Warning, Read at Your Own Risk! Pregnancy Tips from Real Life Experiences
You read all the books. You attended the classes. You took the hospital tour. But nothing can prepare you for having a baby like actually having the baby. Once you start swapping stories with fellow parents, chances are you will say “wow… I wish I would have known that!” We are here to share some insider tips and secrets you might not have known (and may wish you didn’t!) from real parents’ experiences!
REAL LIFE TIP #1: Cabbage Leaves!
Did you know that if you choose not to breastfeed, from day 1, your milk will STILL come in? Well, if you didn’t, now you do. And it is quite painful. Your breasts will become engorged and without the option of breastfeeding/ pumping, the only option to relieve yourself of the pain is to have the milk dry up and glands settle back down. Introducing cabbage leaves. To help ease the pain and dry up the milk, tear off cabbage leaves and place in the freezer. Once frozen, place cabbage leaves over breasts inside of a sports bra. Yes, you will smell like a farmers’ market, but it works.
REAL LIFE TIP #2: Major Surgery
Having a cesarean section is MAJOR surgery. Yes, at the end, there is a cute baby that coos and loves you unconditionally, but your body is undergoing some big trauma. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the first C-section documented occurred in 1020 AD and it is the most common surgery performed in the U.S., at over 1 million a year! However, it is still major surgery, cutting through about 6 or more layers of skin, tissue and muscle, in addition to separating stomach muscles to remove the baby. It is MAJOR surgery. This means that you need to recover accordingly. Recover slowly and listen to your doctor’s advice. This is no time to be supermom … that can come later (LOL). Ask for help, don’t drive until you can, pick up only light things and no vacuuming!
REAL LIFE TIP #3: Pitocin Pitfall
Pitocin, the synthetic version of oxytocin, aids in the childbirth process. When you need help starting labor, you may be given Pitocin to speed up the process at the hospital. Well, that sounds all good, but fair warning, adding Pitocin can make your contractions 100 times more intense than they already were. So, be prepared with a good Lamaze breathing technique, focal point and partner for a good hand squeeze.
REAL LIFE TIP #4: Timber … They’re Down!
They might be as strong as Thor, but the sight of seeing the mother of their unborn child get stuck with a needle or release a drop of blood might be more than your partner can handle. And, it has even been rumored that some WILL go weak in the knees and even faint. Know that while this might be a new incident in your world, chances are the hospital staff have seen it a time or two. There is no true way to know if this will happen, but if it does, stay calm and know they are in good hands. If your partner has a dislike for blood, needles or hospitals, know that this will be a big undertaking for them and go easy on them. They may even want to partake in some breathing exercises too!
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