The things they never tell you..

[Mazzy17]

I've yet to be through the delivery phase but I wish people had told me that getting out of bed in the middle of the night at 9 months pregnant with a full bladder would turn into an Olympic event that you really should have years of proper training for.

I now understand how turtles and ladybugs feel when they get stuck on their backs.

So true! I have to be careful if i roll myself too hard my boobs propel me right out of the bed!!!

 

[OliviaRae]

I wish someone told me it would look like someone had drawn a line with a marker pen down my belly. I had no idea about that so when I went for my 20 week scan I covered it up with foundation. Only I forgot they'd put gel on my belly and when they did it turned the gel orange and I had to fess up what I'd done!

 

[Mrs S-M]

I've yet to be through the delivery phase but I wish people had told me that getting out of bed in the middle of the night at 9 months pregnant with a full bladder would turn into an Olympic event that you really should have years of proper training for.

I now understand how turtles and ladybugs feel when they get stuck on their backs.

so true! So pleased I'm not bigger than I am!

 

[staralfur]

I had no idea that after your waters go the pain gets about a thousand times more intense...I kept telling my doctor to "put the water back in!"

I didn't know how overwhelming the urge to push is and how hard it is (more like impossible) to stop yourself from pushing if you're not fully dilated.

How much blood there is after you give birth. Luckily it was only really heavy for about a day, but they had to change my sheets every time I got up!

 

[Trissy]

I've yet to be through the delivery phase but I wish people had told me that getting out of bed in the middle of the night at 9 months pregnant with a full bladder would turn into an Olympic event that you really should have years of proper training for.

I now understand how turtles and ladybugs feel when they get stuck on their backs.

I was just thinking back on labour and now that I've been through delivery I have to add to this..

I wish someone had told me that epidurals could fail and that Pitocin contractions HURT. Everything you read says yes, they hurt but man do they HURT.

That the contractions would be 100x worse than actually pushing the baby out.

Crowning was not the worst part of delivering, delivering the shoulders was the worst part of delivering.

And like above, the urge to push.. so strange, so intense.

That internal stitches feel WEIRD.

That there is no way to describe the overwhelming sense of love and happiness you feel the moment you lay eyes on your baby. It takes your breath away.

And man, do babies ever fart. A lot.

 

[icklemonster]

The main things I wish I had been told were:

Going to the toilet after giving birth is terrifying, get some lactolose.

I was very glad someone had suggested not sitting down on the way to hospital, instead get on all 4's on back seat, lean over (while biting) the pregnancy pillow - this will help make the journey bearable.

Getting in water doesn't always help, even if you love baths - in fact it dramatically slowed down my labour and didn't help the contractions one bit.

Gas & Air, Lucozade and a frube are not a good mix....expect for curdling in your belly and being imminently sick

Take 10 times more cotton wool in your hospital bag than you expect you'll need, that meconium poo could tarmac roads. We ran out when Charlotte had managed an epic poo which actually coated her toes.

Get everyone available to help with your latch if breastfeeding. I asked on 3 separate occasions for help when midwives checked on me, I am sure that is why we are still breastfeeding today!

Good luck everyone about to embark on this incredible journey. These last couple of months have been the most amazing ever. I love being a Mummy xxx

 

[lilliesmummie]

That not only does labour hurt, but afterwards hurts almost just as much. And that first poo, takes about 7 hours to build up the courage to finally go without thinking your whole insides will fall out. And actually, how much it stings to wee!! What's that all about? Also.. The "I don't dare look down there" stage, which lasts about 6 weeks!!

 

[Ivory Doll]

Never being nosey and sticking my nose into the third trimester again before my time!!!

 

[dozydormouse]

Never being nosey and sticking my nose into the third trimester again before my time!!!

Don't let it scare you too much! x

 

[mjemma]

Loss of bladder control! Not just a bit of pee when you laugh but full on wetting yourself and having no way of stopping it. Luckily, it only happened a few times and a week after giving birth it seems to have passed, but noone warned me that could happen!