What did no one tell you about birth/postpartum that you learned the hard way? - Page 9

[Mama2 '05'06]

No one told me that my arms would hurt so bad. Also, I did not know that you can actually break your tailbone! Or that the narcotic to "take the edge off" will make you vomit and feel like you have lost your mind:

[tmhorn]

breastfeeding

No one told me that my first couple of weeks of let downs would hurt so bad. It felt like the pumping mechanism in my breasts was clenching every time I let down. Ouchie!

Oh well!

BTW - Alex is 27 months old and STILL breastfeeding. Proud of myself.

[WinterBaby]

Originally Posted by tmhorn

No one told me that my first couple of weeks of let downs would hurt so bad. It felt like the pumping mechanism in my breasts was clenching every time I let down. Ouchie!

Haha! I'd forgotten how let down hurt in the early months. Felt like burning in my breasts intense enough to make me wrap my arms around them and go "ooooooo!" Certainly I don't think anyone had mentioned that possibility. They kept talking about letdown like a pleasant thing, lol.

[mirandahope]

Regarding pre-labour: that it can go on for weeks and not result in a baby! I thought a couple of days maybe, but 3 weeks later I am still waiting!!

[AngelaB]

That just because the 10 pound baby didnt hurt during the pushing phase, as in it felt good to push and no ring of fire, doesnt mean that the 6 pound 10 oz babe wont hurt way way worse, like Im splitting in half kind of hurt and a ring of fire from hell! It must have been the positioning but man it was intense, totally worth it but not what I expected at all.
~Angela~

[Emilie]

that if you birth in a hospital they might make you pee in a bed pan while a rude nurse stands there and hands you toilet paper- then you have to hand it back to her after you use it and then she empties your urine. And glares at you.

[luvmygio]

spiking a fever when my milk came in

No one told me about the fever that occompanies milk coming in... I got night sweats so bad from the fever, I had to change my clothing. I thought I was going through withdrawls from the pain meds (c section)

[AnditheBee]

-that I would be unable to think clearly/decisively/assertively in the immediate post-partum period, so I should have been more prepared for decisions I might have to make

-that 2 rounds of antibiotics meant I would be more susceptible to yeast afterward (duh!!)

-that I should have refused the second round of abx (see previous two items)

-that you can get post-partum hemorrhoids even if you didn't have a vaginal birth (YEOW!)

-not to buy the generic witch hazel pads...Tucks work best!

-that my belly would look like elephant skin afterward! (On second thought, I'm glad no one dropped that one on me beforehand... )

-about BABY BRAIN!!! and that I therefore shouldn't try to balance the checkbook or make major purchases until the baby's at least 7 or 8 months old!

[henhao]

about milk brain
about bleeding after for 6 weeks
about not being able to walk up stairs or even down the block
that i could get such bad anemia
that i could lose so much blood

[Lizzardbits]

I wish I knew that after having an epidural free birth, my legs still did not want to function right and that I crawled to the bath tub

having a hot Hot HOT whirlpool bath right after birth to clean up is not a good idea 1) it made me feel more faint than i already was 2) it COOKS your blood and it floats around at the top of the bubbles

Tepid baths are so much better for PP during lochia flow time.

that even though i was fanatical about Kegeling before both births, that for several weeks after birth, I would feel like ALL of my female insides and my intestines felt like they wanted to fall right out of my vagina, yes, most definateately a falling out kind of sensation.

that being a new mother is leaky business, that lovely lochia flow, breasts leaking, and hormones that made my eyes leak all the time, and the all over bodysweat leaking. My water bottle was one of my bestfriends at that time.

that even with a healthy baby, I'd mourn the loss of being pregnant. I would have dreams that I'd absorb my newborn back into my body, usually via my belly button, and I could continue being happily pregnant.

How odd that pregnancy and PP dreams can be.

That i would be so tired that i would halucinate and try and stick my nipple in my baby's eye and be confused why she wasn't latching on.

That my body can grow a child both in utero and with my milk.

That I could fall totally and utterly in love with each child and know beyond a doubt that I would forefit my life to save theirs if need be. The Love is so fulfilling yet overpowering at times, but I would never take away any of the intensity.

[joyfilledmomma]

1. All of the lovely hormones that make you feel so great and even energetic after birth will wear off and day #2 postpartum will be a lot more difficult so...don't try to go anywhere or do anything! We took dd to the pediatrician as per our midwife's request on day #2 and I almost passed out! Of course the grumpy pediatrician we had to see (our super friendly one was not in that day) said "honey if you had the baby in the hospital you'd still be there and this wouldn't be an issue!"...grrrrrrrrrr!: I think she was almost annoyed to report that dd was perfectly healthy since I did not have a hospital birth!

2. Breastfeeding is hard and you should have a plan in place before the birth in case it does not go well because you will not be mentally prepared to deal with it postpartum. I loved my midwife, but she could only do so much in this area... I'm so thankful for my mom who took charge and got a lactation consultant to our house so that I did not lose my mind and so that dd never had to have a drop of formula.

[KindRedSpirit]

That every birth is SO different.

That you can feel your heart physically stretch to fit all the individual love for each of your dc's.

That births can get longer after the first-2 hr.20 min to 6 hr to 16 hr.to what has felt like over a week so far...

The baseball sized clots

using/ eating your placenta could have stopped the hemmorage after your first birth!Why did nobody offer this?

Making supplements with your third baby's placenta,and taking them can give you the same insomnia you had in pregnancy!(Yeah,who would have thought,huh?)

The after pains,and of couse they are WAY WAY WAY worse when tandem nursing!

Water is great for labor,but not always the best for birth.

You can be totally high for weeks after one birth,and hate everything after another.

There is no substitute for true,great support,and finding it at the right time is really hard,and maybe just luck.

Your body knows what your mind does not.

intuition is there,but you may need to learn WHERE.

it's easy to forget all about the placenta having to come out,once you see or hold your baby.

A plan is good,but make about 3 good backups and maybe use a bit from each.

A postpartum plan is as good to have as a birth plan.It could take years to re-learn how to articulate a need...

Hospitals are for when you really need them.Most of us never will,and our routeinly using them could be interfering with the care of the few who will.I learn this more after every birth.

sleep when baby sleeps!Really.

stay in bed for a few days.see all the movies you always wanted to,read a few books,play chess,or other games...It's a party,and you are the guests of honor!

kids totally understand birth.