Before or during my first pregnancy I wish I had known....

[Chesna]

With sooo many people trying to concieve or thinking about it..I thought why not give air to a thread to get them thinking on the right path.....my hope is that it won't turn into a the pain was soo horrible thread..but more a thread that speaks to what you found out the hard way..let me start...

1) I wish I would have known the time flew by to enjoy it

2) I wish I would have known to have less people in the delivery room

3) I wish I would have known to try on maternity clothes before you buy them....and not by them at 8 weeks

I'll think of more..so lets add!!


Chensa

[Libris]

2) I wish I would have known to have less people in the delivery room

Chensa

OOh, this is helpful! I was just wondering who to let in the delivery room. Can I ask how many people you had and what you thought of it?

I need my mom and husband there with me, but I'm afraid a bunch of other people will be coming in and out and I won't be able to concentrate at all.

Thanks for starting this thread!

Jessica

[Kalika]

...to enjoy the time that hubby and I had together before the baby arrived - every single quiet second.

...to sleep in whenever possible.

...to relax and do the things I enjoyed.

...to save $$$!!! (Always save more than you think you need... but if you can't... you'll still figure out a way to make things work. :p )

...not to stress about the things I have no control over. (SIDS, birth defects, etc.)

...expensive maternity clothes don't make you a better person or mom-to-be. (This is more for some people I used to work with... :lol: )

...same with the most expensive baby gear.

...family first; work second. ALWAYS.

...eat healthy and stay active during your pregnancy. You'll feel better after the munchkin arrives if you do.

...don't sweat the small stuff. ;)


I'm sure there are more... but that's enough for now.

I was just wondering who to let in the delivery room. Can I ask how many people you had and what you thought of it?

I need my mom and husband there with me, but I'm afraid a bunch of other people will be coming in and out and I won't be able to concentrate at all.


Jessica

I had my mom and husband there with me while I actually delivered. (Doctor and nurse too, of course. :lol: ) Other people were allowed to come and go, but not linger, until the active labor started. Anyone that would stress me out... had to stay away altogether. :lol:

Whatever you choose, make your wishes clear from the get-go - your comfort is more important than their unhappiness at not being in the delivery room for the birth. ;)

[Chesna]

OOh, this is helpful! I was just wondering who to let in the delivery room. Can I ask how many people you had and what you thought of it?

I need my mom and husband there with me, but I'm afraid a bunch of other people will be coming in and out and I won't be able to concentrate at all.

Thanks for starting this thread!

Jessica


While I was in labor I had my parents (mom and dad), my inlaws- (mom, dad and sis in law and sometimes her 2 kids) while I was giving birth just my mom and my mother inlaw. This time around..just my mom and mother in law...no others...too stressful..never got to rest....
Your welcome.....I hope this will be a valuable thread for all.

Chesna

[LacyRoze]

OOh, this is helpful! I was just wondering who to let in the delivery room. Can I ask how many people you had and what you thought of it?

Jessica

With my first child my husband in the army and unable to be with me. His sister was my labor coach and I thank the heavens for her. I made the mistake of allowing my mom in with me. I never made that mistake again. Let me explain. My mother and I are complete opposites and view things quite differently. We have butted heads all our lives and I should have known that this would be no different. I chose natural childbirth, she's a firm believer in pain meds. She is always worried about appearances and thought I should look my best during labor and delivery, I didn't care what I looked like, I was just trying to get thru it....Moral of my story,,, If you and your mother normally stress each other out, it's not a good idea to have her with you....

[Chesna]

I wish I had known there is no such thing as a little question or dumb question to ask the doctor

I wish I had known it was ok to be the mom I wanted to be and not what others thought I should be

I wish I had known to scotch guard the carpet in the baby's room...makes spit up and throw up easier to clean.

[Tzhebee]

OOh, this is helpful! I was just wondering who to let in the delivery room. Can I ask how many people you had and what you thought of it?
:lol: My first delivery had my doctor, a student doctor, 2 nurses, my mom, sister, brother, dad, Aunt (who was video taping), uncle and 4 cousins. :)

My second birth had a random on-call doctor, 3 nurses, my fiance, my best friend, my mom, his mom, his gramma, my gramma, a male co-worker, a gal off my softball team and 4 other friends waiting just outside the room. :lol:

Yeah, I'm just one of those shy gals I guess.

