"WHAT?!?!" Those Things Nobody Warns You About.... - Page 6

[lasofia]

Originally Posted by Lula's Mom

See, now, I thought there was something wrong with me because of this! I complained to my midwife at a postpartum visit that I smelled like a damn cat-box, and she didn't know what to say!

I knew I was pregnant this time right away, I mean within days, because my pee had preggers-smell again. I guess it's the hormones... My midwife says if the funk bothers me to take a small amount of liquid chlorophyll everyday or so.

I was suprised at how much my pelvic floor hurt when I stood sometimes, during stretchy days, like everything was going to fall out then and there.

I was shocked that my hands turned hot and itchy for the last couple months. Hot, hot, hot.

heartburn - I'd read about that, but must have figured that since I'd never had heartburn before that it didn't apply to me. Ha.

Other surprises.. I didn't know about the poop until I was 4 months pregnant and watched a friend deliever. She'd had an enema but that isn't a guarantee. While she was pushing at the end, a little came out and the OB each time just wiped it and tossed the pad, very discreet... I'd always wondered how one pushed out a baby without pooping. I asked around and discovered it one of those unspokens - most people do a little bit. Personally my body emptied itself thoughroughly in early labor (pretty common) and if there was any poop in pushing it was whisked off so quickly DH and best friend didn't notice.

I expected to be thirsty after delivery, but after 36 hours labor (early and active together, but unable to eat or drink more than a sip at a time) I had no idea just HOW thirsty I could be. I had bottles of Recharge ready, and I drank them all.

I expected the first poop pp to be horrible, but due to spinach and juice it was fine. However, I didn't realize how dehydrated and therefore constipated it was possible to get in the first two weeks of nursing, and had a horrible, horrible experience. *shudder* This next time, I'll drink juice until I'm swimming the first month.

I was glad I'd read Annie Lamott's "Operating Instructions" in which she writes of lying on her side 2 days pp and looking at her stomach lying beside her "...like a small friendly puppy." Exactly. Big and squishy. Felt like a waterbed.

[Jennifer H]

Oh, I forgot all about my breasts looking like fireboats during fleet week when I stepped out of the shower and spraying the mirror from 5 feet away!!

[shannon0218]

sitting here shaking in fear :

[applejuice]

Originally Posted by shannon0218

Ummmm, so how does one prevent the pooping???? Perhaps an enema as soon as labour begins????

They did that years ago, along with shaving the pubic hair.

The problem is that you are not "done" when you think you are "done" the end of the enema arrives when you are delivered.

In France, I have been told and read (Thank you Dr. LaMaze )the women do the enema themselves before they leave for the hospital.

[applejuice]

T

[herewegoagain]

I love this thread!

Let's see if I can think of any that haven't been mentioned yet...

That freaky feeling the first time you stand up after delivering. I remember after having my first, the nurse said she would help me to the bathroom. I said "no, I'm fine". As soon as I stand up "WHOA, no I'm not!"

A new one for me this time--numb pinkies (not just once in a while--one has been numb for about a month!). I though it was from sleeping on my hands. Doc told me today it's from swelling inside the wrists.

I never knew there was an ultrasound gel that had blue dye in it that I'm allergic to.

I never knew you could push hard enough to blow out a blood vessel in your eye (and capillaries in cheeks--yeah I was REAL cute after birth of DD#1).

ETA one I forgot--blood sugar bottom-out. Ugh! Happened when I was in the grocery store last weekend--1st time ever! I got all dizzy and nauseous, went into cold sweat, vision went funky and my brain just went fuzzy. I popped open the applesauce I had bought as soon as I got in the car and was fine within seconds, but still, that was scary!

[mama kate]

I don't know if I should :LOL or !!!!!!!!!!But right now I feel like

I lot of it I've heard of but being due any time now really freaks me the hell out!!! Thanks Though ladies!


I'm sure I'll be here looking for remedies for the lovely things like 'roids & such afterwards!!!

[Caroline248]

Okay...I was shocked when I saw how my "nether regions" looked after having my first. I thought I was turned inside out!! My poor dh was trying to be reassuring.... when I asked if he thought it would go back to normal, his was response was ....

I sure as hell hope so...!!!!!


Caroline

[applejuice]

I thought since I had been privy to the birth of 7 of 8 siblings I knew everything! I helped with everything, weighing, diapering, feeding, babysitting.

DH and I took the ACHI homebirth preparation class twice with two different educators; one class in the early pregnancy and one in the late pregnancy. The ACHI series is as close to a midwifery unit as a primip can get.

I felt great during my pregnancy; I never had morning sickness; we traveled to Europe - I went to the gym three times a week - rode a ten speed daily - I even jogged! I felt great!! I prepared and ate well before the pregnancy and during. I already had varicose veins, so I wore elastic stockings even during the summer months - I was careful not to get constipated and I put my legs up and exercised.

Yet I was not prepared for:

A varicosity in one labia that throbbed!
Engorgement in my arm pits
Breasts on my baby - boys?!? (it is called witch's milk, and expressing the milk can cause mastitis - who knew?)
Pain in the pubic bone
Pain in one hip that felt like the thigh bone was going to disconnect.
Sciatica
bloody nose
My daughter's first period in her diapers
An appetite that would not quit
dizziness
pushing while on my back
counting down from ten during pushing
pushing with no urge
cheerleading during the pushing stage

I had plenty of problems that I encountered, but knew that this was normal, but the rest were, when I discovered them was - WTF?

The kicker that came early in my pregnancy that was no surprise but angered me still was the fact that my employer congratulated me on my pregnancy and then found ways of getting rid of me...

