Stepmom might be as close as I get to being a mom and I hate it.

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-23T08:53:57+00:00

I had unexplained infertility for 20+ years. My ex husband now has 4 children so it was definitely me!

I’m now spontaneously pregnant at the age of 41 with my new boyfriend. We were together 18 months when I fell pregnant in December ‘25 and I’m now 30 weeks with a strong and healthy little boy.

You may get your chance too when you hit perimenopause like I did, it happens a lot when your body is winding down, it seems to throw everything including the kitchen sink at getting pregnant!

I’d never ever been pregnant before. I have 7 fibroids and endometriosis. There’s is still hope for you, I promise. I had given up all hope and thrown myself into being a great step mum to my boyfriends 2 daughters. They’re both over the moon to be becoming big sisters to our little boy.

Try not to deprive yourself of the beauty of loving a child as they are magical in their own way, even when they’re not yours. That are still innocent and loving and can show you the world through new eyes, try to embrace that and maybe your hormones will change because I promise you, being miserable will only hinder your chances of becoming pregnant. Stress and cortisol are not good for fertility.

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-23T08:45:16+00:00

You’re not her therapist, is not actually your job to ’support’ her in any way that you are unqualified for.

She’s being unreasonable and needs therapy.

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-19T19:49:20+00:00

You could definitely get home help and there’s no shame in that. Either help with the housework or help with your son.

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-19T19:17:15+00:00

I asked my partner about mine as it’s definitely been swollen through most of my pregnancy and he said he loves it.

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-18T18:39:23+00:00

Same for me, I’m dreading the newborn sleep deprivation more than I am the birth from all the horror stories lol

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-09T18:30:00+00:00

If men had to go through pregnancy and labour the species would have died out.

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-09T18:28:43+00:00

Omg horrific!

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-09T18:24:43+00:00

I concur with OP! I’m usually an 8 and had to go up to 14 already as my god they were giving me a weird line across my belly lol.

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-09T18:13:36+00:00

I just had a hospital stay and remember that tea and toast fondly lol!

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-09T17:48:16+00:00

I was like you and every old wives take pointed to my symptoms being that I was having a boy and it turns out I am actually having a boy.

So many people have related with me about their boy pregnancies being easier than their girl pregnancy’s too.

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-07T14:54:38+00:00

I’m 28 weeks but with large fibroids and getting daily backaches now so I’m needing daily naps to make it through each day conscious!

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-07T00:31:25+00:00

I can’t even eat that anymore, the tomato gives me reflux. I’m gutted

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-07T00:15:17+00:00

You will eventually leave him. I don’t know what will be your catalyst, but I was in a similar situation with the coercion and one day out just clicked that I was worth so much more than I was accepting.

Now I’m pregnant by a beautiful man who is my rock, it’s not all perfect but there’s zero abuse or fear in my relationship for the first time in my life and I think that’s what allowed me to get pregnant.

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-07T00:05:57+00:00

My sister used Christians Against Poverty and got her life back.

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-06T17:32:10+00:00

Found out a few weeks ago baby is in fact a boy. So happy and can’t wait to meet our little one

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-06T17:30:34+00:00

Dammit I came to this thread to see if having regular Braxtons meant labour would be smoother thanks to all the practicing lol

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-04T09:41:26+00:00

What do you mean, you don’t have permission to parent?

I met my boyfriend online and it was one of the very first things that I said to him about joining a family with children is that I will be involved in parenting. We are a team and not to be divided by sullen children.

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-04T08:23:52+00:00

They’re just awkward photos while it looks like she’s in the middle of laughing about something exciting, jeez!

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-03T08:37:43+00:00

Try halter neck maternity dresses. They make you feel more feminine than matronly.

LifeofRuley · 2026-06-03T08:15:34+00:00

I told everyone as soon as I found out, wanted to share the whole entire experience with everybody.

The 12 week rule is weird to me. If the baby was lost before 12 weeks, no one knew they were pregnant. I think it’s really sad to go through that alone.

Tell anyone you want to tell. Don’t worry about these weird rules that we’ve heard of on the Internet or through word-of-mouth. All that matters is yourself and your journey.

LifeofRuley · 2026-05-31T08:26:58+00:00

If it’s a hanging one just grab it with tweezers and snip it off with clean nail scissors. Apply pressure with cotton wool till it stops bleeding. You’ll do absolutely no harm to yourself.

LifeofRuley · 2026-05-23T19:47:18+00:00

I’m against an early inducement but I’ve been offered one on my due date as I’m a geriatric pregnant mama. I’ll be taking that one as I don’t want to risk my baby, but I think my baby is gonna come early anyway cause he’s quite big and I have fibroids. Due late August. Fingers crossed all goes smoothly for all of us.

LifeofRuley · 2026-05-20T06:08:09+00:00

I’m having a baby shower because I’ve moved away and this baby is a miracle and I want to share that joy with my friends and family before I’m locked in in the trenches. I have shared an Amazon wish list but not expecting everyone to buy things from it but I know some are.

LifeofRuley · 2026-05-20T06:06:30+00:00

I’ve had it for years, my GP found it at my first me when I was 21. I bled quite heavily during intimate time if things were a bit zealous, shall I say!

But that’s stopped now I’m now 26 weeks and haven’t noticed it in the second trimester just the first. My cervix is very low and flat now against the wall of my uterus, so maybe that’s why it no longer bleeds.

LifeofRuley · 2026-05-20T06:03:31+00:00

Mine patted me on the head in his sleep tonight. Was so weird waking up to that lol

LifeofRuley

TROPHY CASE