Question:
Dear Rebbetzin Feige,
I have been married for the last eight months with no luck in getting pregnant. My husband and I have full faith (at least we are definitely trying) that God can and will give us a child whenever He decides the time is right. But my problem goes deeper than just faith. I don’t know if I want to have children at all.
I grew up with the idea of having a large family (although I grew up with only one sister). I figured that my unease about having children was just part of the great unknown. But now I am not so sure.
As the months have gone by and there is greater possibility of becoming pregnant (as we are now following progress throughout the month much closer), I feel my unease about becoming a mother grow exponentially. I feel stifled and like a total hypocrite. Here I am asking God to help us have a child, when I am not even sure myself if I want to or if I am able to take care of a child.
Whenever we speak of having children, my husband’s eyes light up and mine darken. He dreams of holding a little bundle of joy and I imagine a harried me rushing to pick up a screaming baby in the middle of the night. I am almost paralyzed by the fear of having that much responsibility on my shoulders. I am already working myself to the bone and just can’t imagine taking more on my plate.
I just don’t know where to turn and as I have read many of your previous articles, I figured I would reach out for some answers. I hope you can help me. I am eagerly awaiting your response. – Fear of the Unknown
Answer:
My Dear Reader,
The first issue I would like to address is what might be seen as your excessive concern about getting pregnant when you are married for a mere eight months. Most medical and religious authorities that I have dealt with advise women not to seek intervention of any kind before the conclusion of two years of marriage. This approach is consistent with common sense, as adjustment to the marital state takes times in all aspects; physical, emotional and psychological. The desire of young people to accelerate the process is often a product of peer pressure or parents whose unarticulated questions are written all over their faces.
Use the time before having a child to relax, deepen your personal relationship, and integrate the demands and joys of married life.
Nonetheless, it behooves a young couple to use the time before having a child to relax, deepen their personal relationship, and integrate the demands and joys of this initial stage of married life. In addition, my dear reader, working full time (“to the bone”) and creating a home for your husband (meals, housekeeping, etc) can be in and of itself stressful and consuming. For whatever it’s worth, be aware as well, that your apprehension of adding a baby to this overwhelming situation is one that is not uncommon. Many women like you are anxious and plagued by “fear of the unknown”. Their minds conjure up the worst case scenario, where they envision themselves undone and unable to cope.
Related Article: To Baby or Not To Baby
Scary Transitions
In large measure, this is due to the fact that transitions can be frightening. Moving from one passage to another, letting go of the familiar landscape can be terrifying if one allows these troubling thoughts to gain momentum. Alas, this negative thinking can distort our perspective and inhibit our appreciation of the positive, of the great and precious gift that children are and what they bring to our lives. It is to your credit that you are choosing to articulate your feelings and seek guidance for your fear of the unknown.
In tracking women who have had similar fears, consider the following insights and perhaps you will find one or more that resonate with you.
Rachel shared that in retrospect; the unknown factor prior to her having a baby, she realized, was due to the fact that the unborn registered in her mind as an objective “thing” that threatened her already shaky equilibrium. After its birth, however, the “thing” morphed into a baby, and more importantly her baby. Her maternal instincts thankfully kicked in and it became “a precious bundle of joy” for both her husband and herself. She added, that as a matter of fact, looking at the early pictures of her baby, she cannot even to imagine how she deluded herself at the time to thinking that this “was the most beautiful creature that God ever created”. But such is the blinding force of the bond between a mother and her flesh and blood.
Sarah related that her personal meltdown happened before her decision to get married. Her analytical mind brought to the fore of her thinking all of the negatives of the relationship. David worked long hours, was rarely home, traveled too much, had responsibilities to his aging mother, was a neat-freak, etc. The list seemed endless and the fears gnawed at her to the point that she convinced herself to break off her engagement. The next time she met with David, however, she was able to momentarily let go of her fears and her intuitive mind took over. She was able to see beyond her fears, to a man who was kind, gentle and committed to making her happy. Her perspective shifted to a more balanced picture. Unquestionably, she understood that there would be challenges and adjustments, but in this state of mind she felt that together they could succeed.
