"WHAT?!?!" Those Things Nobody Warns You About.... - Page 12

[grace's voice]

Originally Posted by pfamilygal

Oh, and my seeming inability to wipe thoroughly. It doesn't matter how hard I try, it still seems to trickle down my leg when I stand. What is up with that? I'm going to have to dye all my socks yellow.

Oh crap! I totally forgot about that!

[mlec]

Originally Posted by Marylizah

I think what's really upsetting me is how out of control and just plain messy the whole thing is going to be. The sheer physical humiliation of it all.

I know this will be hard to believe, but I've been reading this thread laughing and with fond memories! Birth and its aftermath does feel a bit ridiculous, but even the stuff that really sounds disgusting in this thread is not really gross when you experience it. My postpartum period was no picnic, but I was never icked out by my own body.

[BetsyPage]

I really struggle with negative feelings towards my cats too... It's awful... I have to *make* myself pet them and be affectionate to them, I find they are calmer and I'm less antagonistic. But I have an on-going problem with one of my cats yowling loudly at annoying times (reading to dd, putting her to bed.)

[Quirky]

Originally Posted by BetsyPage

I really struggle with negative feelings towards my cats too... It's awful... I have to *make* myself pet them and be affectionate to them, I find they are calmer and I'm less antagonistic. But I have an on-going problem with one of my cats yowling loudly at annoying times (reading to dd, putting her to bed.)

Too funny! My cats were my babies before my real babies were born...then just as fast as I fell in love with my babies I fell out of love with my cats! (Both of whom were real PITAs I might add....)

[minkajane]

I love this thread!

The one thing that I remember is the boob hickeys I got when my son would latch on in the wrong place and I'd fall back asleep. I'd wake up with this huge purple things in the most random places. DH even got a hickey on his neck once from DS sucking in his sleep laying on DH's shoulder! LOL!

The one thing I wish I knew before my C/S was to ask that my catheter be put in AFTER the spinal took. That hurt! I also wish I had known that the morphene they give you makes you nauseated and the anti-nausea meds don't always work! I puked the whole rest of the day. Not fun!

[nmm2112]

Great Thread!

Yep, I used to LOVE animals - after the babies, I still like them but am nowhere near as crazy about the hairy little critters!

Also, I had epidurals (and pitocin) for both my babies and the urinary catheter drove me crazy with #1 so with #2 I just asked my nurse and Dr. if I could have an "in and out"/straight catheter - they just drain the bladder and remove the catheter so it doesn't continue to bother you! much better!

[JuicyPakwan]

Just subscribing. I have been laughing all afternoon what a great thread. Brings back lots of memories!

[NameThatMama]

Wow... I consider myself pretty well versed for someone who's still pregnant with her first kid, and some of these were a big surprise!

The big surprise I've experienced so far was that *all* of my body fluids would increase when I got pregnant. I had been warned about sweat, snot, saliva, and cervical fluid, but no one told me that I'd have an increase in earwax, skin oil, or eye boogers. The slightly furry belly was a bit of a surprise, too.

[grace's voice]

Oh my goodness!

I was wondering why I suddenly have uncontrolable earwax... and the other day in the tub I actually broke down and shaved the middle of my tummy :

[sapphire_chan]

As a childless woman who has to wait a few years to TTC, I'd just like to say that this thread is one of the better killers of babyfever I've found yet.

No offense...

[Charles Baudelaire]

Oh, I'm glad someone ELSE's child gave her a hickey! When my dd gave me one, I felt like an honorary lesbian. Sorta.

Originally Posted by minkajane

I love this thread!

The one thing that I remember is the boob hickeys I got when my son would latch on in the wrong place and I'd fall back asleep. I'd wake up with this huge purple things in the most random places. DH even got a hickey on his neck once from DS sucking in his sleep laying on DH's shoulder! LOL!

The one thing I wish I knew before my C/S was to ask that my catheter be put in AFTER the spinal took. That hurt! I also wish I had known that the morphene they give you makes you nauseated and the anti-nausea meds don't always work! I puked the whole rest of the day. Not fun!

[grace's voice]

I don't know how you could sleep through getting hickeyed! Our first night I was super sleepy and laying down in bed with dd, about 3am. I went to latch her on and (she must have been REALLY hungry!) she latched on before I was ready, right BESIDE my nipple! I screamed. That was sooooo painful, and even though it was just for a second, it did leave a very dark hickey for several days.

[radish]

Originally Posted by nmm2112

Great Thread!

Yep, I used to LOVE animals - after the babies, I still like them but am nowhere near as crazy about the hairy little critters!

LOL, I remember asking DH, "What if we dont love the baby as much as we love the cats (3 of them!)???!!"

LMAO!

[Sweeney]

Oh gosh is this a fun thread!


I'll add:

-If you go overdue, not only will you have just two pieces of clothing that still somehow fit over your huge pregnancy belly, breasts, booty(and they won't match each other), but you will be unable to wipe your own rear end.

-That for some people (me included) there is no 'urge to bear down' or 'urge to push' that is described in all the books that makes it sound on the same level as the 'urge to go to the bathroom' or 'urge to eat chocolate ice cream'. But instead should be written as 'the PUSH OR DIE- total body takeover'. Basically when all of the intelligent woman you once were is shoved into about two neurons to get out of the way of your rampaging body. Think really bad barfing flu- only with everything trying to go down and out as opposed to up.

-That puking in labor is actually quite common. Somehow no pregnancy book I read seemed to mention that. It was unexpected but actually somewhat useful since it made it really easy to figure what stage of labor I was in.

-That laboring in water is a heaven sent idea.

-That after a natural birth, climbing Mt. Everest will seem like no big deal.

