A Poll: What surprised you?

My baby is presently 3 weeks old and since I'm spending a lot of time in the
recliner nursing lately, I have had time to ponder lots of things :-) I was
reflecting on the surprises that this whole pregnancy/birth/motherhood thing
has presented to me and it made me curious about the experiences of the rest
of the group. I also thought it might be handy info for all of the
first-time moms-to-be out there to read and think about.

So....What surprised you about:

1. Pregnancy (first timers are welcome to answer as well!)
2. Labor/Birth
3. Postpartum recovery/adjustment
4. New motherhood

"Em" wrote in message
news:HbEib.753927$YN5.707132@sccrnsc01...
snip
So....What surprised you about:

1. Pregnancy (first timers are welcome to answer as well!)
2. Labor/Birth
3. Postpartum recovery/adjustment
4. New motherhood

1. that morning sickness was so horrendous, much worse than I anticipated
2. I had a LSCS, no surprise there
3. Recovery from LSCS was nowhere near as painful asI anticipated and how
much I missed the baby being inside me even though I now had her in my arms.
4.How quickly they grow up
Alissa
DD April 2002
EDD JUne 2004

So....What surprised you about:


3. Postpartum recovery/adjustment

That milk comes out of a whole bunch of different holes on the nipple. I always
thought it was just one hole in the middle.

--Helen

"Em" wrote in message

Answering my own poll :-)

1. Pregnancy (first timers are welcome to answer as well!)

How good I felt throughout. None of the normal pregnancy "complaints." I
fully expected to be lumbering uncomfortably about by the end and never got
to that point. I kept up my daily yoga practice until the day before I gave
birth (didn't do it the day I gave birth since I had him at 6:15 in the
monring)--downward-facing-dog, etc. I also went for a 2 mile walk the Friday
before he was born.

2. Labor/Birth

I "missed" transition somehow--that was a huge surprise. I was anticipating
the whole shakes/throwing up/feel like you're going crazy thing. I was also
surprised by how intense and *burning* pushing was for me.

3. Postpartum recovery/adjustment

I was (naively I suppose) surprised by the fact that I *needed* to recover!
It wasn't that I didn't think I'd have to, it was that I didn't think about
it at all. I pictured various things such as nursing the baby almost
constantly, waking up at night with him, feeling overwhelmed with the
constantness of having a baby, etc, but I pictured myself doing it with my
*normal* energy level--not while feeling like a wounded invalid :-(

The second surprise in this "category" was how quickly my body has regained
its pre-pregnancy shape overall. I thought I would have to adjust to having
a new, flabbier body and that hasn't been the case. I put on my
pre-pregnancy jeans yesterday and they fit just fine! I also thought I would
have to work off some weight and work away my stomach pooch. As it is, I
currently weigh 126 lbs (6 pounds over my pre-preg weight) and am basically
pooch-free at 3 weeks post-partum. This has a been a nice surprise :-) I
would actually like to keep those last 6 pounds, because I don't want to
waste away while nursing (I'm 5'7").

4. New motherhood

How quickly my "old" life was wiped away and now feels like a very distant
memory! I have also been very pleasantly surprised by how well DH has taken
to fatherhood. I don't know what I expected, since he has always been a
great DH, but I didn't picture him being so *involved* with and devoted to
the baby. I have been surprised to miss being pregnant.

--
Em
mama to Lann, 9/21/03

On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 20:47:35 GMT, "Em"
wrote:

So....What surprised you

After the baby was born, I still sometimes felt her move or I would
panic for half a second upon waking because my tummy was gone.

How much lil babies sleep in the first few months. I mean, they told
me she would sleep most of the time. I didn't realize they literally
meant *most* of the time.

How little newborns are. I know that my baby was smaller than most
normal babies, but they are really tiny. At times, it feels like you
can break them. No wonder so many people are afraid to hold little
babies.

During pregnancy, just how many things can make your life hell and it
all boils down to being pregnant. I had horrid morning sickness (not
as bad as some, but it was bad enough), then irritable utereus. Also
the heartburn, back pain, breast pain, my allergies and sinus (with
little to take for it), unable to get comfortable enough to sleep for
8 hours straight... It is all worth it, believe me. I just didn't
realize.

I had a c-section. Now I know I was told it was major surgery, but
they really mean it. It hurt to get out of bed or a chair. It hurt
to laugh or cough. Bumps in the road were murder. Holding my DD
after she was first born hurt. My scar hurt for months afterward. I
didn't realize that scars can hurt. It took a long time for the
feeling to come back.

How some women don't stop smoking, drinking or doing drugs while
pregnant. I am not talking about an occasional cig or an occasional
drink or taking headache meds. I am talking about smoking a pack a
day and going out partying and getting completely smashed or shooting
up herion. I know that this doesn't apply to the ladies here, but it
did surprise me. It probably shouldn't have.

How much you can love another human being. It feels like you are
going to burst at times. I knew I would love her, but the
intensity... wow.

How much breastfeeding hurt. I was told that there would be some
discomfort, but it hurt. I admit that I wimped out. I admire those
who can get through the pain and do it.