Sharon spoke of her insecure feelings that would overcome her at the thought of having and caring for a baby. What made things worse was that her peers appeared to sail through the experience in a free, easy, happy and totally natural manner. Why, she agonized, was it so effortless for them and yet so complicated for herself? On one occasion, one of those same women confessed to Sharon that she could not fathom how Sharon successfully juggled full time work, marriage, and the running of a household. Sharon was astounded. She had never given herself credit, or given that which she did daily with such great ease, a second thought. She realized at that moment that everyone has areas in their life which flow smoothly and painlessly, and others that are more challenging and require additional expenditure of effort. It became clear to her that despite outer appearances to the contrary, nobody excels in all areas of life. The good news, as a postscript, was that not only did she survive her anxiety but proceeded to thrive as a loving mother as well.
You’re Not Alone
The most critical factor in all of this, my dear reader, is that you need to feel supported and not alone. Toward this end, I suggest that you share your feelings with your husband. Hopefully, he will reassure you that you are in this together. He will commit to helping with the baby (his baby) and do whatever is necessary to alleviate your burden. If family members live nearby and are available to assist, hopefully they will pitch in and help. If additional household help is affordable, that too should be put in to place.
It is also important that you avail yourself of an objective party with whom you can share your feelings. This third party would be available to you in the future, after the baby, during your adjustment period, should you need it. Knowing that you have the support of your husband and this third party will surely dissipate much of your anxiety.
For now, centering yourself to a place of calm and emotional health is most critical. In part, this may be achieved by a gratitude check; by listing the many ways God has shown you His love, the blessings with which he has endowed you, i.e. good health, caring husband, work opportunities, etc. This should help you see and acknowledge that God has been there for you, and thus recognize that there is good reason to believe that such will continue to be the case.
My dear reader, there is a mystery to the “unknown”. While it can be frightening, it is also most exciting. If, at the outset, any one of us who have been “around the block” a few times would have had access to a crystal ball predicting the future, undoubtedly we would have shied away from what was awaiting us down the line. We might have chosen to avoid the inevitable pain, but at the same time we would have forfeited the unparalleled adventure that life is, even given its many trials and tribulations. As someone once said, “Life doesn’t have to be easy to be meaningful.” Thinking too much, a product of the analytical mind doesn’t serve us well. It fosters the mistaken notion that we can control our destiny. Contrarily, the more reliable, intuitive mind encourages us to relinquish the illusion of control and place our faith and our lives in the hands of the Master of the universe.
Challenges force us to dig deeply into ourselves and win victories we never thought possible.
Moreover, and remarkably, faith in the Almighty extends to faith in ourselves, in the great resources that God has invested within each of us. We all possess untapped God-given resources that we can draw upon if we choose to do so. This means there is strength within you which you have as yet to garner. Challenges force us to dig deeply into ourselves and win victories we never thought possible.
A story is told of an atheist that fell off a cliff. Halfway down, he was able to grab onto a branch and interrupt his fall. He found himself suspended between the sky and the jagged rocks below. In desperation, he looked heavenwards and called out “Is there anyone up there?” A Divine voice was heard saying, “Let go of the branch.” The atheist responded by screaming “Is there anyone else up there?”
In conclusion, dear reader, in your current state of mind, letting go might feel like heading for catastrophe; but be assured, that placing your faith in both God and in your innate God-given abilities, will actually be most liberating. I wish you the best of everything.
(12) Molly, August 26, 2013 1:33 AM
A baby is not a pet....
I would recommend that you not "add a baby" to an already stressful, busy life. If you are excited to begin a new stage of life, where your priority will be motherhood, then I think that is a good time to start trying! If you assume someone else will be raising your child most of the time, while you devote the evening hours to him or her, you will become very frustrated. A child needs to be raised by people he can bond with, and you are fighting against the current to try and give him everything he needs from you after you've exhausted yourself at work. Please don't conceive a child that neither you nor your husband plan to raise. When that happens, everyone tends to suffer. On the other hand, motherhood is an extremely rewarding profession. I have five kids now, and I'd have a dozen if Hashem blessed me with them. Just don't underestimate how much of your focus it will take.