-That I'd have gladly gone through labor and delivery again to avoid the breastfeeding problems we had.

-That no breastfeeding book seems to mention things like 'overactive letdown, foremilk/hindmilk inbalance, and slightly flat nipples' in enough detail.

-That not all midwives or La Leche Groups are created equal.

And that your own birth experience will be completely unlike mine

[polka123]

I thinks that's really sad for your pets that some Mamas gets irritated & bugged by the pets that love them unconditionally.

I love my pets no matter what & loved them even more after I gave birth. I had 5 German Shepherds & five cats that knew there was a new baby (DS) in the home.
The dogs were always lying right by the pack-n-play bassinet thing - guarding & sniffing to make sure babe was OK..
when I had trouble getting up after my C - the dogs would let me hold their collar & they would help me get up.
My 5 cats would come keep my feet warm when I was nursing DS. They actually kept quiet when DS slept - almost on DS's sleeping wacky sleeping habits.
They were totally kind & accomadating housemates.
I could go & on but we loved them even more for the amazing things they did before & after DS was born.

With DD, my German Shep knew I was going into labor b/f I did!
He would not leave my side & kept lying his head on my belly. 6 hrs later, I started labor. My 2 cats were the same.

other stuff, I think the pain on some parts of of your body in late PG was a shock.
I got skin tags with DS - bleck
my legs got more hairy with DS.

DD was a vag birth & was amazed at the pain @ the end part of labor. that was crazy.

DS was an emergency C & the lack of bodily function control was nasty (on day 2 after birth)

the extra pooping was a trip/
I peed my pants so much with DS towards the end -
I was huge with him & I also has horrible ligament streching pain with him

[NewMomNicole]

I love my pets no matter what & loved them even more after I gave birth.

I'm really glad to read this. The most surprising thing so far has been all the stuff about pets - we love our little guy. I realize priorities change but he's been such a good companion to me. We adopted him in a time when we'd just moved and had no local friends or family. He's been my buddy when my husband's been away. We've spent a lot of time together and it made me very sad to think that our sweet friendship would dry up after baby comes.

I'm due with our first in Feb and I was just so so upset to think his special place in our family might be coming to an end. He's just such a great little guy! I know he's just some dog to other people but he's family to us.

[nepenthesea]

Originally Posted by NewMomNicole

I'm really glad to read this. The most surprising thing so far has been all the stuff about pets - we love our little guy. I realize priorities change but he's been such a good companion to me. We adopted him in a time when we'd just moved and had no local friends or family. He's been my buddy when my husband's been away. We've spent a lot of time together and it made me very sad to think that our sweet friendship would dry up after baby comes.

I'm due with our first in Feb and I was just so so upset to think his special place in our family might be coming to an end. He's just such a great little guy! I know he's just some dog to other people but he's family to us.

This is bothering me, too. In fact, I cried when I read about it. I can't stand thinking that I won't care about my little pet family anymore when the baby comes. I had never even heard of this happening until I saw this thread.

[Carley]

^Totally. We picked up our beautiful dobergirl from the pound. A family surrendered her because after breeding her for 4 years she became "too much" after they had their own baby. She had JUST had a litter of her own when they left her, her tits and vulva were so swollen! It makes me so sad.

I can't imagine ever being in that place, but reading some of the experiences here I can only express thanks to that family for having the courage to give her up (although a NO KILL shelter or rescue group would have been more thoughtful) so that we could give her the home she deserves.

She is a constant help to me during my pregnancy. I know she will be a wonderful helper when the baby comes. I can't imagine ever resenting her or the cats who provide endless humor and entertainment to our house.

[grace's voice]

Now, now ya'll! I didn't say I stopped LOVING my kitties! But the relationship did change... so did one of my cats. It was irritating that she decided the whole house was a litter box about 4 months before dd came, and when I had an infant to care for I really didn't have much patience for that (esp finding pee on new baby stuff). Also, she went into heat A LOT... like about ever 2 weeks, and would roll around chirping loudly non-stop (she was a maincoon and VERY vocal). With an infant who would wake up if a gentle breeze blew through the room, this was rough. Shortly after our youngest kitty, Trinity (Trinny Cat ) somehow got on the balcony, went onto the roof of our building and we couldn't find her. We never saw her again. Several months later we had to move in with my ex's parents and couldn't bring Saqqara with us, so we gave her to a friend (and she ran away from thier house). It was really hard to lose them, and I cried for quite sometime. I've cared for upward of 40 cats in my life, and loved every one of them... but after baby, the relationship did changes. I had far less tolerance.


A couple more things that came to mind. I wish I would have known:

1) That not everyone has light or an absence of menses while bfing. I got my cycle back at 8 weeks post pardum and continued to have heavier periods than I ever thought possible up until the pregnancy. I never dreamed I'd have to used tampons and pads at the SAME TIME, and need to change both every 2-4 hours!

2) That my girl parts would change. Not just internally, but externally as well. I was so embarrased when I came out of it looking like my happy place had sprouted a tongue when I stood naked. One side of my labia is now about 6x larger than the other. After several years of thinking I was a freak, my sister told me she's that way too... and she doesn't even have kids. I feel better now

3) That it hurts to deliver the placenta. Labor is not over when the baby comes out.

4) That bfing can hurt tremendously, even if you're doing everything right... but getting the baby a chiropractic adjustment can save your nipples. It can also cure colic.

5) You don't HAVE to be nice as ppl repeatedly pressure you to vax/bottle feed/put your baby in a crib/etc. it's okay to lay down the law.

[lara1828]

How hungry I would be after the deed was over. Next time I'm planning to have all my favorite foods at the ready