As to the original post; things I wish I would have known:
1- You CAN'T have too many diapers
2- Yes, you CAN have too many clothes
3- Baby wipes are a mom's best friend (and this continues well into the school-age years)
4- It's OK if you don't have time to sanitize every single item that goes near baby.
5- That "gross" suction bulb thingy is actually very handy to have (although the baby will HATE it)
6- The "birthing ball" is worth the cost and even if you stop using it, the baby will love it when s/he becomes a toddler. :hehehehe:

[Yvonne Belisle]

Keep in shape I didn't and I am still paying the price.

Baby clothes will get messed up so not everything has to be new.

Burp rags are a nessesity of life with a baby because they will get sick when you are in a hurry and don't have time to change your shirt.

No mother is perfect you will make mistakes.

There is more than one right way to do things for the baby.

Have confidence in the feeding method you choose.

Interview your sitter before the baby gets here.

Keep a life outside of the baby, balance is nessisary for both of you.

There is a right way and a wrong way to have a baby the wrong way is the one that makes YOU feel uncomfortable with the situation. The right way is not nessisarily the way you are told to do it.

[SSanf]

I wish I would have known how short those long days and nights would seem in retrospect 18 years later when your child leaves home to try to make it on their own for the first time.

[Marcasite]

ooh neat thread :) good advice everyone!

[DixieWitch]

I wish I had known that 13 years would go by faster than what it has :( My son will be 13 in October. That's really all for the the first....

With the 2nd...
I wish I had known 4 years would have gone by so fast.
To lose those last 10 pounds before getting pregnant the 3rd time.
To lose those last 10 pounds plus 10-15 more!!!!

Of everything that's gone on, I wish I had more time the past few years.

[Lunacie]

I wish I'd been able to take a LaMaze or Bradley class. I wish I had known that some women have "camel-back" contractions and horrible back labor.

I wish I hadn't been too shy to ask questions of the doctor and the nurses.

I wish I hadn't gotten an episiotomy.



I'm glad I breast fed.

I'm glad I got to go to LaMaze classes with my daughter when she was pregnant.

I'm so very glad I got to be there when my grandchildren were born.

[cloudspanther]

a Good swing is a mothers best friend.

peppermint candy canes are great for gassy babies all yr round

if people offer to watch the baby so you can do whatever, get it in writing.
and take them up on it.

just cause someone tells you about how their birth was this that or the other things, doesnt mean it will happen to you

dont worry if you havent figured the name out before the baby is born, you will figure it out when you see your child

it is true, reguardless of the labor, you see the kid and boom you forget. Try to remember some of it so you dont have another one tooooo soon.

not all babies are the same, some sleep sooner than others, trust yourself to know your baby

a great ped doctor is your best friend, they will ask you and actually listen to what you have to say before they decide things.

enjoy those quiet moments when you and your child are just laying there looking at each other, soon enough they are yelling that you just DONT understand.

breastfeeding is great but if you cant for some reason that doesnt make you a bad mother.

if breastfeeding remember to do the bottle at random times so that dad can take a night and let you sleep, plus the kid will actually take the bottle instead of using it like a projectile across the room

vomit can fly an amazing distance

nothing can smell as bad as the package that comes out of your beautiful little bundle of joy. ugh ack

while pregnant enjoy each day, find one good thing even if you have 24/7 morning sickness and you wish the world would stop turning green.


lady bless,
clouds
my oldest is 17, my youngest is 5 and I have 7 children on this earth and one angel girl.

[Lunacie]

it is true, reguardless of the labor, you see the kid and boom you forget. Try to remember some of it so you dont have another one tooooo soon.



That wasn't true for me. I remembered all too clearly for a very long time.

[Libris]

Thanks for all the input on the issue of people in the waiting room everyone!

Baby's not done 'cookin' yet but here's one:

*I wish I would have known (sooner) that mylanta and tums work wonders for the nasty taste you get in your mouth and the acid stomach of the first trimester

[Wytchie]

I wish I had known that vitamin E cream is (apparently) wonderful for preventing stretch marks!

I wish I had known that pregnant mums have special classes at the swimming pool...I went on my 2nd and 3rd pregnancies and it was soooo good to be in the water, especially later on as the water takes some of the weight of the 'bump'!

