Being pregnant is probably the least enjoyable event a woman gets to experience. Here are my reasons why:
1. FAT. FAT. FAT. I'm not one of those obnoxiously cute pregnant women who only gain weight in their belly. No, my butt, thighs, love handles, arms, and face are all fat, fat, fat.
2. Back pain. Begins about 5-6 months and continues to labor. If you're really lucky, you get back labor (which an epidural doesn't help with) and you get to deal with it all through labor.
3. As my friend JR said, "you get stitches on your who-ha and you'll poop." Fortunately with the C-Section neither of these happened, but I'm not looking forward to it this time around.
4. Boobs. For 20+ years they served one purpose: decoration. You could even spruce them up with fancy bras from Victoria's Secret. (Victoria's Secret doesn't make maternity bras).
When your milk does come in, the first thing you get is a yellow puss-like substance oozing from them (gross) and then your milk comes in. When my milk came in with Ally, it was like someone had inserted cantaloupes in my shirt. And painful. Not to mention the fact that anytime you roll over or even hear a baby cry, suddenly you have milked yourself, as if life isn't embarrassing enough.
5. Nursing. When/how/where is this appropriate? Liberal moms will say "Anytime, anywhere." Well, my mom taught me to hide certain parts of my body at all costs and now suddenly it's ok to whip out a boob out in public. Even in my own home, I go hide in my bedroom when it's time to nurse.
I would make apologies for the graphic nature of the blog, but it's the truth. I'm wondering if we made the right decision to have another. I'm also wishing I could fast-forward about 12 months and all this would be over.
Things no one told me:
1. Rough up your nipples before nursing. Supposedly it helps with the pain of nursing (and yes it's painful and involves skill...who knew? And why didn't anyone tell me before hand?)
2. You may not love your baby right away. Well, you'll love your baby, but you may not fall in love with your baby right away.
Any other truths you wished you knew before having babies? Or am I just crazy?
14 comments:
I love my Sarah Salt Buffington! I'm sorry pregnancy sucks, and I dread the very thought of it someday. At least your babies are cute when they emerge!
I miss you, too! I love your blog - the brutal honesty and all!
Sorry pregnancy hasn't been fun for you. Does this mean that you are definitely going for the VBAC? (My personal experience was that I couldn't even feel the stitches down under and getting to walk, eat and drive right after delivery was aweseom!)
I love you too, Sarah. I think you look wonderful!! (Check out those running pictures!! I stand in awe at your dedication.) And look at the support and love you get from Matt and Ally. I am very proud of you.
If it helps--remember that you can do hard things...and in the end you get such a blessing!! I got you!!!
Ok, Sarah, this is hilarious! I totally feel the same way about most of those things. A bunch of people will say that breast feeding is natural and stuff, but it wasn't fun one bit for me. Thinking of all this stuff again really doesn't make me want to have another too soon! Nope, it makes me quite uncomfortable and miserable feeling! I am sorry for you! :)
Thank you so much! I needed a good laugh, course now I'm also scared, but whatev!
hey there--congrats on the preg and i feel ya..having FINALLY become unpregnant again and doing the whole healing thing! heres something i wish i knew before--those after birth pains, aka contractions that never leave, get worse with each kid. now i dont remember them being as bad with my second, but DANG with my third it was horriable!!! make sure to have those pain meds close! nad my boobs are doing a new thing this time around with breastfeeding--they're oding their "let down" of milk feeling like every hour, whether im feeding or not and thats painful to me! as for feeding in public...you need a hooter hider. my friend made me one and its nice and big (store bought ones are never big enough to make sure no one sees anything!)--let me know if you need one or a patern to get someone to make one! and as for those great back pains..see a chiropractor--a good one! jason can find you one if you need one (hes in school to be a chiro by the way). i was adjusted all through this preg and i have no idea how i ever made it with that dumb pain during the other 2 pregs! ok--this is long! but chek my blog soon for the wonderful birth story of our latest babe! and good luck with yours!
You're right. There's a lot of things that never really get mentioned in all the 'truths' we share about pregnancy.
One lie I bought into was the idea of losing weight by breastfeeding. Yeah, that didn't work for me. It just made me more hungry and so I ate more.
Good luck with the rest of this pregnancy. Humorously enough, I guess somehow there are more good things that make us forget all the bad. Even if it is like 51% good and 49% bad, it's still a majority and women opt to do it again, somehow.
Thanks for the honesty. :)
I'm feeling your pain... literally! I've hit that fat stage, but not round enough to be considered preg yet... and yes, it's the 'fat all over.' While I tend to have an easier time starting breastfeeding, being so on demand and feeling like a cow all the time gets old. I also takes a while to connect with the baby. The nurses are usually so excited and want you to hold the baby but all you can think about is how much pain this thing has just put you through and you're shaking like the San Andreas fault was just hit -- hold a baby? As far as things no one told me... Oooh those afterbirth pains - why don't we get epidurals for those? and forget the pain meds, they don't even touch them. I always dread nursing cuz I know it's going to bring them on. There's also all the rest you're supposed to be getting (sleep when the baby sleeps) but what about all those dr appts? Then there's the husband who invites company over for the following weekend. LOL I guess he just thinks I look that on top of it!
I love it! Someone else who complains as much as me. Pregnancy is not fun, but worth it. I felt the same way after having Morgan, "Why didn't anyone tell me about all the pain and emotional stress?" Take comfort in knowing that in a few months you will have a sweet little baby girl to love and feed every two hours!
Hmmmmm! Yep! I agree with you on all of that! And YES -- I too believe that women should cover themselves when they nurse their baby! And regarding roughing up the ol' chest before the baby comes -- I was told to do it, and I did it, but it STILL HURT A LOT when it was time to nurse!!! : ) I was also told to put "anti-stretch mark" cream on my tummy so that I wouldn't get stretch marks. So I FAITHFULLY put it on every day! And did I get stretch marks??? You BET I did!!! It looks like a FIREplace FIRE on my abdomen down there! I also agree with the whole "falling in love with your baby" thing. When I gave birth to my son -- I held him for a little bit after giving birth to him, which was nice for a minute or two, but I REALLY wasn't in the mood to hold a baby right then!! I had just given BIRTH!! I HURT! I was TIRED! I was ready for him to be taken away!!! I was thinking -- "I'm going to have PLENTY of time to goo-goo at him LATER!!! Right now, I need some ME time!!!!". : ) The thing I disliked the most would have to be NO SLEEP!!!! For SIX months! That was rough! I could go on and on, but I think I'd run out of space!!!! I feel for you, Sarah!!! I hope you're able to survive the next few months!!!
Oh my gosh, that was so funny! And I can relate to it all! I absolutely hate being pregnant. Another fun side effect I get from being pregnant is farting! I can't stop, no matter where I am. It's really embarrassing.
LOL --- I am cracking up about the boob talk --- but you are TOTALLY right!
.Hillarious.
The outcome is worth it, but the process sucks! :)
AMEN sister! (as if you haven't had enough comments on this post) You forgot Morning sickness(misnomer-all parts of the day) having to sleep on your side, ligament pain, and my personal favorite- stretch marks. At least I didn't get any new marks with the second pregnancy, I had plenty left over from the first.God lets pregnancy/labor amnesia set in after the baby is gone and all your suffering seems to not be so bad after the fact. One thing is for sure, both my babies are worth every bit my body paid for them.
Don't worry...it will all be worth it. Check out this article. Your children will all be geniuses!!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/5286670/Morning-sickness-increases-the-chance-that-child-will-have-high-IQ.html#
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