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Up until two years ago, I was a proud mother of three beautiful daughters. I thought that having three pregnancies would automatically qualify me as a pro when it comes to pregnancy. So, when I found out that I was pregnant for the fourth time, I was confident and ready for everything that pregnancy had to offer.
Today, as I hold my fourth child, my son, I can tell you how wrong I was. Nothing prepared me for the surprises that came my way when I carried my son! It was so different from my experiences with carrying my girls! Now, each pregnancy is different, but here’s my take on how being pregnant with a baby boy is different from being pregnant with a baby girl.
I Was So Tired!
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Pregnancy in itself is a tiring phase. With a baby growing inside you, you are bound to feel tired even if you aren’t doing anything. Although I experienced a lot of tiredness and fatigue when I was carrying my girls, being pregnant with a boy took my tiredness to a whole other level. In my first three pregnancies, I could finish my household chores by noon, and for the rest of the day, I was out like a light. But this time? Out like a light the minute I woke up in the morning! Even something as trivial as taking the flight of stairs at home seemed like an arduous task. All I wanted to do was curl into a ball and pass out on my couch!
I Ate Like A Monster
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When pregnant with my girls, I had the occasional food cravings. One of my fondest memories of that time is when I was pregnant with my oldest daughter, and I desperately wanted to eat cookie-dough ice cream at three in the morning. I gave my husband hell until I got what I wanted, and it was so worth it! While carrying my boy, however, the occasional food cravings were not-so-occasional! They were more like continuous gluttony! I could eat a whole family-sized pizza by myself and still have enough space for dessert. One serving of food was never enough, and as soon as I finished my meal, I was hungry again in a matter of an hour or two.
Morning Sickness, Where You At?
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I was scared of nausea and vomiting. During my first three pregnancies, I struggled with extreme morning sickness, particularly during the first three months. It was almost routine — wake up in the morning and puke, have a meal and puke, go to bed and wake up to puke again. It made me tired and weak. I hated it, and I was expecting it during my fourth pregnancy too. But weirdly, I barely had any morning sickness when carrying my baby boy. In fact, the only time I puked my guts out was when my husband decided to make scrambled eggs and ended up burning them! But then again, anyone would puke at the smell of burnt eggs.
I Was Super-Heavy
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You’re bound to feel heavy when you’re carrying a baby. I experienced a good amount of heaviness when I was pregnant with my girls. But in the case of being pregnant with my son, I felt a lot heavier. My belly seemed to have a mind of its own — it protruded more than it ever did before, drastically changing my center of gravity.
My Boy Was A Lot More Active
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It felt like my son was playing a football game throughout his stay in my belly. It was a lovely feeling, no doubt. With each kick, it was almost as if he was telling me, “Hey mom! I’m in here!”. This was a stark contrast in comparison to my daughters. Their kicks were precious in their way, though — they happened very rarely, but when they did happen, it was a big moment for us. Needless to say, I enjoyed every kick that came my way, no complaints there!
My Immune System Seemed To Be At Rest
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It felt like I had an excessive inflammatory response to anything and everything when I was pregnant with my girls. I didn’t have it that bad with my son. I thought it was just me, but it turns out that there is evidence to validate what I went through. A few researchers from Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center have concluded that mothers carrying girl babies tend to have more cytokines than those carrying boy babies. Cytokines are markers for immune responses such as inflammation. That makes a lot of sense as to why I didn’t have a lot of asthma attacks or breakouts when carrying my boy! (1).
As mentioned before, each mother has a different experience. All that I went through was limited to me, but having said that, many other mothers who had boy babies could relate as well! For what it’s worth, all four pregnancies were precious, profound, and overwhelming. Do you relate to any of these? Share your experiences with us in the comments below!