I wish someone had told me that you can buy 'body length' pillows, so much easier to sleep than propping myself up on about 4 or 5 regular ones...

Heartily agreeing with soooo much in this thread too...fantastic idea for a thread!:hahugh:

[Revilo]

AS before mentioned... I wish I had known to make the most of the time that flies by.

I wish I had known I would be too tired for my grandparents to visit me the very next day at my house....... blah go away everyone im tired and bonding and learning new things!

I wish I had known that baby baths are a waste of money... getting in holding your baby and getting wet and breastfeeding is a BLAST!!!!! (for mummy and daddy)

[debnmike]

Wonderful Idea for a Thread!

1. Eat well.....when you eat well, so does the baby

2. Drink lots of water...see #1

3. Rest NOW!!

4 Don't waste money on baby crud you really don't need (those stores will try and prey on fear of something happening to the baby if you don't buy this 1 item)

5. Your baby will still love you even if you can't breastfeed.

6. Realize you will not be back in your regular jeans immediatly.

7. Always make sure you have those nursing pads in your bra ('specially if you go to the supermarket and hear a baby crying in the next isle......don't ask)

8. The fact that you ask yourself if you are a good mom generally means you are....if you didn't care, you wouldn't ask.

9. You will be able to shower when your child turns 7.

10. Enjoy your baby--they grow up so so so fast.

Lil' advice from a mom of 2 boys 11 and 6, and step mom to my "bonus" kids (1 boy 1 girl), 10 and 6.

[Cat]

I wish I had ignored my husband and gotten a slipcover for the couch. Now it's ruined.

I wish I had remembered to give my husband explicit instructions on what to do during my labor. As it was he did what he thought was best for me, which wasn't always what I would have wanted.

I wish I had used a different hospital or made sure to meet all the midwives in the practice before I settled on them. As it was I ended up doing most of my labor with a woman I despised, and who did a a very bad job.

I also wish I'd taken a tour of the hospital and done some research. I was in a place with a great reputation but which had nursery staff who didn't watch the babies and no hot water for showers.

I wish I hadn't been so insecure about breastfeeding. I convinced myself I had a problem with production when I didn't, and promptly created one instead. Similarly I wish I'd joined la leche league. They would have helped, I think.

Other bits of random advice:

1) Do not tell anyone the name you have picked out. They will all feel free to comment. I made up a hideous name that I no longer recall and told everyone that.

2) With little kids its best if you aren't ever in a hurry. Leave yourself plenty of time to get everywhere and you will be less stressed, and they will be happier too.

3) Get a foldable cheap stroller for the car and leave it there.

4) If they have been quiet for longer than normal--go check on them. Its a sure sign they've gotten into something that you want to keep them away from.

5) Every kid is different. If your child doesn't follow the norm for walking, talking etc., don't worry. They develop at their own rate.

[Revilo]

I wish I had remembered to give my husband explicit instructions on what to do during my labor. As it was he did what he thought was best for me, which wasn't always what I would have wanted.

that is so true I remember thinking afterwards that it hadnt really gone how I wanted but I wasn't in a state to say anything.


1) Do not tell anyone the name you have picked out. They will all feel free to comment. I made up a hideous name that I no longer recall and told everyone that.


Yeah my sons paternal grandmother would comment on names and thus making me feel like I had picked something wrong, she still commented on his name once he was born but by this time it was up to her to like it or lump it.


7. Always make sure you have those nursing pads in your bra ('specially if you go to the supermarket and hear a baby crying in the next isle......don't ask)


so so so true... there's no other way to put it.

[Yvonne Belisle]

No matter how well prepared you think you are someone or something will get left out and forgotten. Don't sweat it.

Don't sweat the small stuff it isn't worth it.

[Chesna]

WOW!! Soo many great ideas!!!!
I did this for my first..and will with my second..wanted to pass it along...

It is ok to let the baby sleep in the nursery at night so you can get rested up..they will bring the baby to you if your breastfeeding.
I did this and was a bit refreshed when I went home. I feel I was able to get some rest..knowing in a few days the nights were all mine!!

Again..keep 'em coming!!!


Chesna

[Kalika]

WOW!! Soo many great ideas!!!!
I did this for my first..and will with my second..wanted to pass it along...

