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10 Reasons Why Baby #5 Is So Exciting

As a mom of 4 kids already, some may believe that having a 5th kid would not be that exciting. In fact, I find it the opposite. SO much has changed in the last 12 years since I was pregnant with my first child. I have also learned a lot about myself in the time too. Read about our 10 Reasons Why Baby #5 is So Exciting!

1) Digital Age

Yes, we are living in a digital age and I can’t help but notice this so much more when I am pregnant. For my first child (born in 2008), I religiously devoured each chapter of my What to Expect When Expecting Book, hungry to know more about what I should be feeling and how to prepare for the baby’s arrival. Now with smartphones, there are apps that give a complete breakdown of your week in pregnancy and new tips daily. No need for a book!  I also receive weekly e-mails updating me on my pregnancy week. Some of the Apps I have been using are Baby Center and What to Expect.  Even the registry companies are updating you on your pregnancy each week.

This is something that I never was able to enjoy with my other pregnancies. It also makes sharing the growth of baby #5 with my children really easy and visual.

2) Baby Products Galore!

Seeing all these new baby products honestly can make my head spin. There are SO many new things coming out, new regulations to be met, and trendy new styles. When our first child was born, I requested gender-neutral items. We knew that we would like more than one child, Lord willing, and would want to use what we had. So, all of my kids basically used the same baby stuff. We did have to replace a few things, like a pack-n-play that fell apart and a few cups that didn’t make it. But, overall, we reused everything.

After my 4th son’s birth, I donated or sold most of my baby items. We really thought that he would probably be our last and always thought that “if” something did happen we can easily pick up baby items used. Now, we are re-acquiring many items and I am amazed at how different the baby items are.

New things I have acquired for Baby #5:

Digital Baby Monitor (this was gifted to us from a dear friend and I can’t wait to use it)

Milkies Breast milk collectors

Mama Roo Swing – this was the first new baby product I picked up, still in my first trimester. I found one for sale on Facebook Marketplace and snagged it up.

Baby Wrap- Confession: I have never used a baby wrap before. They always looked so complicated. With this baby, I found 2 wraps used for $7 each and couldn’t decide which one I would like better. So I bought them both. Why not? I have a black Moby Wrap and a black Boba Wrap (softer and stretching material).

Hand Mitten Teethers – I have not picked these up yet but will. Babies are always chewing on their hands.

3) Buying Baby Products Used

As I mentioned above, we thought that our 4th child would probably be our last. After hanging on to our baby items for a few years, we finally decided to donate and sell off my old baby items. I was SO HAPPY to see new moms take my stuff! It felt like they were getting a second life and would not be wasted. I had some sort of attachment to these items and this made me feel better. Now, that I am looking to re-acquire many things, I hope to bless moms the same way they blessed me. I am trying to buy as many items used as I can.

Most used baby items are in like-new condition. Babies are not hard on things. I wish I would have done this from the beginning. I spent so much money buying new items and now I see how these gently used baby items can be purchased CHEAP, washed at home, and they are in like-new condition.

4) Embracing Minimalism

With all the new baby items on the market, it is easy to feel like you must have everything for your baby to survive that first year. But in all honesty, you will only use a small portion of them. I am not a minimalist per se, but I am learning that I do not want extra clutter around and that all the “extra stuff” stresses me out.

Thinking back to when my first son was born, we were gifted SO MANY adorable little outfits. I wanted him to wear those cute little outfits as long as he could, so I would stuff him in the 0-3 month outfit when it was a little tight. When I finally decided to move him into his 3-6 month outfits, guess what, he didn’t fit! I waited too long and he almost outgrew an entire size.

The truth is, you only need a few outfits for baby. There are basic necessities and then there are a lot of extras. The hardest part is finding out what works for you and your baby. Don’t just use something because it is the new rage and everybody is raving about it. Think about your personality and the space you have available in your home. I appreciated Farmhouse on Boone’s Minimalist Baby Essentials Checklist.

Some Of My Must Have Baby Items:

Zippered Footy Sleepers
Boppy Pillow
Short-Sleeve Onesies- I always preferred Carter’s Brand
Muslin Swaddle Blankets
Carseat
Stroller
Swing
Pack-N-Play
Crib
2 Crib Sheets
Nursing Cover
Diapers & Wipes

5) I Know What To Expect (for the most part)

There is something to be said for having a few kids. You learn what feels right in your pregnant body, you understand that binge eating will not help you after the baby arrives, you know not to stress about baby items because babies really do not need a lot, and most of all, you know what contractions are and how birthing really feels. Each child’s birth is different, but for the most part, you are not clueless about what to expect. As they say, “You’ve been around the block a time or two.”

For baby #5, it does almost feel like this baby could fall out at any time. My hips are hurting more with the added pressure and I decided to try out a Baby Belly Band to help with that. I also get killer leg cramps in the night when I am pregnant. My doctor told me that that is a sign of needing more calcium. I usually would eat a few Tums every night but that did not help much. This pregnancy, I now take Calcium with Vitamin D supplements with my prenatal vitamin and I haven’t had a leg cramp since.

