Dr. Tiffany Ofili Porter

I wasn’t joking when I said 2023 will be a year of new beginnings, and that includes the Lord blessing us with a new addition coming soon. We are thrilled to announce that we are pregnant and can’t wait for our second child to arrive this spring!

Even though I delivered Chidera in 2019 and this isn’t my first rodeo, there are differences from that pregnancy, and this current pregnancy:

1) Constantly being reminded how “old” I am

Have you ever heard the terms, “geriatric pregnancy” or “advanced maternal age (AMA)”? Well if you haven’t, it’s used to describe women, like me, who are pregnant at 35 years and above. Obviously as a pharmacist, I am very familiar with these descriptors and the implications that come along with them, but it certainly does hit a little differently when you realize you also fit into the category of “old moms”.

Being that I was 31 when I had my first child, and although to some that may be “old”, from a medical perspective, I was not classified as AMA, so the conversations were different at checkups then versus now. Even though I get the importance of being open & honest with a woman on what her potentially increased risks are as an older mother, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t roll my eyes every time I’m reminded of the fact.

Don’t let the age fool you, this old lady here still has a youthful spirit, and can give you young ladies a run for your money. In all seriousness though, I do want this to be a reminder to my fellow health care providers to always lead with compassion, and remember that even though this doesn’t apply to me personally, some women may be a little insecure about their age, especially while pregnant.

2) Having to keep up with a toddler

When people ask me what my main pregnancy symptom is, the overwhelming answer is tiredness. From the first few weeks when I found out until now, I have been much more tired than I remember being during my daughter’s pregnancy. Whether this is due to me running after a toddler all day, having less stamina after retiring from Athletics, being an “old person” this time around, or a combination of all three, I am perpetually tired, and have no problem sharing it. Sorry Jeff.

Folks do say that every pregnancy is different and boy are they right. Now I certainly understand that it could always be worse, and I’m grateful that it has been smooth sailing thus far, so I’m definitely not complaining. But if I had a dollar for every time I verbalized or even thought about how tired I was, I’d be a very wealthy woman.

3) Being more intentional with my diet

The first time around, I was just so excited to finally be pregnant that I savored every moment and EVERY MEAL as well. I went unnecessarily hard with food consumption (think large ice cream almost daily) and by the time I delivered my daughter I had gained 55lbs.

Although I had zero regrets, in hindsight I could’ve been a little more disciplined with my diet, so I made the decision to be more mindful the next time around.

And here we are today.

I’m by no means dieting/restricting calories with this pregnancy, but I’m definitely not eating large ice creams daily either. Life is about balance, and I had to remind myself of that, even when I’m with child.

I also find it interesting that with this pregnancy I’ve been craving salads and smoothies, almost as if this child is working to keep me on track this time around.

Let me be clear that I’m not endorsing being overly concerned with weight gain while pregnant, but I do believe that striving to have a healthy & balanced diet are beneficial for both mom and baby. So with that, I’m learning from my previous mistakes and trying to do better with this pregnancy.

Back in 2018/2019 I genuinely enjoyed the whole process of carrying & birthing my daughter, and that is still the same now. Even though I am incredibly grateful to be experiencing pregnancy yet again, I’m learning the scars from previous losses never quite leave you fully. I’ve discussed my journey to motherhood, and even though it wasn’t as straight forward as I would’ve preferred, today I’m standing right in the middle of many answered prayers.

Regardless of where you are on your journey of life, please always remember that:

God is faithful.
God knows the desires of your heart.
God hears your cries.
God will come come through for you if you just believe.

Here’s to abundance, prosperity, and answered prayers in this new year.


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