It is ok to let the baby sleep in the nursery at night so you can get rested up..they will bring the baby to you if your breastfeeding.
I did this and was a bit refreshed when I went home. I feel I was able to get some rest..knowing in a few days the nights were all mine!!

Again..keep 'em coming!!!


Chesna

DEFINITELY agree with this one. Don't let people make you feel bad if you want to send the baby to the nursery for awhile or the night so that you can rest. You being well rested is just as important to the baby's health as it is to your own.

[Shanti]

That boobs can become very big!! :foh:
And then sag like hell after they deflate when pg is over!!!8O

[Morr]

I love this thread.

I'm subscribing to it :D

Yay!


Thank you ladies!

I am looking forward to the day where I'll be printing all of this out for refrence as my tummy grows.

[LacyRoze]

It's ok to have weird cravings at 1 am...

It's ok to say you need help..

Everyone has an opinion on what is best for your baby. Go with your gut feeling..

It's ok to call the doc when you're not sure about something..

It's ok to go out with your hubby or SO after the baby is born. You are not neglecting your baby..

It's ok to not pick up the baby on the first cry...

It's ok to not spend a fortune on newborn clothes. They're going to outgrow them in no time anyway...

It's ok to let a baby lay naked on the blanket for a bit. That little bottom likes to be free from time to time...

It's ok to be tired and let someone else take over while you get a nap..

It's ok not to take your mother or MIL's advice...

[Chesna]

I love this thread.

I'm subscribing to it :D

Yay!


Thank you ladies!

I am looking forward to the day where I'll be printing all of this out for refrence as my tummy grows.

AAAHHH you make me blush sweetie!!!! I am soo glad this thread resonates with you and others.

Chesna

[LadyKaty]

It's perfectly okay to let your MIL know that her advice is not needed or wanted if she's butting in and being obnoxious. This is YOUR baby, not hers.

Same goes for your mother.

Take your pediatrician's advice before you listen to your mother or MIL. The last time your mother or MIL had a baby was twenty-something years ago, and things have changed.

If someone offers to help you out after you have the baby by coming in and cleaning, by all means LET THEM.

Don't let someone offer to "help" by holding the baby so YOU can clean. No, your job is to sit on the couch, or lay on your bed, with your new baby, learning all you can about him or her. If someone wants to actually help you, they'll do a load of laundry, make sure you eat and drink, clean up your kitchen, things like that. Holding the baby so that postpartum you can clean? That's not helping.

It's perfectly all right to disable your doorbell, lock your doors, and unplug the phones so you and Baby can nap.

Always remember to nap when the baby does....don't try to clean while the baby is napping, you'll just wear yourself out.

There is nothing wrong with greeting people who think they can pop in and visit because "you're home, you have nothing better to do," with, "No, it's not a good time, call before you want to come over, or I won't let you in," and firmly closing the door on them. You don't have to tolerate other peoples' rudeness.

There is nothing wrong with telling your mother, your aunt, your MIL, your grandmother, or anyone else, "We're not doing things that way. This is MY baby, I am the Mom, and what I say goes. End of discussion." if they get out of hand and even more pushy with their advice.

Weird cravings during pregnancy are a fact of life. It's okay if you want kosher dills with peanut butter, that's your choice. If someone gives you crap about your cravings, tell them, "Well, my doctor/midwife and I agree that everything in moderation is perfectly fine. What's your excuse for being so rude?"

Learn during pregnancy how not to take any crap off anybody. It makes being Mama Bear when you have to be SO much easier.

There is no such thing as a stupid question to your doctor or midwife, or the nurses. If you haven't been pregnant before, how do you know what it's like, or what to expect? Every pregnancy is different, so don't be afraid to ask questions like, "Is this normal? Should they look like that? Why is x, y, or z happening?"

Don't be afraid to TELL your husband/SO what you NEED. Don't let someone else dictate to you what they think you need. If you need to be soaking in a tub because the baby is laying on your spine, go soak in the tub! If you need him to apply counterpressure to your back to get the baby to move, tell him that's what you need!

[Libris]

Wow, these are all awesome! I'm printing them off and sticking them to the fridge :D

[debnmike]

Weird cravings during pregnancy are a fact of life . It's okay if you want kosher dills with peanut butter, that's your choice. If someone gives you crap about your cravings, tell them, "Well, my doctor/midwife and I agree that everything in moderation is perfectly fine. What's your excuse for being so rude?"