(11) SusanE, March 25, 2012 2:13 PM
Something Doesn't Make Sense.
If your husband insists on conceiving a child when he knows how severely you are against it, there is a lot to consider before a child is born. Unless you have lied to him and told him you want a child. Then that is a deal breaker and you have some explaining to do to him. Why on earth would you try to conceive when you don't want a baby? Every baby deserves to be wanted.
(10) Sara, March 5, 2012 4:56 PM
I felt EXACTLY the same way!
when i was first married, my husband was ready to start having kids ASAP. I was not and our rabbi (thankfully!) agreed with me. After one year of marriage my excuses for pushing off pregancy were running low (other than my anxiety about motherhood) and we began trying and thank Gd i was blessed with a child pretty much right away. I was still quite anxious and i did not have an easy pregnancy either, which did not help my anxiety. I would say, though, that what helped me the most was talking to my husband about it (constantly!) and his constant reassurance that he would help me with everything. He acutally proved himself during pregancy---he was doing plenty of the cooking and cleaning while i laid on the couch! and another really important thing for me was previsiting all imaginable scenarios after birth. My husband and I came up with a schedule for who is "on call" at night and in the mornings (when we are both home). Before birth I worked full time and I returned to work part time (3 days a week) and i lOVE IT. i am always on vacation-either from work or from baby. taking care of baby is usually the more difficult of the two. Books also helped very much, probably the most useful book to prepare for immediately after birth was the "baby whisperer" series
(9) Malka, March 5, 2012 11:15 AM
don't do it
My reaction is that if you don't want a baby you shouldn't have one, for your own sake and the child's. I suspect that your urgency to have a child is caused by the expectations of others, not your own wishes. You may just nor be ready, and your feelings will change, but if not, remember that there are plenty of unhappy people about who were not really welcome as children. You need the strength to discover your own individual mission in life - we're not standardized units.
Julia, March 5, 2012 6:37 PM
fear of motherhood
Don't have a baby until YOU are confident of the decision. The consequences are huge. My mother walked out on my sister and me when I was 7. I grew up with a fear of motherhood. I think that is one reason I never found my bashert; all the men I dated wanted kids ( or said they did). I never understood women who deliberately get pregnant without marriage. For me, it's too late to change my mind, and I'm OK with it. (although I'd still like to find a husband). You & your hubby should be travelling around the world and getting ahead in your jobs . You can revisit this issue in 1 or 2 years.
(8) Anonymous, March 5, 2012 4:03 AM
Stop trying!
You guys should put plans on hold for a baby, as well as get some couples/individual therapy to work this through. Don't just jump into this blindly and keep trying to get pregnant. Find help for yourselves first!
(7) L.S., March 4, 2012 11:58 PM
some simple home management tips to relieve your burden
I have some practical suggestions for home management when you're working full time which can make life easier. I am by NO means a Martha Stewart, but did pick up some time saving homemaking tips for keeping sane while working full time, and have managed to prepare home cooked meals and host Shabbos guests and maintain a clean home. My suggestions are as follows: 1. Order basic household staples (toilet paper, paper towels), bathroom toiletries,otc meds, cleaning products on walmart.com. Even with the small shipping fee, when you order in bulk 3-4 times a year it's still cheaper and saves shopping time. 2. For bills, set up an automatic deductible. Pay what you can online. Keep paper bills in one file, and pay all bills on time! 3. Keep weekday meals simple. Food must be tasty and nutritious, but not laborious. For ex-salmon covered in teriyaki sauce baked for 20 min. While baking, chop some cucumbers and tomatoes for israeli salad and make quinoa; wedged oranges for dessert. Learn to use a crockpot; place chicken,veggies, spices, and come home to a hot meal! 4. If you can afford a dishwasher, buy one. If you can't , be sure to wash the dishes right after dinner to prevent a pile up. 5. Make your bed every morning and always hang up your clothes; your bedroom will always look tidy! 6. Organize your closet well so that you save time searching and prevent clutter. 7. In the bathroom, scrub toilet with bleach, wipe the counter tops and floor with clorox wipes. Buy a cheap shower caddy for shower necessities. Windex the mirror. Viola! 8. To keep the kitchen clean, be neat while you cook. Once cooled down, spray stove with 409. If you have a glass table, windex it for shine. 9. A couple times a week, give the floors a good sweep or vaccuum (5-10 min per room). Do ONE room a day to not get overwhelmed. 10. Make Thurs night take-out so you can have that evening for Shabbos preparation. Sunday, eat leftover Shabbos food.