There is a lot of peace in knowing what to expect. Not that things will always go my way, but I have a general idea of how I want the birth to go and how to raise a baby.  I also know that I need to be flexible because there is a chance that the birth of baby #5 will not go my way.

6) Willing to Try New Things

With this baby, I am at home full time and although my “home jobs” fill up our days, I still have the luxury of being home. I did work part-time when my 4 other children were born.

One thing I  always wanted to try was cloth diapers. But from the get-go, I talked myself out of them. I am not going to have time to use them, cleaning will be a mess, it won’t be worth it for me. Those kinds of thoughts filled my mind and I just settled on buying disposables.

With this baby, I am going to try cloth diapers. I am now at home full time and believe that it is worth it for me to at least give it a shot. I am willing to try it and I am also willing to admit if it doesn’t work for us.

Another thing I also really wanted to do was have a home birth. With this pregnancy, I considered it. My old doctor, who I loved, retired and I had to search for a new one. I was really happy with my old doctor who delivered all 4 of my other kids and my husband when he was a child. Actually, my plan was for me to call my old doctor and see if he would do a home birth. Maybe I could just follow him around or camp outside his house for the birth? Yes, that was my actual plan for a few weeks. And then I stubbornly had to admit to myself that it would not be an option and move on.

I searched for midwives in our area, asked friends if they knew anyone, and eventually, I just decided that I could not handle the stress of deciding what to do and set up my first doctor’s appointment. I found an OB Doctor who has been great and I hope that she will be there for the delivery. But, not having a home birth may be something I regret and you never know, maybe another baby will happen and I will have the confidence to try this.

7) Lots of Helpers

This is a HUGE one! For the moms just starting out or to the moms with toddlers running around destroying the house, know that you will get through this. Having older siblings at home is something that I now have the luxury of having on hand and it is truly a blessing!

My children are older (ages 11, 10, 6, and 4) and we homeschool so they are home most of the time. And to be honest, they help me out SO MUCH! My oldest helps with the barn work every morning, my second child cleans up the kitchen and puts dishes away while we are in the barn, my 6 and 4-year-old will help with dishes or clean up toys while we are getting our morning chores done. I may not be able to count on my younger 2 kids, but my older 2 are very helpful and I cannot deny how much I depend on their help daily.

Chores are a part of our day and everyone helps out. It is not on my shoulders alone to fold all the laundry, do all the dishes, and make meals. Teaching them that these life skills are necessary and required in our home is very important and a part of our family values. We are a team.

I know when baby #5 arrives, they will be able to relieve me if I need a shower, a quick nap, or just need a break. Having older siblings is something that a new mom or a mom of littles does not always have the benefit of having on hand. And to me, this 5th time around, it is truly a blessing!

8) Willing to Admit that I can’t do it all

That perfectly cleaned house, yup, not going to happen. Homemade meals ready for my family to eat at 6 pm sharp, nope! Losing that darn baby weight the first few weeks/months after baby arrives, probably not. There are MANY things that I will not be able to keep up with both while I am pregnant and also when the baby is here. I am waving the white flag now. I can’t do it all! And if those are my expectations then I am going to be disappointed in myself.

I know that I need to give my body more of a rest and not to expect that I can get as much work done. This is expected during the pregnancy and the first year with the baby. With each of my children, the first year of their life is a whirl-wind. You never know if you are going to be up several times in the middle of the night, when sickness may hit, or what challenges may be ahead the next day. Your hormones are bouncing all over the place. And then, all of a sudden, you are getting a full night’s rest and things slowly get back to normal. This doesn’t happen at a certain time. It is a slow adjustment. Life will eventually get back to a “new” normal.

9) Great Lessons for Siblings

Out of all the kids, my youngest (the 4-year-old) is the most excited for baby #5. He can’t wait to be a big brother! He talks to the baby several times a day, makes sure that I am being safe, and talks about how he is going to care for the baby once he or she is here. Of course, this novelty will wear off, but there are many lessons that he will learn by not being the youngest.

1. How to take care of someone small
2. How to be gentle
3. Patience
4. Compassion
5. Understanding
6. Unconditional Love
7. The importance of teaching
8. That they are not the most important person in the world

I truly believe that kids should learn how to be around babies and/or younger children. I was an only child and never had a lot of exposure to babies. That was until I had children of my own. I feel that I missed out on some important lessons and could have gained a lot of confidence in myself if I would have been exposed more. It doesn’t have to be a sibling. It could be a younger cousin or a younger close friend. The lessons will still stick with them.

10) Another Child to Love

I am still amazed that each of our children are so different! Same mom, same dad, and yet from birth they are unique.

Very soon we will welcome baby #5 into the world, Lord Willing, and get to know this amazing little human. I have no doubt that this child will bring smiles, laughter, and fun into our family. They will bring additional challenges and test each of us in ways we do not know yet. But, most of all, they will bring more love.

I hope you enjoyed reading about Why Baby #5 is Extra Exciting for us. We look forward to sharing more about this baby, including if it will be a He or a She. Follow along with me on Instagram or Facebook for the latest updates on the baby. It will be exciting! You may also like to read about our move to the farm in this article “These are going to be the best memories your kids will ever have.”

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-Lindsay from Life on Misty Acres

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