And look out when Egg McMuffins are on sale 2 for $2 and you have a $20 bill on ya........:)

[fahawk]

wish I had known-
- 1st ! to have a "someone" to help out... (besides hubby) ( so I could relax, sleep, or just cry on their shoulder, laugh, go out on a date with hubby

- to relax, to not worry about doing it the 'right' way

-to supplement occasionally ( yeah I know) but I needed the break and the sleep ( I was wicked sleep deprived)

- tell my 1st midwife I wanted to squat! and get baby OUT ~! ( I really wanted to- but didnt dare say so!)

[ladyalpha]

I wish with my first daughter that I had listened to the doctor when he told me:
1: Use cocoa butter lotion all the time. It helps with stretch marks by keeping the skin moisturized while stretching.
2. To Always wear a bra. (My breasts got three times their regular size during pregnancy/post-pregnancy). He suggested to even shower in one, to reduce sagging. It might not have worked, but would have kept me from wondering 9 years later. lol

A tip to those who do not want many people in the room during delivery, or don't want certain people in..
Let your doctor know who you want in and don't. They can be the "bad guy" and you won't have to deal with anyone being upset with you. (Something I learned from my first doctor).

[HorseCrow]

Great thread. It needs a sticky, uno momento.....

[Morr]

The thread has been successfully stuck!

[DreamSpell333]

I really cant think of many things I wish i knew. Other than I wish I'd known that labor with your first can soemtimes take FOREVER!! like in my case : went into labor saturday morning, had her Monday night!! and I wish I had told/asked my husband to stay with me overnight to help out with hannah. I didnt mind feeding her etc, I was just tired,and even after the nurses took her for awhile. I was just really blue/lonely. Didnt help that they had me watch tapes on postpardum depression.

With my first. I had my parents and my husbands mother and my husband in the room with me. my father did give me my privacy when It was time to push, and stood behind the curtain.

[Chesna]

Great thread. It needs a sticky, uno momento.....

Aww thanks!! My first one ever stuck!!

Some others I thought of:'
If you live in the US find your nearest car seat safety check andhave your seat checked out after the baby is born-- we did and find out we need extra padding to keep our daughter in the right position.

Have as much clothes washed abd put away before the baby arrives soyour not doing that after

Realize that labor is not a sprint, but a marathin..nd when it is happening..YOU ARE THE BOSS!!!

I wish I knew how wacky my hormones were gonna get..so when I am crying on the kitchen floor after the baby was homeI wasn't scared. I spent too much time crying and being frustrated about it..I was not enjoying motherhood.

One of the best things you van do for yourself and the baby...time apart..eiother an hour or two or a day or two..its good for everyone. My mom and dad have taken my daughter for a weekend every MONTH since she was 7 weeks old!! It helped me sleep and my parents bond with their grandchild.

Have about a 2 month supply of diapers ready..that way your not running around..and stock up during sales at Walmart or Target!!

Chesna

[Chesna]

I just thought of this one:

I wish someone would of warned me about those so called "pads" you wear after a vaginal birth!!! That, and no one prepared me for how sore and weak my abs would be. so when I peed my SO not only had to help me wipe, he had to change that "pad" and help me pullup those funky netting undies!!! Maybe my hospital was the only one who uses them, but I was in no way prepared for that!!

Chesna

[Morr]

I just thought of this one:

I wish someone would of warned me about those so called "pads" you wear after a vaginal birth!!! That, and no one prepared me for how sore and weak my abs would be. so when I peed my SO not only had to help me wipe, he had to change that "pad" and help me pullup those funky netting undies!!! Maybe my hospital was the only one who uses them, but I was in no way prepared for that!!

Chesna


:foh:


:sadeyes:


_inabox_

[Chesna]

:foh:


:sadeyes:


_inabox_


I did not mean to scare you!!! :hugz: Like I said Iwas unprepared...It sounds worse that it was..I think...
Does anyone have anything to ad or subtract from this one??

Chesna

[Morr]

I did not mean to scare you!!! :hugz: Like I said Iwas unprepared...It sounds worse that it was..I think...
Does anyone have anything to ad or subtract from this one??

Chesna


LOL it did sound scary.

I dont know, the more I read about being ripped, and stiched, and then abdoman pain, and special pads, and not being able to wipe down there after I pee...

