Things you didn't know about pregnancy, birth and after

[Midnightly]

Ha, yeah the itching...my back around where they inserted the epi mostly.

The swelling came from the IV fluids.

Did not expect to have so many things attached to me: pitocin injection, epi, catheter, IV fluids...

ohh yes i didn't expect to have soooo many tubes attached to me i think i had something like 4-6 different IV bags of fluid

and the uncontrollable shivering after she was born!

ohh and gotta add... the smurf, still shocked hubby when she first came out she was smurf blue (i didn't see but he did)

[anisa]

I'm so scared to get pregnant because of all the horror stories I hear. I'm thinking about just adopting. Good thing I have a few years to think about it... I heard they sometimes have to..... cut down there to make the opening bigger. *shivers* it hurts to even think about it

haha i used to be so very afraid of ever getting preggers when i was in my early 20's. couldn't fathom ever going thru delivery!

fyi they don't cut anymore... lets just leave it at that

[orv]

ohh yes i didn't expect to have soooo many tubes attached to me i think i had something like 4-6 different IV bags of fluid

and the uncontrollable shivering after she was born!

ohh and gotta add... the smurf, still shocked hubby when she first came out she was smurf blue (i didn't see but he did)

I was shivering too, and it kind of freaked me out because it wasnt something i read about(and i read EVERYTHING that had "pregnancy" in the title lol), i new i wasnt cold but i didnt know why i couldnt stop shaking!!! lol i thought something was wrong and quietly asked my mom and she was like "your body is in shock!!! do you not realise what you just did???" lol!
my labour was a breeze, but i did NOT expect to bleed throughout my ENTIRE pregnancy....... every... single.. day... for 9 SOLID MONTHS!!!! to most its a time or worry free no unexpected monthly visitor.... i have the worst luck EVER. lol (P.S everything was ok they took a million tests and nothing was wrong, DD came out perfectly healthy and i stopped bleeding and went back to my regular cycles after she was born.. weird)

[AmberLab]

I'm so scared to get pregnant because of all the horror stories I hear. I'm thinking about just adopting. Good thing I have a few years to think about it... I heard they sometimes have to..... cut down there to make the opening bigger. *shivers* it hurts to even think about it

haha i used to be so very afraid of ever getting preggers when i was in my early 20's. couldn't fathom ever going thru delivery!

fyi they don't cut anymore... lets just leave it at that

Probably depending on where you live, sorry to say, yes they do still cut. Years later you will still feel the effects of this. Recovery hurts like a *bleep* but I could imagine that a c-section must be much, much worse.

Here's my thing you may not know..the epidural may not work at first. I had to call back the anesthesiologist 3 times to get the dosage increased. If I get pitocin this time, I'm not waiting to very long to get the epidural.

[Jina]

the amount of discharge down there

[Midnightly]

the amount of discharge down there

ohh yes! i was going through panty liners like crazy!

[papillon]

If they don't cut, what do they do now?? Thank god for not cutting

[momofkali]

That morning sickness can last all day for 5 months ewwwww

[Zonny]

Probably depending on where you live, sorry to say, yes they do still cut. Years later you will still feel the effects of this. Recovery hurts like a *bleep* but I could imagine that a c-section must be much, much worse.

I have no experience with cutting in that particular area (thank GOD), but I had a c-section. If we were going to have more kids, I wouldn't hesitate to do it again! They say it takes six weeks to recover, but that wasn't true for me at all. A couple of weeks and I was doing everything I always did. As for not lifting, what's the mommy of a 10.5 pound boy going to do, leave him on the floor all day? You do what you have to.

That morning sickness can last all day for 5 months ewwwww

Try all day for every month of pregnancy. I only actually barfed twice, but felt queasy the whole time.
Z

[itsjustmebub]

and the uncontrollable shivering after she was born!

ahh yess i got this with the first c-section my DH thought i was dying lol ... just went into shock

[Sunnyg]

Pregnancy: that my "morning sickness" would last from 8 weeks till the day I gave birth

Labour: "how" to push - they told me to practice pushing and I told them no one ever taught me how like they did on the movies

Post Labour: that the first bowel movement would be so painful and that you would still have contractions as your uterus 'shrunk' back to size

Breastfeeding: that it would hurt so much for the first few days (the 'classes' beforehand said if it hurt, you weren't doing it right. The lactation consultant at the hospital said that was crap, and of course it would hurt - no one was used to sucking on their nipples 24-7 until they breastfed lol! I used to curl my toes at the hospital when she first latched, and the nurse would tell me that she always knew when the first part subsided as my toes would uncurl

[Tripsplanner]

During Pregnancy
The amount of food I would eat (okay, I had 3 little ones growing inside me) but at 6 meals a day, it does get kind of embarrassing. What's more, I work with guys on a trading floor (all open) so they can see every time I go for my 'in-between' meals (2nd breakfast at 10am, 2nd lunch at 3pm etc). Hubby used to say my appetite would drive us into bankruptcy even before the triplets were born!

Post-birth
A mother's willpower and determination. I got off the hospital bed about 9 hours after my emergency C-section - IV and catheter in tow. I HAD to see my babies (whose fate were unknown to me, born at 26-weeks) in the Neonatal Intensive Care. I would have scooted on my bottom all the way there, if the nurse wouldn't take me.

Breastfeeding
With enough willpower, your boobs WILL cooperate even though your body was not ready. I pumped for 3 straight days after giving birth, waking up every 3 hours to do it, so that I can provide milk for my premie babies. With all the bleeding and cracks. And the first drops were just literally that - drops!!!

Life with triplets
The amount of coffee I would consume and still could fall asleep standing.

[ottawagurl20]

If they don't cut, what do they do now?? Thank god for not cutting

They still cut, I had to ask the doc to cut me when I gave birth to my dd. But when I gave birth to my son it was to late to cut and I just riped open (and felt everything because the epidural didn't work on me). Had to get stiches down there and it was very itchy and uncomfortable for weeks.

[itsjustmebub]

ack ack

better a little snip for sure

[Tripsplanner]

They still cut, I had to ask the doc to cut me when I gave birth to my dd. But when I gave birth to my son it was to late to cut and I just riped open (and felt everything because the epidural didn't work on me). Had to get stiches down there and it was very itchy and uncomfortable for weeks.

Oh you poor thing!