I have only been a mom for a little over 2 weeks, but I have learned SO much that I think it's important to share with people.
Contractions are horrible. I got an epidural, & without that I probably could not have given birth. I cannot explain their amount of suck. The only way I was somewhat comfortable was on all 4s or sitting down...and even then, it was questionable.
With the epidural (when it works - which mine did), the worst part of the actual birthing experience is the ring of fire. Women, this is when babies head goes through your vag...once he's through, it's a rush.
You know when it's time to push - it feels like you have to take a major poop and the only way to get relief is to poop (in this case, push)...and boy, once that relief comes, it's amazing.
Pushing out the placenta can hurt worse than pushing out the baby.
There really is a mother's instinct. I am still learning all my baby's cries, but even without knowing 100% what each one means, I can still guess what he needs. Sometimes it's just a cuddle...and I am okay with that!
Before giving birth, I had never changed a diaper, never dressed a baby, never put a baby in a carseat, NOTHING. Now, all that stuff is second nature, like I've been doing it my whole life.
Breastfeeding can be hard! I wanted to breastfeed 100%, before I knew that that wasn't necessarily possible! My baby can't latch onto my nipple...so I pump my breast milk and give him formula. I am okay with that now because he gets what he needs...but please don't be disappointed if your plans don't work out.
HYDRATE.
My dogs sort of took the backburner for the first week or so, and I felt really guilty about that. I gave birth on a tuesday, was in the hospital until that friday night, and barely saw them at all. Things are back to normal now, but the fact of the matter is, as much as I wanted them to be involved, I had to take it slow...and introduce them day by day. It broke my heart....but I think I've made it up to them!
Having guests can be stressful, especially if you are a first time mom without a routine. Make sure guests understand that baby comes first and are willing to work around that schedule. Stand your ground.
Sleep. Get it now. I don't know if I'm a freak of nature or if it's my military training, or maybe a little of both, but my body is wired to work off of not many hours of sleep...but it is crucial to sleep whenever you can, so you have energy to keep up with the baby and if you're breastfeeding, you need to be as healthy as possible.
On that note, don't count on sleeping in the hospital!
Childcare. What a headache! Secure a spot ASAP, they fill up fast! I've been on a waiting list since November, go back to work in just over 3 weeks, and I am sweating to find a spot!
PPD is real and affects women differently.
My last note that I'll leave for now is that motherhood, so far, is amazing. I am in love and in awe of this life that my husband and I created.
Every child and situation is different, but I hope I can continue to help through my experiences. Stay tuned, I'll try to blog more often!
Contractions are horrible. I got an epidural, & without that I probably could not have given birth. I cannot explain their amount of suck. The only way I was somewhat comfortable was on all 4s or sitting down...and even then, it was questionable.
With the epidural (when it works - which mine did), the worst part of the actual birthing experience is the ring of fire. Women, this is when babies head goes through your vag...once he's through, it's a rush.
You know when it's time to push - it feels like you have to take a major poop and the only way to get relief is to poop (in this case, push)...and boy, once that relief comes, it's amazing.
Pushing out the placenta can hurt worse than pushing out the baby.
There really is a mother's instinct. I am still learning all my baby's cries, but even without knowing 100% what each one means, I can still guess what he needs. Sometimes it's just a cuddle...and I am okay with that!
Before giving birth, I had never changed a diaper, never dressed a baby, never put a baby in a carseat, NOTHING. Now, all that stuff is second nature, like I've been doing it my whole life.
Breastfeeding can be hard! I wanted to breastfeed 100%, before I knew that that wasn't necessarily possible! My baby can't latch onto my nipple...so I pump my breast milk and give him formula. I am okay with that now because he gets what he needs...but please don't be disappointed if your plans don't work out.
HYDRATE.
My dogs sort of took the backburner for the first week or so, and I felt really guilty about that. I gave birth on a tuesday, was in the hospital until that friday night, and barely saw them at all. Things are back to normal now, but the fact of the matter is, as much as I wanted them to be involved, I had to take it slow...and introduce them day by day. It broke my heart....but I think I've made it up to them!
Having guests can be stressful, especially if you are a first time mom without a routine. Make sure guests understand that baby comes first and are willing to work around that schedule. Stand your ground.
Sleep. Get it now. I don't know if I'm a freak of nature or if it's my military training, or maybe a little of both, but my body is wired to work off of not many hours of sleep...but it is crucial to sleep whenever you can, so you have energy to keep up with the baby and if you're breastfeeding, you need to be as healthy as possible.
On that note, don't count on sleeping in the hospital!
Childcare. What a headache! Secure a spot ASAP, they fill up fast! I've been on a waiting list since November, go back to work in just over 3 weeks, and I am sweating to find a spot!
PPD is real and affects women differently.
My last note that I'll leave for now is that motherhood, so far, is amazing. I am in love and in awe of this life that my husband and I created.
Every child and situation is different, but I hope I can continue to help through my experiences. Stay tuned, I'll try to blog more often!
