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Expert Q&A
Question:
I've just found out at age 34 that I'm expecting again. I already have a beautiful daughter, age 7, and a wonderful little boy, age 2. The reason for the big age difference between them is that I had two miscarriages in between and needed to use fertility drugs to conceive my son. I have always considered him my "miracle baby" and thought there wasn't a chance in the world I would ever get pregnant again. Wrong. Now the problem is I just can't seem to get excited about having another baby at this age. Life seemed so perfect with my two kids, a boy and a girl. What more could I have wanted? My husband and the kids are all excited about the new addition to the family but I just can't make myself feel happy about it. From what I've heard from other parents with three children, the third was almost always a "surprise." Yet I haven't been able to find any support sites over the internet. I know that eventually I will be happy with the baby but right now it's hard. Do you know of any specific sites or support groups that would help? Is what I'm feeling normal?
Answer:
I don't know of any specific sites or support groups that would help you feel better about this change in your life. I think any change in life brings with it ambivalent, or mixed feelings, both negative and positive ones. A new baby is probably no different. And so what you are feeling is probably very normal. The dilemma is, of course, that society doesn't allow or expect a new mother to express any negative feelings about a pregnancy. She is supposed to be happy and ecstatic about this new "bundle of joy," and let's face it, not everyone feels that way right away, and sometimes, maybe never feels that way. Maybe that's why you're looking for a support group? It would be nice to have a safe place to express all the less than positive emotions that you're going through right now, I guess. But you've said it yourself, eventually you will be happy with this baby, but right now, it's hard. So, accept your feelings for what they are, and don't be hard on yourself for feeling less than perfect. See if you can find an accepting person in your life that you can really talk to about how you feel, either personally or professionally, so that you don't keep all these feelings inside. That's the part that would be unhealthy for both you and the baby. Good luck!"
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