Is it REALLY worth it?!

Maybe I should just ask for an automatic c-section.. _inabox_
Knowing semi, we'll have a big baby to begin with anyways LOL

Oh well.. I have several more months to get over it before semi and I get the official green light to start ttc...

[DreamSpell333]

I just thought of this one:

I wish someone would of warned me about those so called "pads" you wear after a vaginal birth!!! That, and no one prepared me for how sore and weak my abs would be. so when I peed my SO not only had to help me wipe, he had to change that "pad" and help me pullup those funky netting undies!!! Maybe my hospital was the only one who uses them, but I was in no way prepared for that!!

Chesna

Yea those pads are tricky. Both hospitals that I have been to. New hampshire with hannah and university hospital with olivia,both used those netting underwear. they call them disposible underwear here. I actually thought they were great,as they were easy to clean. Just rinse and dry. I didnt want to stain my own underwear. I even brought a few pairs home until my flow slowed down/pads too..

I also didnt know that your outside vaginal area would lbe swollen. atleast mine was. all puffy. I think I freaked out about it lol

I was born an aunt,and always babysat,so when i had hannah I thought i'd be a pro., But i was scared too. It's definitely something you dont learn right away. It takes alittle adjusting,but you get the hang of it. thats another reason i wish my husband had been with me the first night.. Instead he was home drinking and smoking cigars (celebrating)
After this baby is born.. Im getting a babysitter for a night and were going out. I want a long island iced Tea!! :D

[ladyalpha]

I didn't have any problems with the pads or special panties they gave at the hospital. The first hospital I gave birth in (I had all three in different states) I was given directions on how to keep myself clean with anti-bacterial soap and a squirt bottle. I did this until my stitches healed and absorbed.
I also didn't have a problem with wiping after any of the kids. You pat rather than rub..but that is better for that area anyway in my opinion. (Stitches depend on the hospital/doctor too. I was cut with my first daughter. But with my other two children I was left to left alone and I only had one stitch with my second child..none with my third. You can do massages to keep from having to be cut at birth).

The first time you use the bathroom after giving birth, you more than likely won't actually need to go (if you aren't numbed by an epidural and can actually feel that need right away). Rather the bladder gets bruised from giving birth. It does hurt when you try to go to the bathroom the first and second time. The second time you feel you need to use the bathroom, you will more than likely actually have to go. I equated the pain with the pain of a UTI. You just take it slowly the first couple of times and then that pain goes away.

C-sections have their own problems and pain involved. You would have to learn to deal with pain as you stand up and stand up straight. Gas pain, I have heard, can be extremely intense. However, my friend who had three of them, found that by the third one she didn't care any more. lol She was up making the bed for something to do after a couple of days.
I think it depends on your pain threshold no matter how you give birth and the hospital staff. And, yes..most days it is worth going through it all. lol

[Morr]

Yeah, I'll get back to you ladies, about a year and a half from now...

[DreamSpell333]

LOL it did sound scary.

I dont know, the more I read about being ripped, and stiched, and then abdoman pain, and special pads, and not being able to wipe down there after I pee...

Is it REALLY worth it?!

Maybe I should just ask for an automatic c-section.. _inabox_
Knowing semi, we'll have a big baby to begin with anyways LOL

Oh well.. I have several more months to get over it before semi and I get the official green light to start ttc...

I was afraid with hannah too,but it really isnt as bad as it sounds. My labor was intense and I had a epistiomy (sp?) , but once she was out. It was all worth it. The pain goes away. With the small incision they had to make,I didnt feel it as they use a numbing gel,plus the pressure of the babies head tends to numb. The sitz bath was wonderful. They give you this bowl type container,you fill with warm water and it fits in the toilet and you sit down and it sooths the incision. You also will get a episitomy bottle to cleanse the area. wiping is alittle painful at first. You just have to do it slowly,but that too heals.

So morr,dont be scared. The labor may be hard,but when you hold that baby it's all worth it.. Everyone is different though,so what one of us went through,might not be the same for you. :) :hugz:

[Morr]

Hehehe, thanks DS :)

Well, I DO have a piercing down there and in my nipple... And I lived through 3 hours of being tattooed...

So.. We'll see.. Worse comes to worse, semi will have to bare my wrath.

