was tired all the time. Even though, I did take rest I would still feel tired. So much so that I would even wake up being tired.
2. More Work
In my first Pregnancy at 30, there were not many responsibilities, but in my second Pregnancy at 40 things were not the same. I had to take care of my 10-year young son. Do his school rounds, take him for his extra curriculum activities, grocery shopping, household work, the list is endless.
3. Baby Brain or Forgetfulness
I am sure we all have gone through this at some stages of our pregnancy. But somehow, I felt that my Baby Brain was doing overtime during my second Pregnancy at 40 compared to my first Pregnancy at 30.
And mind you, this Baby Brain can do anything WIERD you can think of.
Just to give you my example, While cleaning the vegetable I put the clean portion in the waste bag & a good portion on my plate.
Another one, forgetting to ON the Gas while cooking
Yet another, forgetting my son’s extra curricular class …. The list can go on. I might have to write another blog to just jot these down ????
4. Excessive Back Pain
I have seen many pregnant woman complaining about back pain. During my first pregnancy, some how I didn’t experience any severe kind of back pain. Not that I didn’t have any, just that it was much milder.
But during my second Pregnancy at 40, the back pain was quiet a lot. There were times, when even lying down or hot bag would not solve it. I have had sleepless nights because of the back pain.
So basically, although Back Pain is a very common side effect of Pregnancy, it got worse during my second Pregnancy.
5. More Tests / More Scans
Be Prepared is all I have to say. With age comes more tests & scans as your risks for certain conditions / complications increase.
There are more risks of down syndrome for your baby for Pregnancy after 40.
Also, there may be certain other increased risks associated with Pregnancy after 40, like:
Gestational Diabetes,
Blood Pressure
Placenta Praevia
Miscarriage
Early labour
Frankly speaking, the above are only risks and not everyone goes through each or some of them.
In fact, during my Pregnancy at 40, I did not have to go through any of these above conditions.
But, if anyone has had these complications in any previous pregnancy, then your chances of getting them are higher. That being said, it does not mean that you will absolutely go through it.
So, in case you have had any such complication in your previous pregnancy, do let your mid-wife know about it, so better care can be taken for you and your baby.
6. More likely to have problems during labour
As discussed in the previous point, Pregnancy at 40 comes with many risks. It also increases your risks of having a caesarean delivery commonly called as C-Section.
After the age of 40 your muscles in your womb tend to get weak which is one of the reason why after 40 pregnancy ends into a C-section.
Sometimes, due to many different risk factors as mentioned before, there could be complications during labour which can result into induced labour. That again is another reason of emergency C-section.
One of my friend had induced labour, but by the time she actually gave birth, it took a long time. This Prolonged second stage of labour can sometimes result in complications in baby.
7. More helping hand required
Well, no doubt that all pregnant women need help during and after their pregnancy. But because various complications & risks are associated with Pregnancy after the age of 40, you feel the need for support even more.
Just to cite my experience, I was thrilled to be pregnant with my second child. But I always had that constant fear of being Pregnant at 40 and if my body would be able to cope up with the Pregnancy.
Also, during my Postpartum I underwent mental depression which I never experienced after my First Pregnancy at 30.
This is the time when you need your support system the most.
Your support system can be your family, your friends or your acquaintance offering you genuine help.
Your support system can not only help you in doing various chores for you, but also can uplift your mood & release your tension.
Your cheerfulness will help baby to also be Happy inside your womb and also after birth.
8. Mind games
Many women having their Pregnancy at or after 40 go through a feeling of ‘What will people think’
I had this feeling of what are the people going to say when I tell I am pregnant at 40. Will they mock for getting pregnant at this age? Will they bully that there is a gap of more than 10 years between my kids?
These questions did have an effect on me. But to be very frank, I found a lot of support from friends & family. Everyone was a bit surprised with the Pregnancy news, but they all were very supportive.
Well no need to be sad reading all this. Because it is not all that dreadful after all.
9. Weight Gain
You might think why did I put forth this point as it is common in any pregnancy. Well, not quiet.
Putting on too much or too little weight can lead to health problems for you or your unborn baby. During my pregnancy at 30 my weight gain was normal. But during my pregnancy at 40 it was more than the regular weight gain. That being said pregnancy is not a time when you go on a crash diet or take some weight loss lessons.
It is imperative that you stay fit & eat healthily. Starving yourself because of weight gain is not a solution to this problem. After your baby is born & after your postpartum recovery you can try different & safe weight loss methods.
There are a few Benefits too of getting Pregnant at 40
1. Experience
By the age of 40, you are experienced and wise. And also, as compared to Pregnancy at 30, your Pregnancy at 40 will make you realise that there are so many things that you are aware of now regarding Pregnancy which you didn’t know during your Pregnancy at 30.
2. Relaxed
Since you are already an experienced person at this age, you tend to be more relaxed as to what you will expect in the coming days of pregnancy. You are Better Prepared for Pregnancy.
3. More Open To Taking Help
I must admit that I was a bit shy & sceptical to ask for help during my first Pregnancy at 30, but not anymore. I have taken all the help that was offered & in fact even asked for help on my own during my second Pregnancy at 40.
