1. Your birth was beautiful!!
I think it's safe to say we all have a plan or an idea about how we expect our birth to go. With Maddie, I had it all typed out, printed, posted where the nurses could see and gave a copy to my midwife. Little did I know that my expectations would not ne my reality. I will tell you this though. My induced birth with an epidural with Maddie was beautiful! My natural labor and non medicated birth with Harper, was beautiful. C sections are beautiful. The moment you bring that little bundle of joy into this world is a beautiful moment regardless of how he/she was brought into it. If your birth doesn't go as expected, it is still beautiful.
2. YOU are beautiful.
Yes, you, with your postpartum belly, the sleepy bags under your eyes, spitup on your shirt and your unwashed, messy hair. You are mom and you are beautiful.
3. Postpartum contractions!?
This one caught me by surprise! There I was laying in bed, nursing my brand new, 30 minute old baby and I started having contractions again! I may have freaked out a little and told my midwife I thought another baby was on the way. She assured me this was normal and I wasn't having another baby. Everytime I nursed for the first 2 or 3 days postpartum, I'd have those contractions.
The postpartum contractions are worse after your second baby! I had given birth to Harper and remember to expect those sneaky postpartum contractions, but I wasn't expecting them to be so strong!! Makes me a little anxious for the PP contractions after the next baby if we are blessed with a 3rd.
4. Pooping after childbirth is terrifying!
'Nuff said.
5. Breastfeeding is natural, but not easy.
I could go on and on, but I'll keep this brief. Breastfeeding is absolutely natural, that does not make it easy! Baby has never done this before. Mom may have, but a first time mom hasn't. There is a lot of learning to be done by both the mom and baby. Ask for help! Learn about breastfeeding beforehand. Trust your body. Don't give up! I promise it does get easier! I promise it is so worth it!
6. Meal Prep!
Pinterest is full of tons of ideas for meals to prep, cook and/or freeze before giving birth. You have probably pinned or shared those meals. If you are like me, you probably will not make any of them. Again, if you are like me, you will wish you had!! Especially with baby #2. The first baby isn't so bad. Newborns sleep all...the..time.. but with baby #2, not only do you have to feed yourself and husband, you have a child running around the place saying she's hungry. And being her mother, it is your job to feed her even though you gave birth 3 days ago. Enter- pre prepped meals!!!! For sure doing this next time! (Although probably not..and again, I'll regret not doing it.)
7. You are not balding.
Fast forward 3-4 months post partum. You're taking a nice warm shower and start pulling out clumps of hair. Fear not!! This..is...normal... this is post partum hair loss. Remember how gorgeous your hair was during pregnancy? So healthy and shiny!! You can thank pregnancy hormones for that. And you can thank hormones for the PP hair loss as well.
8. Phantom kicks!
Most of us know that phantom kicks happen, but did you know they seriously feel like real kicks!? Some studies suggest it is a muscle/nerve memory. Some suggest it is because you are more in touch with your body and are more sensitive to movement. Whatever it is, these phantom kicks can feel very real and can last YEARS after birth! Of course if you ever suspect you are indeed pregnant and feeling kicks, take a test or see a doctor.
9. You may surprise yourself.
I never expected that I'd be the mom who posts all about pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding. i never expected to co sleep or breastfeed past a year. I never really thought I'd cloth diaper and like it!! I thought we would do the cry it out method, start baby cereal at 4 months. I thought my kids would be in their own rooms by 3 months old and sleeping through the night by 4 months. I also thought I had control over that. Hahaha nope!! Here I am, the opposite of what I thought! I am *that* mom. I'm the mom who will drive you nuts sharing attachment parenting articles! I'm the mom who used to say you should always cover to nurse, but now I share breastdeeding pics. I'm the opposite that ai thought I would be as a parent. You may not know your parenting style until you become a parent.
9. You may surprise yourself.
I never expected that I'd be the mom who posts all about pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding. i never expected to co sleep or breastfeed past a year. I never really thought I'd cloth diaper and like it!! I thought we would do the cry it out method, start baby cereal at 4 months. I thought my kids would be in their own rooms by 3 months old and sleeping through the night by 4 months. I also thought I had control over that. Hahaha nope!! Here I am, the opposite of what I thought! I am *that* mom. I'm the mom who will drive you nuts sharing attachment parenting articles! I'm the mom who used to say you should always cover to nurse, but now I share breastdeeding pics. I'm the opposite that ai thought I would be as a parent. You may not know your parenting style until you become a parent.
What are some things you experienced after birth that you didn't expect? A while back, I asked some friends the same question. Here were some respothat you'll have to massage your uterus, c sections are much quicker than expected, you will feel beautiful, things may not go as planned, and I'm sure there were more!
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