(6) Anonymous, March 4, 2012 10:47 PM
talking it out is good too
This was an important question, and a heartening answer. I would also add that women's maternal experiences are as varied as the women and children involved. It is a big deal, and it's good to think and prepare yourself. I wonder if being more open with your husband and maybe a mentor or mental health professional about your feelings might help bridge the gap between how you feel and how you want to feel, or at lease help you sort through the underlying concerns. Good luck, and may your prayers be answered with joy.
(5) TMay, March 4, 2012 8:16 PM
Something you haven't thought of.
I suggest that you order one of those kits that send you eggs and a shelter and instructions and the eggs turn into caterpillars that you feed greens to within a confined space and water and then the caterpillars turn into butterflies and you let them go and that way you will be acting maternal and maybe become more at ease with the idea. Teachers sometimes order them for a classroom. I think it is better than getting a kitten or a puppy because I have seen people be parents to a puppy or kitten and then when the baby comes, their feelings switch on the dog or cat which the cat or dog does not deserve. A cat or a dog should be brought into the home when you want a cat or a dog for its own sake. Although they do say that having animals in the house does make for a healthier child because it brings germs, and the immune system likes germs and causes problems when there aren't germs. However the kitty litter box and place of the cat and dog should not be the baby's room who then gets booted out when the baby comes, and then is always trying to get back into its territory. Also the husband should be in charge of the kitty litter box when the wife is pregnant.
(4) Bracha Haskel, March 4, 2012 7:53 PM
9 months to be emotionally ready
HaShem gives us the nine months of pregnancy that serves us as time to go through the emotional process of being ready for parenting. The pregnant Mom has an intimate connection to her unborn baby, hormones and all, that help her bond throughout pregnancy and after birth. Breastfeeding helps keep those mothering hormones flowing every day. Best of luck, may you be blessed with children at the right time, that you may always enjoy them. Childbirth educator and mother of 7.
(3) Miriam, March 4, 2012 6:41 PM
a suggestion
What about cutting your work hours somewhat? Is that a possibility for you? You might be better off living in a smaller budget (if possible) and cutting hours.
(2) Anonymous, March 4, 2012 6:37 PM
you won't believe yourself!
Hi, I am one of those people who never particularly wanted to have much responsibility over children in my life. I enjoyed my life and relationships, flexible life style, and periodic excess of funds to go places on my whim. But then I met my husband at 34 y.o. and we decided to have a baby. I was scared but I was more scared of never having a child more. So, I did it. I am recently back from the hospital with my new baby. She changed my attitude completely. I still don't like the sense of responsibility but I love her so much that it does not bother me. I know I will just do all I can to make her happy and healthy. That's all. It feels so natural now. And I still don't care for kids in general. But my baby feels so special, that I am sure I will get over myself to do anything for her that is possible. The only regret I have now is that I did not have her earlier. But then again, I only met my basheret late in life.
(1) Anonymous, March 4, 2012 6:31 PM
First, fertility experts recommend that couples seeking to have a baby seek medical help if they have not conceived a healthy pregnancy within one year of trying. If the woman is over 35 years old, many advocate that they seek help if they have not gotten pregnant within 6 months of trying. Second, many women fear being mothers because their own mothers were terrible role models. Such daughters may never learned how to juggle working outside the house, being a wife, and taking care of themselves and their home. Some children were simply neglected or abused, and are afraid of being the same way with their own children. Simply telling such women that things will be okay is not enough. Many need to work out their negative feelings about these issues in therapy. They also may need to learn specific child-rearing and time-management skills.
Anonymous, March 8, 2012 2:14 PM
concern
The writer says that she is "already working myself to the bone." To me,this seems to be a problem and I am surprised that no one has addressed it.