[starrynight]

Great thread, but boy is it bringing back memories. I've got about 6 weeks left in this pregnancy, so I guess it's best to be prepared.
Last time the things that surprised me were:
#1 - The unbelievable amount of breast milk that came when my milk finally arrived. It was like an endless fountain. I was constantly soaked. And those little tiny breast pads? Puh-lease. It got to the point where I was wearing two cloth diapers tied to my chest with a scarf to soak up all the milk. We did tons of laundry and it was all from me! I could have easily nursed three babies. Of course, everyone kept telling me to bottle it and like an idiot I didn't listen. I should have, and if I have the same thing this time I'm definitely going to bottle and freeze!

#2 How horrible pushing out a baby is. I kept reading and hearing from people about how pushing was the best part and how good it felt and yes, it burns when they crown. I thought pushing was pure hell. I did it for 4 hours and it felt like I was never going to get him out.

#3 I never knew how hard the post partum period was. You see people out with their babies a week after giving birth and they seem fine. I was still wearing my bath robe! Giving birth was really tiring. I had a PPH, which is partly why I felt so bad, but it's also just really hard on your body. It was also kind of scary to have that first bowel movement. I remember holding a warm wash cloth down there, feeling fearful that my insides were going to come out. My dad's girlfriend had told me to have lots of prune juice and bran muffins home. I'm glad I listened to her. Thank goodness for peri-bottles too. I never even knew what a peri-bottle was before that!

#4 Body smells. I remember that too. My nether regions smelled funky for months. I would take a thorough bath and when I got out I could still smell something down there.

#5 Post partum fuzzy brain. I was so lucid during my son's birth, but afterward I was pretty out of it mentally. I remember having trouble remembering simple things. I was so focused on the baby I guess. It's like I would always take the easiest route driving anywhere, because I was worried I'd get lost otherwise (which I did a few times.) I just had trouble concentrating. It actually kind of scared me for awhile. I was worried I was never going to get my normal intellect back. Looking back on it, I'm almost sure a lot of it was caused by lack of sleep. I'm pretty normal now!

#6. How much you love your child. I know this is such a cliché and you always hear it, but I don't think you can really understand how it feels until you experience it. I think the wiring in our brains change when we become parents. I'd never felt that kind of fierce protective love before. It totally blew my mind. It changed everything. I remember looking at people - strangers walking down the street, and I'd think that person is someone's baby. I honestly didn't know how much joy a child brings into your life. I'd always thought of the responsiblity and the work involved. I just never knew it was so wonderful too.

[Greaseball]

The third nipple...and the urge to smell rubber cement!

[Mamid]

How the fear that there just could be something wrong with your baby post partum and there's nothing you can do because the hospital staff has to okay it first.

How panicked you feel when your child has a post partum fever and you're hemoraging so you don't know which to take care of first - the blood gushing from between your legs or your child's fever.

How mad at the doctor you are for him changing the requirements for you to go in and you almost have the baby in the car!

That there is indeed something wrong with your perfect 10 fingered, 10 toed, 2 eyes, 2 ears etc child that the hospital isn't going to deal with because its "cosmetic."

[shannon0218]

Originally Posted by Greaseball

The third nipple...and the urge to smell rubber cement!

Ummmm, third nipple.....care to elaborate???

[Greaseball]

Originally Posted by shannon0218

Ummmm, third nipple.....care to elaborate???

It sprouted up when I was pg with #1. It's not as cool as one might think; it's really tiny, has no areola and is on the underside of one breast. It does lactate, but it's so small there's no way a baby could nurse off of it.

I've actually heard it's common...

[nikirj]

Originally Posted by Greaseball

It sprouted up when I was pg with #1. It's not as cool as one might think; it's really tiny, has no areola and is on the underside of one breast. It does lactate, but it's so small there's no way a baby could nurse off of it.

I've actually heard it's common...

OMG I have never, ever heard of this!! I'm going to have to ask my mom (a lead LC for a large hospital) about this now! Seriously, is this just one of those things that happens but isn't in the books?

[Greaseball]

A lot of other people on MDC have mentioned it! Do a search in the I'm Pregnant forum or archives.

I was hoping for a 4th nipple this time, but no. :

[Finnsma]

LOL Ah, the 3rd nipple! I had one sprout up with my first. It's right beside my right nipple. It really just gets in the way with proper latch early on. My 2nd had a horrible time latching properly on that side for the first couple months. Fortunately it doesn't seem to bother anyone after the first couple months. Just one of those freaky things I guess.

[Mamid]

one of the boys from one of the all boy "singing" groups in the last decade or so had a natural third nipple...

Its pretty common.

Me? I have a side duct. Instead of coming out of my nipple with the rest of them, its off to one side so I can squirt to the right as the same time as squirting straight ahead.

Hurts like hell when it gets plugged too.

[Finnsma]

LOL Side squirting! Cool! I had my left nipple pierced for years and though I haven't had jewelry in it while I've been nursing these last almost 4 years, the holes have remained open and can squirt 3 ways on that side! THe kids and dh think it's great entertainment! :LOL

[WithHannahsHeart]

I had a great and empowering birth, though long. The two weird things that i was not prepared for were: One, I actually didn't feel her come out! I had had such a long and exhausting labor, that i think i had some kind of out of body experience on those last two pushes. In fact, she shot out so damn fast (i think from trying to get anterior while i was pushing, she just came out like a cork from a bottle with a spin on it) i didn't ever feel the 'ring of fire'. I was surprised that it didn't feel good to push ; i had heard that it did. Oh, and i had very little urge to push, again i think from exhaustion.

Two, i fainted when i was sitting on the toilet after they stitched me up - both my blood pressure and blood sugar just plummetted. I had to drink three things of juice before i could get up!

Oh, and after i finally got her in my room, i was so shocked at how very alert she was, though not fussing or crying. That's what an unmedicated birth will get ya .