Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I actually went through this last year. I am not working, my son started Jr high and I was home alone all day. I started to think about how sweet it would be to have another child. Then I was asked to babysit a relative's toddler for a week. I was excited and so was my husband. I cheerfully baby proofed my house. By the 2nd day of watching this child I was cured of any baby longings. I realized that too much time had passed and I like my house the way it is. I forgot about lugging baby gear every where. I forgot about trying to grocery shop with a small child pulling things off the shelves. I forgot about closing off parts of the house so things don't get broken. Or when I decided to step into the garage to grab something and hearing the click sound of the lock on the door and realizing a 2 yr old out smarted me. I stood there in a panic realizing this child was alone in the house and I was on the outside. I finally got her to unlock the door. The tantrums, the sticky tables, windows....well everything. OMG! I felt like I had aged 10 yrs by the last day. It also helped that my mother works for a high risk OB/GYN. Listening to horror stories of pregnancies gone wrong made me realize how blissfully ignorant I was when I was pregnant with my son. My suggestion is to babysit someone's toddler. Not a baby, but a toddler. I am pretty sure you will get over the baby fever quick!
Good point....I think it is easy to forget the very tiring toddler stage!
wilmingtonangel.....hang tuff, with a child who's 17, why not wait for a grandchild??
It's funny...after I posted this thread my 17 yr old son started talking about what he wants to do when he grows up. He definitely wants kids eventually and when I said I wanted to babysit my grand kids he was all for it. I'm going to just be patient for now and wait for that to happen. Its not as if I have someone to make a baby with right now anyway Thanks for all who posted. Sorry I didn't reply to every single post.
My mom had my youngest sister when she was 37. I'm pretty sure she got baby fever and acted on it. Now she's about to turn 60 and still has a bratty child living in her house, throwing tantrums and demanding things. (Sis is 22 now and a graduate student, planning to mooch off mom and dad for at least another three years)
Personally, I had my kids young so that I will have plenty of fun years with my husband after the kids are grown and moved out.
LOL I had my kids young also. My oldest is now 22 and the youngest is 18 and in college. Both still live at home, can't manage the house if hubby and I leave for a couple days as we discoved when we had to attend a funeral, and I am still cooking for and cleaning up after both of them.
Personally, I had my kids young so that I will have plenty of fun years with my husband after the kids are grown and moved out.
This is how my husband and I feel. In 7 years our youngest will be done with high school. (I'll be 43 and hubby will be 48.) He'll still have college, to go, but my husband and I are already enjoying our time together now that the kids are older and can stay home alone for longer periods of time. It's going to be so nice to have grown kids and not even be in our fifty's yet! Plus I want to be a young grandma if ever our kids decide to have kids of their own.
Confession: never had baby fever. Never was much of a baby person...I mean, mine were fine ( LOL) I loved them and all but. I'm not the one begging to hold other people's babies.... That said, when the time comes (a LONG time from now), I'll love being a grandmother I'm sure. But until I'm there? I'm good.
With a three year old, I'd say that's a different strain of the "baby fever" virus, LOL! Having another when your youngest is 3, would be 4 by the time the baby is born, is something quite different than wanting another when your youngest is 10 or so! Then you're almost "starting over".
Quote:
Originally Posted by fallingwater
I actually went through this last year. I am not working, my son started Jr high and I was home alone all day. I started to think about how sweet it would be to have another child. Then I was asked to babysit a relative's toddler for a week. I was excited and so was my husband. I cheerfully baby proofed my house. By the 2nd day of watching this child I was cured of any baby longings. I realized that too much time had passed and I like my house the way it is. I forgot about lugging baby gear every where. I forgot about trying to grocery shop with a small child pulling things off the shelves. I forgot about closing off parts of the house so things don't get broken. Or when I decided to step into the garage to grab something and hearing the click sound of the lock on the door and realizing a 2 yr old out smarted me. I stood there in a panic realizing this child was alone in the house and I was on the outside. I finally got her to unlock the door. The tantrums, the sticky tables, windows....well everything. OMG! I felt like I had aged 10 yrs by the last day. It also helped that my mother works for a high risk OB/GYN. Listening to horror stories of pregnancies gone wrong made me realize how blissfully ignorant I was when I was pregnant with my son. My suggestion is to babysit someone's toddler. Not a baby, but a toddler. I am pretty sure you will get over the baby fever quick!
You could also get a job in a pediatrician's office, like me. Most of us say we do not miss the days of tantruming toddlers and pre-schoolers. As it is, we have to cajole these kids to get up on the scale, open their mouths for a throat culture, etc. I love my job, but I'm glad I'm not the one doing that stuff 24/7!
OP, it is probably a combo of your kids growing up and your age. Your bio clock is telling you time is almost up. I'm a little older than you, and no baby fever here. My kids are young enough that I remember the infant and toddler stages, and old enough that I don't want to start over again.
You could also get a job in a pediatrician's office, like me. Most of us say we do not miss the days of tantruming toddlers and pre-schoolers. As it is, we have to cajole these kids to get up on the scale, open their mouths for a throat culture, etc. I love my job, but I'm glad I'm not the one doing that stuff 24/7!
This is a great idea for those with baby fever! Get a job working with or for them.
Volunteer for kids: In our city there's a place called Relief Nursery that provides care for infants and children when their families are suffering. It could be that they are awaiting placement in a foster home, or just providing care while their family is in counseling, or perhaps the mom needs help with childcare while she searches for work since leaving an abusive relationship, etc. But these are the kids who really need all the extra love and kindness any of us have within us to provide. That's a great suggestion, Katiana.
The schools also love volunteers, or at least ours always do. You have to pass a background check but anyone in the community can volunteer at the public schools once they pass the background check.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Thanks for all who posted. Sorry I didn't reply to every single post.
LOL) I loved them and all but. I'm not the one begging to hold other people's babies...
. That said, when the time comes (a LONG time from now), I'll love being a grandmother I'm sure. But until I'm there? I'm good.