How much poop a newborn can make. Blow out nappies are fun.

I am sure there is more, but that is all that is coming to mind...


--
Daye
Momma to Jayan
"Boy" EDD 11 Jan 2004
See Jayan: http://jayan.topcities.com/

Em wrote:

So....What surprised you about:

1. Pregnancy (first timers are welcome to answer as well!)

How much I loved it. I couldn't wait to be showing and
have the whole world know it.

2. Labor/Birth

I had a planned c-section. Man, when they
push, shove, and pull, you are really tossed
about on that narrow little table!

3. Postpartum recovery/adjustment

Had no clue. Never had surgery, so didn't
know what it would be like. It hurt, but
I didn't take much painkillers after I got
home (day 6) and recovered quite quickly,
thanks to mom administering to me constantly!

4. New motherhood

The effects on the relationship with my
husband. I had no idea that the "couple"
relationship would be forever altered. I
miss "us" and I hope we get it back sometime.
For now, we're in a great partnership, moving
forward, but I miss when we were just "us".

That is not a reflection on how I feel about
the baby! I had no idea there would be this
kind of incomparable love, that for the first
time ever, I have no doubt that I'd give my
life for this little being.

-- Anita --

Em wrote:
My baby is presently 3 weeks old and since I'm spending a lot of time in the
recliner nursing lately, I have had time to ponder lots of things :-) I was
reflecting on the surprises that this whole pregnancy/birth/motherhood thing
has presented to me and it made me curious about the experiences of the rest
of the group. I also thought it might be handy info for all of the
first-time moms-to-be out there to read and think about.

So....What surprised you about:

1. Pregnancy (first timers are welcome to answer as well!)

How exhausting it was.


2. Labor/Birth

How exhausting it was.


3. Postpartum recovery/adjustment

How exhausting it was.


4. New motherhood



Did I mention anything about exhaustion?


Clisby

1. Pregnancy (first timers are welcome to answer as well!)

The first time, how long it took to start showing. The second time, how
quickly I couldn't zip my jeans :-)

2. Labor/Birth

The absolute intensity of it, how the body just takes over and nothing matters
in the world except giving birth - a herd of elephants could have stampeded
through the room whileI was in transition and pushing, and I doubt I'd even
have noticed.

3. Postpartum recovery/adjustment

With the first one, how quickly I recovered. With the second one, how long I
felt tired.

4. New motherhood

I always thought of newborns as kind of like dolls - I was surprised to find
they had their own opinions even at birth.


Amanda

Hi Em,
My pregnancy went really well. I guess since it was my first, everything
suprised me. One thing though is that I was so completely miserable the
last month, that suprised me since I thought Id be one of those that really
enjoyed the attention. NOPE! ; )
My whole labor (or lack of...)/birth experience was a complete suprise since
it was an emergency c cection and I didnt go into labor.
I thought I would be more depressed than I was. I had my moments, but
because Robbie was in IICU I was more concerned about him than me. I
recovered within a week or so from my c cection, but I did bleed ALOT more
and longer than I thought.
Motherhood is good now that Ive bonded with him. It was really hard at
first, it took me about 6 weeks to really bond with him and enjoy being home
with him. Now I have a hard time being away from him!
So...what about you?
Daisy

"Em" wrote in message
news:HbEib.753927$YN5.707132@sccrnsc01...
My baby is presently 3 weeks old and since I'm spending a lot of time in
the
recliner nursing lately, I have had time to ponder lots of things :-) I
was
reflecting on the surprises that this whole pregnancy/birth/motherhood
thing
has presented to me and it made me curious about the experiences of the
rest
of the group. I also thought it might be handy info for all of the
first-time moms-to-be out there to read and think about.

So....What surprised you about:

1. Pregnancy (first timers are welcome to answer as well!)
2. Labor/Birth
3. Postpartum recovery/adjustment
4. New motherhood

On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 20:47:35 GMT, "Em"
wrote:

My baby is presently 3 weeks old and since I'm spending a lot of time in the
recliner nursing lately, I have had time to ponder lots of things :-) I was
reflecting on the surprises that this whole pregnancy/birth/motherhood thing
has presented to me and it made me curious about the experiences of the rest
of the group. I also thought it might be handy info for all of the
first-time moms-to-be out there to read and think about.

So....What surprised you about:

1. Pregnancy (first timers are welcome to answer as well!)

The smell sensitivity. My sister had it; my mom had it. But either
they never told me about it or I failed to register it. This second
time around I expected it, though that doesn't make it easier.

2. Labor/Birth

We ended up doing a C-section, and what surprised me about that was
that, surgically, getting my spleen out was more painful and harder to
recover from.

3. Postpartum recovery/adjustment

The fact that the first week _all_ the relatives had to make their way
over to visit. It got a bit overwhelming, at a time when I just
wanted to snuggle up and nurse my baby.

4. New motherhood

Baby giggles. Everyone tells you about the dirty diapers, the
sleepless nights, the hard stuff. You don't hear about the sheer
delight of hearing your baby giggle for the first time, and after
that. At least not often.



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