If you were to have your time again on the baby making front, what would you do differently?

It’s been nine years since I first discovered I was expecting baby number one, and now I’m expecting baby number four I’ve realised there are quite a lot of things I’m going to do differently this time around.

baby number four

Of course they say we learn from experience – and I definitely have. It took me two babies to discover the reason for envelope sleeves on the shoulders of babygrows is so you can pull them down as well as up – who knew?!

Now our family is set to get a little bigger, I thought it would be fun to share 10 things I’m going to do differently with baby number four.

10 things I’m going to do differently with baby number four

1. Slow down!

Which is something I’m not very good at. This pregnancy, though, I’m going to make a conscious effort to slow down, because if there’s one thing I’ve learnt after three babies it’s that exhaustion and sleep deprivation are cumulative.

2. Not worry about my age

I was classed as a ‘geriatric mother’ of ‘advanced maternal age’ when I was expecting baby number three at 36 three years ago, meaning in medical terms I must be well and truly over the hill this time around. But I’m not going to worry about it. After all, what will worrying achieve?

3. Bio oil

Past experience has taught me there’s no such thing as too soon. I’ve been slapping it on ever since the moment I discovered I was expecting. Forewarned is forearmed and all that.

4. Not worry about only eating beige

We all know what we should be eating when expecting, but that’s not very helpful when all you can stomach is beige. Beige crisps, beige biscuits, beige potato and beige pasta. It doesn’t appear to have done the other three any harm, so I’m not going to worry about it this time!

baby number four

5. Cloth nappies

Did you know that one baby alone (or their parents) are responsible for sending between 4,000 and 6,000 disposable nappies to landfill? This time I’m going to give cloth nappies a go – all advice, hints and tips gratefully received!

6. Hot baths

I love hot baths and I can’t tell you the number of luke warm ones I’ve had while pregnant to avoid over heating like they tell you. But what they don’t tell you is just how hot the water in a birthing pool is – just like a bath at home! So I won’t be worrying about hot baths anymore, either!

baby number four

7. Take bump photos

I can count on one hand the number of ‘bump’ photos there are of me with baby number one, and while there are slightly more with the other two owing to the fact I was blogging I still don’t have all that many to look back on. This time though I’m going to chart the whole pregnancy from start to finish – so prepare for some serious baby spam!

8. Take newborn hospital photos

It was five days before a photo was taken of me and the youngest together after she was born, partly because life was so hectic and partly because I thought I looked awful so didn’t want anyone to take any in hospital. I wish someone had insisted on taking at least one hospital shot, and this time I’m going to make sure we do – no matter how awful I feel at the time.

baby number four

9. Baby classes

Baby swimming, baby massage, baby sensory – the list of baby classes goes on and on and the pressure to expose your baby to as many experiences as possible can be overwhelming. But when you’ve already got little ones at home finding the time – and the money – can be difficult, if not completely impossible. So I’m not going to beat myself up about it. Again, why worry about something you can’t do anything about?

10. Observe the fourth trimester

Being conscious of the fourth trimester isn’t something I’ve done with any of the other three – and in hindsight should have done. With each of the others we’ve had a pub lunch the following day and I’ve been celebrating with family and friends, longed-for white wine spritzer in hand. After that it’s pretty much been business as usual. This time, though, the drawbridge will be going up and we’ll spend those first three months recovering from the birth and conserving previous energy – because something tells me I’m going to be needing it!

baby number four

How about you? Is there anything you’d do differently if you were expecting again? I’d love to know what it is!

If you liked this you may also enjoy reading:

OMG…I’m expecting baby number 4!

Things I wish I’d known about my lady bits

Why I was right not to write a birth plan