Pregnancy and Motherhood with a large family
Tips for Handling Pregnancy and the Daily Schedule of a Large Family
Hey mama, I see you! I have been in that stage of life of growing a human while raising older kiddos who need more time having conversations all the while changing diapers and wiping peanut butter fingers. You are in the throws of motherhood girl! Give yourself grace because it is but for a season and before you know it, these precious little babies will be on their way into the world with all the knowledge you have worked so hard to equip them with. Motherhood is a special calling and one that we dont always feel equipped for. Going into motherhood I felt very ill equipped. I did not have a mother figure in my life nor was I trained in raising up godly children, however, God in all His mercy gently lead me, and continues to lead me as our family dynamic changes with teenagers in our home. Even though I felt as if I did not, and still dont, have all the answers, I serve a God who does! He doesn't expect me to get it right the first try, and neither should you! This is a sanctifying process. A process in which you will see all your failures staring right back at you in the tantrum of your 2 year old or even your pre-teen. This is not to make you feel less than, it should actually encourage you that...yes!...we dont have it all together and yet the Lord uses these moments to shape us and to grow us closer to Him! What a beautiful thing it is to raise children in the way they should go, and yet also be growing in the Lord through it all!
Ok, but what does that look like daily? Well, it might look like slower mornings, saying no to things that you normally would say yes to, making smoothies and popcorn for dinner and dropping those expectations that you have for yourself. As a slightly type A kind of mama, this one was hard for me. Letting go of this imaginary schedule that I had built up in my head and punishing myself if we didnt meet that timeline. How silly! So what if we don't start school right at 8am, so what if we dont end up getting all of the subjects done that day, so what if I spent my whole morning hugging the toilet while the little kids watched a show so I could have some peace while I struggle through those naseous early pregnancy days. God isn't upset with my lack to complete my schedule, He would much rather have me surrender that to Him and completely lean on Him for my day.
One of the wisest mamas I know once told me that the Lord isn't surprised by the fact that I got 2 hours of sleep because I was up all night battling nausea, or was struggling with uncomfortable pregnancy positions, or trying to comfort a newborn. He knew exactly how much rest I needed and gave it to me...even if it was just 2 hours. He knew I only needed those 2 hours, because He was going to sustain me all through the next day. He would either provide a nap for me, or a helping hand from a neighbor or family member, or none of those things would be provided, yet He would provide me with the strength, mental clarity, and stamina that I needed to get through the day. Only a powerful God can do that! So, the next time you are feeling overwhelmed, defeated and discouraged because yes, motherhood is HARD....remember, we serve a great God who is the sustainer of our days. Be encouraged mama, you are not alone!
How to handle seasons of tiredness
Meal prep!
Grace
Time for naps
There is a kind of tired that pregnancy brings that’s hard to explain unless you’ve lived it. It’s not just needing a nap.
It’s the kind of tired that sits in your bones—while little hands still need you, while meals still need to be made,
while the day keeps moving whether you’re ready or not. And when you already have older children, there isn’t space
to just stop. They need more of your presence, your input.
That’s been the hardest part for me. Trying to keep showing up the same way I always have…when I don’t feel the
same. Less energy. Less patience. Less to give.
And if I’m not careful, that’s where the guilt creeps in. The thought that I should be doing more.
That I’m falling short. That they deserve a better version of me.But I’ve been reminded of something lately—God never
asked me to do this in my own strength. This season was given to me, not by accident, but with intention. And He
already knows I’m tired. He sees the slower mornings. The simpler meals. The days that don’t feel as productive.
And His expectation of me hasn’t suddenly become perfection.
It’s faithfulness.
Faithfulness in the small things.
In the showing up, even when it looks different than before. In choosing gentleness over frustration—especially with
myself. Giving yourself grace in this season doesn’t mean lowering your standards in a careless way. It means
recognizing your limits and allowing God to meet you there.
It might look like:
slowing the pace of your home,
saying no to things you’d normally say yes to,
letting “good enough” actually be enough.
Your children don’t need a perfect mother right now. They need a present one. A soft place to land. A steady voice.
A mother who trusts God enough to rest when she needs to. This season won’t last forever. But what it’s shaping in you
—dependence, humility, patience—that will. And that matters far more than a perfectly kept home or a perfectly
managed day. One of my favorite poems that always rings in my head is...
"The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep."
Pregnancy is but a blink of an eye in light of our lifetime. Those 9 months really do go by fast, so it is ok if your routine looks different during that time. Embrace it, knowing that it will pass and that soon, you will have another precious baby to love, disciple, mentor, and raise up in the way that they should go. You got this mama, because HE has you!
