Things They Didn't Tell Me About Pregnancy/Birth/Momming

Or maybe someone did tell me, but I didn't listen, or didn't fully appreciate it until I experienced it myself.

*When they "check how dilated" you are, it's not just a look and see. It feels like a semi truck is being shot up your hoo-ha. 

 I experienced this joy when I went to the hospital, in labor, and they checked me. Holy balls, I thought the contractions were bad...

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*That after an epidural, you reeeeally can't feel your lower half (and thank goodness for that during!), but even hours later when things are wearing off and you feel like you might be ready to go pee....that bladder is full and you may pee all over the floor when you stand up. 

I don't know this from experience or anything (but I do) #realtalk

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*Post Partum hair loss. Ok--this one I knew about, but I did NOT know that it lasts months and months and it is legit LOSS. I brush my hair, and there's hair on the floor. Everytime I look down, there's hair on my shirt, in Ella's hand...all around. Almost 6 months post baby, and it's still happening. 

I originally thought this was kind of a short term, week or two kind of thing. Nope!

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*If you have Gestational Diabetes, they check your blood sugar every hour while you're in labor. Finger pricks every hour in addition to labor pain. Blah. And after you give birth, they check baby's blood sugar with heel sticks. Most heart breaking thing ever.

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*Breastfeeding is hard, even when it's not horrible. Another one I "knew" people said could be hard, but I never realized HOW hard. I don't think I've met one person who breastfeeding just worked for right off the bat. 

Ella latched right away and I thought we were good. And then she latched again, and again, and again...and my nips! Ohhhhh my nips! They hurt touching your bra, a shirt, the towel after a shower...

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The majority of my post-partum tears were surrounding breast feeding. For something that is supposed to be so natural and ingrained in nature...it sure as heck can/does have a LOT of hiccups associated with it!

*Mastitis. I never heard about this until I started breastfeeding and I'd only hear rumblings about it. You didn't want it, it was awful, etc. Well, let me tell you, IT IS THE WORST! You feel like you have the flu, your boob hurts, and the best thing for it is to have baby nurse, which hurts reeeeeeeally bad. 

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It's even more fun when you get it on vacation. Ask me how I know this.

*Leaving the house with a newborn is tough. I remember thinking "I'm gonna go out all the time and take baby with me" and basically just live my normal pre-baby life, just with my baby alongside. WRONG! Getting out of the house with a newborn is TOUGH. You try and schedule it around eating, you're nervous about baby crying, or a plethora of other things that could go wrong. It was (and sometimes still is) more stressful than I ever thought it would be.

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All of this seems negative, but it's not, I promise!

The whole experience of having a baby is new and uncharted territory. And I'm sure if/when we have a second, that will be uncharted as well, because we will be doing it with more than one.

Even though there are some really tough things, it gets easier, and you just adjust to always being on your toes, because every day is different, and each stage brings its own challenges. I'm thankful for other mom friends to text/call/hang out with because  they help get you through the bumps in the road, offer advice or things to try, or a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes it feels lonely when you look on Instagram and all you see is happy mom/baby photos and you're in the thick of it. So for all of you new, or soon-to-be mamas, you're not alone. 

Ella has been our greatest gift, by far. And I'd do all of this all over again in order to have her :)

(See, I ended on some sap for you! haha)

What were the things they didn't tell YOU about babies/pregnancy/giving birth??