[DreamSpell333]

Hehehe, thanks DS :)

Well, I DO have a piercing down there and in my nipple... And I lived through 3 hours of being tattooed...

So.. We'll see.. Worse comes to worse, semi will have to bare my wrath.

No problem, morr :D
The peircing down there will probably have to come out before you deliver.. Wouldnt want to make it more painful. :) not sure about the nipple ring,unless you decide to breastfeed. Tattoos are permanent,but if it's on your belly area,plan for it to be stretched out! :) lol

I know alot of women who have fun when their belly gets big and paints their belly's. that parts fun. :D Dont forget the shopping and decorating! :D :hugz: you've got plenty of time to prepare :)

[Morr]

Well, my piercing down there is in my Clitoral Hood. So I might not have to take it out, since the skin that covers the clit is pierced, and the baby comes out in an area under that LOL So HOPEFULLY I wont have to take it out.

I WILL take my nipple piercing out, I do want to breastfeed.

And no, I dont have my stomach tattooed, I always knew I want kids, so I never did it.

:)

[ladyalpha]

My cousin has a sunburst on her stomach around her naval. It looked really cool when she got real big with her daughter.

[Morr]

Question is, what happened to it after she had her child?

[Chesna]

Yea..I had no problems with them..just wasn't prepared for them and how weak and sore my abs were. My hubby, bless his soul, was very patient and helpful in that regard. Maybe they talked about it in my labor class and I just blocked it out!!




Is it REALLY worth it?!



Soo much soo..its hard to put it into words......
It's like when you see that child you are instantly in love and you are sooo overwhelemd..its just amazing!!!
Trust me sweetie..it is and we will all be here to help and support you!!!!

Chesna

[LadyTrinity]

When I was pregnant I wish I had known that I didnt have to eat alot for the baby to live. If I knew it was safe to only eat veggies, fruits and a small portion of chicken and that would be enough for me and baby.. it would have kept my weight at a normal level instead of me gaining 50 lbs. :awilly:

[ladyalpha]

Question is, what happened to it after she had her child?

Actually, it is the same now as when she first got it. This is her first child, and her daughter is 3 now, so that might be why.

[HorseCrow]

I wish someone had told me to only buy WHITE nursing/breastfeeding tops and bras- because white milkstains from leakage sure don't look pretty on other colours....

[talamh]

I wish I had started singing songs to my baby long before he was born so that after he was born he already knew the lullabys and would recognize them as something familiar in the whole new, strange and scary world he was suddenly born into. Being born must be quite a shock.. suddenly everything is different. If I had sung to him before he was born he would have known the songs as well as he knew my heartbeat.

[Upside Daisy Down]

My advice...

Cherish those early years...cherish the moments when you communicate without words...even the crying/upallnight ones...

Because before you know it, your baby will be a kid who is forming her own identity, her own opinions, her own way of communicating...there is never any quiet...and by the time they turn into teenagers, their communications are likely to be more ugly than loving...

[Lunacie]

I loved watching my daughter grow into her own unique personality. I enjoyed talking to her and sharing our opinions with each other. Yeah, it was scary when she came to us to tell us she had been detained by the police for shoplifting, but she did talk to us and she learned her lesson from that. When our communications became ugly it was usually our fault (mom's and dad's) and not hers.

I'm trying to remember what that was like as I help to raise my grandchildren. Things are certainly noisier with two of them, but there are twice as many hugs and two different personalities to explore and get to know. I love watching kids grow up and grow into themselves.

[binah06]

I wish I had known the bad repuatation my local hospitals maternaty ward has. I would have gone elsewhere. In the end I should have sued.

I wish I hadnt worried so many nights about have enough of everything.

I wish I had enjoyed my free time more.

[kardell]

I wish someone had told me that babies have to learn to suck when they are born and it takes a while for them to latch on, no one told me this and i got angry and frustrated trying to breastfeed and thought i wasnt doing it right or he just wouldnt take my breast so i went onto bottles which still makes me angry and guilty.

i agree about making the most of your free time, do lots and lots of me things.

[SnugglePumpkin]

this thread is really great :)

[RhaevynEmber]

I have learnt.....

~ That just because you are a young mum it does not mean you are incompetent - not matter how many times the nurses, family or random people tell you over and over and over :yikess:


~ Mattress protectors are GOLDEN!!!!


