As-salamu alaykum - Struggling with pregnancy, sleep, and expectations
As-salamu alaykum sisters. My husband and I are both in our mid-20s. He works full time - about 60 hours a week, every day - and I stay home with our toddler and I’m pregnant. He covers the bills and is also paying my mahr. I care a lot about self-care: skincare, exercise, sleep, managing stress, trying to keep myself put together. I want to remain beautiful and healthy even as I have children, so I put effort into that. My husband doesn’t really get what I’m doing and often complains when I can’t make him breakfast because I’d rather sleep in after waking up many times at night. I feel like we keep arguing over basic things like my need for rest and bodily autonomy. My body is changing during pregnancy and I resent that he tends to downplay how much rest I need. Am I wrong to think that pregnancy, childbirth, and raising kids can be much harder than working and paying bills? I’m unsure about wanting a third child - we already have two daughters and there’s pressure in our culture to have a son. I feel like I’m sacrificing my appearance and wellbeing, and sometimes think I’d rather work outside and not have more children. Please tell me if I’m being unreasonable. I don’t want advice from friends or parents who say the same old thing: “You don’t need 8 hours, five is enough - this is motherhood.” That kind of comment just pushes me away and makes me resent being married and being a mother. Why can’t I flourish as a mom without losing myself? Why must I give everything up? It’s not just vanity - if I look exhausted and rundown because of constant nagging and the stress of parenting, I fear I might take desperate steps to feel good again, which would be wrong. For context: when I feel good about myself I do everything for my husband, and I plan to keep doing so. I’m not after any ‘girlboss’ platitudes - I want a fair balance for both of us. I’d appreciate sincere, practical advice from a Muslim perspective about boundaries, communicating needs with my husband, and how to manage expectations about sleep, pregnancy, and future children while preserving my health and dignity.