4. Older kids can be of Help too
During my second Pregnancy, my older son was 10 years young and was taking care of himself & also helping me around. So well, if you have a late second pregnancy, it helps as your other kid/kids are older now.
5. More care & tests are offered
Once you cross 40, you will be offered more care & test by your doctor and mid-wife.
6. Financial stability
As you grow in age, you also grow financially independent. With an already established career, you can have a more financially relaxed Pregnancy. It may also allow you to give more time to your baby.
7. Emotionally Prepared
With age comes a maturity & stability to handle situations which demand emotional turmoil. Pregnancy comes with lots of emotional ups & down. A younger person might get more stressed out than an elder person. With a similar logic a mature woman will be able to cope better the pressures of emotional stress of pregnancy.
So now you see, Pregnancy at 40 does come with a few benefits as well.
You might also want to know about some Myths relating to Pregnancy at 40. Click below to know more.
8 Myths About Pregnancy After 40 (firstforwomen.com)
Conclusion
Having a baby at a later stage in life is much common these days. So rest assured that you are definitely not alone in your journey of bringing a new life in this stage of your life.
The only suggestion that I would like to make is to talk with your doctor about all your individual risk factors before starting a family at this stage in your life.
All the Best for your journey of Pregnancy at 40.
If you have any relatable story you would like to share , feel free to mail me at admin@momkidlife.com
You can also let me know your feedback on the blog & what you feel about my journey by commenting below.
Wow! This was a really good read. Will be very helpful to a lot of people.
Thank you so much dear for your feedback ❤
Very well penned Rupali.
Thank you for your feedback Seher ????
Wow, what a lovely experience for you. Lovely uplifting blog. Enjoyable read
Thank you for those lovely words ????
Lovely blog post 🙂
Thanks Annabel for your feedback.
I was 42 when I gave birth to my daughter. All of your words and statements ring true. Although I benefit from previous experience, financial security, there were things to consider and issues that were so much different than my previous pregnancy.
I can relate to this on so many levels.
Hey Thanks Amber for your lovely feedback. Appreciate it ❤
This is vulnerable, beautiful, and helpful!! Thank you so much for sharing!! ????
Hey Thanks for your feedback ????
Congratulations on being pregnant again. I wish you all the best with the pregnancy and birth
Hey Thanks, but that was 2 years back 🙂
I had a healthy baby girl who is now a toddler & me too 2 years older ????
This was a beautiful post! I could feel the emotions at every turn. As someone who has never been pregnant, you did a great job of explaining how it can be COMPLETELY different based on where your body is at.
Congratulations on the pregnancy!
Jacqueline
https://jacqueline-of-all-trades.com/
Thanks for your lovely feedback. Appreciate it
This was such a positive read, left me with a smile on my face! Your family is beautiful, thank you for sharing your story x
Thank you Simona for such lovely feedback.
This is a beautiful post! I’m nearing 40 myself and the baby question flora through my head all the time.
Aww that is so sweet Tangela. Thanks for your feedback❤
The thought of pregnancy in your forties – daunting! But this was such an enjoyable read. Had me chuckling in places.
That is so sweet dear. Thanks for your feedback
Very thorough. Yes after 40 technical complications are more and also true that lately most people marry late and get pregnant late too. So yea. And also true that before your first child better tj get all checkups done. Congrats to your news and how it all turned out. Xx
Isa A. Blogger
What lovely feedback. Thanks Isa.
Thanks for sharing your story. It must be a real surprise and exciting finding you’re pregnant again! Although there are negative points on being pregnant at 40, I see it in more positive way.
When you get pregnant at 40, you’re more likely prepared in all aspects and that’s huge on being a mom.
Anyway, I enjoyed reading your post.
Yes, it was surprising & shocking to find out I was pregnant. But it was sure a pleasant surprise.
Thanks for your lovely words.
Thank you for posting I’m almost 40 and was wondering what it would be like if I got pregnant again I’m had kids in my early 20s
Yes true. There is so much of a difference when you are pregnant in your 20s & when you are pregnant in your 40s. Thanks for your feedback.
This was such a great story and such a great read Rupali! So happy that your daughter brought so much joy to all of you even if the pregnancy has been more challenging x
Thank you so much Cristina for your lovely words ????
A great read. As a nearly 40 year old and seeing a friend having a baby at the age of 39 I wondered how it differs from when we had our first at 30.
Thanks Alison for your feedback
I love this story, thank you for sharing. I can only imagine how different it must be being pregnant in your 40s verses your 20s.
Oh I am sure the difference will be even more in that circumstance. Thank you for your lovely words.
Very interesting post about pregnancy at different ages, this will be so helpful for new mothers and those currently pregnant or thinking or getting pregnant x
Thank you so much Eleanor for your lovely words. Glad you think the post will be helpful. Thanks
This is so interesting! Kudos to you. I don’t think I could have anymore children, it’s too exhausting!!
Jodie @ Jodetopia x
I can totally relate to that. Parenting & Motherhood can be so exhausting. Thanks for your feedback.