~ To choose the delivery that is right for YOU!!! Not your SO or Mother, MIL, Auntie, Uncle or old Mrs Patterson down the street :hahugh:


~ Go out after you have the baby - even if you feel guilty about leaving - trust me it'll do you both the world of good. :wave:


~ Dont leave a baby alone with baby powder - it can get messy - real messy lol

~ You can have the same bond with your baby even if you dont breastfeed.



I love this thread:boing:

[Morr]

I wish I had known that by the time I got to mid 2nd trimester I would never again get a good nights rest for more than 2-3 hours at a time, the longest!

before I hit mid pregnancy, even with all the trips to the bathroom at night, I could still somehow make it through 6 whole hours of sleep without waking up (of course, I'd rush to the bathroom the moment I woke up).

Nowadays (I am 23 weeks pregnant), I am lucky if I get through 2 whole hours of sleep between waking up. Then, I have to get comfortable again, which is ANOTHER thing I wish I had some warning about. It gets SO uncomfortable to sleep sometimes. It's always SOMETHING that is bothering you... Back... or arm gets in the way... or your knees... or your belly feels heavy..

If I go through 3 whole hours of sleep without waking up to go to the bathroom or because I am uncomfortable (or because one of the cats decided they WILL sleep in the middle of my side of the bed, come hell or high water!), I am in shock. This happens rarely these days.

So really, I figured that from now till the baby actually sleeps through the night -- I wont get the long, good night's sleep I used to get.

*yawn*

I was told the lack of sleep pays off at the end, and that this whole thing is worth it.

Let me get back to you on that in a few months ;)

[Autumn]

_inabox_I wish I had known that by the time I got to mid 2nd trimester I would never again get a good nights rest for more than 2-3 hours at a time, the longest!

before I hit mid pregnancy, even with all the trips to the bathroom at night, I could still somehow make it through 6 whole hours of sleep without waking up (of course, I'd rush to the bathroom the moment I woke up).

Nowadays (I am 23 weeks pregnant), I am lucky if I get through 2 whole hours of sleep between waking up. Then, I have to get comfortable again, which is ANOTHER thing I wish I had some warning about. It gets SO uncomfortable to sleep sometimes. It's always SOMETHING that is bothering you... Back... or arm gets in the way... or your knees... or your belly feels heavy..

If I go through 3 whole hours of sleep without waking up to go to the bathroom or because I am uncomfortable (or because one of the cats decided they WILL sleep in the middle of my side of the bed, come hell or high water!), I am in shock. This happens rarely these days.

So really, I figured that from now till the baby actually sleeps through the night -- I wont get the long, good night's sleep I used to get.

*yawn*

I was told the lack of sleep pays off at the end, and that this whole thing is worth it.

Let me get back to you on that in a few months ;)

:yayah: I've heard that interrupted sleep in pregnancy is the Goddess's way of getting mom accustomed to functioning on less sleep and more time getting up in the night! *is teasing Morr...to some extent* The good news is after you recover from birth the sleep you do get will be more restful! Gotta go, mine just woke up

[Morr]

Heheh.

Well, that does make sense!

[Morr]

Hemmeroids.



*insert curse words here*


Thankfully, I am only experiencing a mild case of this... THING... But, my Gods, how annoying and a literal PAIN IN THE ASS!!


GRRRRR...

[dragoncrone]

...how TOTALLY NOT INTERESTED IN SEX I WOULD BE for about two months, what with being exhausted, stressed, and sore.
That way I could have warned the ol' man and maybe he wouldn't have acted like such a whiny martyr.

[Yvonne Belisle]

I'm sitting here rereading this thread and realize the last time I posted in it was a month before child number five got here. Now I am pregnant with child number six and have two step children. I have learned so much on my way to get to where I am now. This thread would have been a lifesaver during my first pregnancy when I knew nothing except that I wanted that baby more than anything in the world and I misscarried twice before I stayed pregnant. I have learned something after my youngest son was born. www.freecycle.org can be a blessing. This site let me get everything I wanted for baby never mind needed because kids grow so fast. The things weren't new but most were barely used and the lack of stress from not needing to buy things made a big difference.

Even after four kids I was unprepared for 24 hours of labor. It still went fine.
Never have just one of anything your baby is attatched to! If you have a copy of that special pacifier or stuffed animal or blanket it can save you hours of heartache and stress.