re: 'I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN'...Advice for pregnancy & birth

Quoting EmmaGrace:“ I'm glad the supplementing worked out for you...I wasn't trying to attack you. Nurses are not supposed ... [snip!] ... if you have to use formula it's ok" is bad advice. I'm not trying to be ugly or attack you, just that one tiny piece of advice!”

It's ok, I don't want to turn this into a debate, you are entitled to your opinion, and everyone read both of our posts, so they can make their own decision when the time comes. I'm glad I got a chance to tell my story.

Quoting EmmaGrace:“ I'm glad the supplementing worked out for you...I wasn't trying to attack you. Nurses are not supposed ... [snip!] ... if you have to use formula it's ok" is bad advice. I'm not trying to be ugly or attack you, just that one tiny piece of advice!”

So what is your suggestion if the baby isn't getting enough colostrum, and you don't want your child to be supplemented with formula?? What is that baby going to eat if your breasts aren't providing enough of what it needs?? The baby needs something and the only thing it can eat is milk....if its not your breast milk and its not formula or soy milk...then what do you suggest??

I am still 11 wks away from giving birth but I hope this post fills up to its max by the time I do give birth because I will be reading these over and over until I give birth!! Thank you so much for this post!! There are a lot of things I have researched and informed myself on. Breastfeeding, bleeding, "the infamous Ring of Fire", etc. But  some of this stuff is new because I know every woman is different!! I appreciate everyones insight and it is so helpful to those of us who have not experienced the many wonders and joys, and pains of birth just yet!!

thank you again ladies!!!

This was such a good idea! I've read so much on childbirth and such, but this is so much better!! The books tip-toe around certain subjects and it's great to hear all the nitty gritty details from people who have been through it all. Keep 'em coming ladies!! It really does help!!  

Quoting Semaj's mommy_5-4-08:“ I wish some one would have told me a couple things like your ms can come back in the 3rd trimester and ... [snip!] ... to be full for the next 10 months. Oh yeah i wish some one would have told me your really pregnant for 10 months and not 9!!!”

I couldn't understand why my due date wasn't sooner if I was supposed to be the number of weeks they told me...eventually I found out that it's 10 months and not 9 that you are (generally) pregnant for!!! I noticed that it confuses people who talk to me also when they ask how many weeks I am (33) but that I am only due on 17 April!!!

Quoting Justine30:“ I couldn't understand why my due date wasn't sooner if I was supposed to be the number of weeks they ... [snip!] ... that it confuses people who talk to me also when they ask how many weeks I am (33) but that I am only due on 17 April!!!”

oh i hated when people asked how many months i was. it was too confusing....do you count by the month your working on or the one you completed. do i count by 4 weeks or by the the Nth of each month. i just told them my due date or what month i was in according the "what to expect" book.

oh i cant remember if we covered this...the books dont mention it but its totally normal if your body starts making colostrum in thr 2nd trimester. it totally freaked me out cause the soonest any of the books or preggo articles mentioned it was 7 or 8 months. i had to ask my doctor about it.

Probably not many people will have this issue but if you become pregnant with a new baby while you are already breastfeeding another child the milk will start to change to colostrum. My doctor said it was fine if I contined to breastfeed my seven month old daughter while I was pregnant, but my daughter didn't think it was fine, she didn't like the milk and traded me for a bottle. At first I didn't know what was wrong or why she wouldn't eat.

Quoting Kelly Dreams of Hubby:“ oh i hated when people asked how many months i was. it was too confusing....do you count by the month ... [snip!] ... me out cause the soonest any of the books or preggo articles mentioned it was 7 or 8 months. i had to ask my doctor about it.”

I dont tell people how many months I am, when they ask I give them weeks. They look a little confused, but I'm finally tired of answering strangers questions. Maybe I'm just a little moody.

Sorry...Just posting so it stays in my topics...Made it halfway through, but gotta jam...Saving it for later...

Great topic, BTW...Thanks!!

Quoting bxwifey12107~~ Natalie:“ So what is your suggestion if the baby isn't getting enough colostrum, and you don't want your child ... [snip!] ... the only thing it can eat is milk....if its not your breast milk and its not formula or soy milk...then what do you suggest??”

Nurse more often. The baby will get more colostrum, and your milk will come in faster.

My mother said that she had the "perfect pregnancy" with me...I wish I would have known to expect something different...

Im moody all the time
I am never "in the mood"
I cry for no reason...then my husband laughs at me over it...and I get moody again
I have gotten acne like crazy
I eat ALL THE TIME
My boobs look like they have been blown up...and they hurt like hell
And, now when I go into any store, I immediately look for the bathroom...just in case

Ok a few things I went through during and after birth:
1. Make sure to prepare you SO. If they are not prepared enough they tend to freak out and be of no use to you. Mine was hiding in the corner while I was yelling at him to get the camera and to help prop myself up while pushing (thank God my mom was there). LOL
2.Being induce is great! Well for me it was. I could not of imagined actually going into labor at home and freaking out the whole car ride to the hospital. It is a long process, but in the end you will be happy with your results.
3. When they say you need to get your vajayjay cut generally the doctor means bsusiness in getting the baby out. Dont worry about the after math of the cut just deal with it as it comes.
4. When your vajayjay does get cut it hurts like a mother. The stiches rub on your lovely grandma pad, they dry out so you will have to take a "salt water bath" 3 times a day, and you will hardley be able to walk for about a good week afterwards.
4.Whe you do go home you get to use the lovely "squirt bottle" if you doctor had to cut your vajayjay. You will never feel clean enough until the day you get to wipe regularly downstairs. If the water is not the right temp then you can either burn yourself or feel like you stepped into a tub of ice cubes. Just because it feels warm to you hand does not mean its warm to your vajayjay! LOL
5.UTI- these were so painful tome I got them constanly while I was pregnant. After I had given birth I had yet another one which blew. It feels like you bladder is a max capacity and you tinkle a drop of lovely pee! Now that sucks after birth since your bathroom routine goes to a few minutes to 10 minutes each time due to the fact you have to change you grandma pad and the squirt bottle!
6.After all is said and done people dont tell you how long it can truely take for you to loose all the weight. If you loose it fast (1 month after birth) chances are you might gain it back with in the next year. Take it slow and dont worry about it!
7. Lastly just enjoy being pregnant and being a mommy! I know it sucks about the " I wish I knew" things, but its only temporary.

Hope this helps ladies!

Quoting EmmaGrace:“ I'm glad the supplementing worked out for you...I wasn't trying to attack you. Nurses are not supposed ... [snip!] ... if you have to use formula it's ok" is bad advice. I'm not trying to be ugly or attack you, just that one tiny piece of advice!”

ur right emma my docter tried to get me to supliment after the first day because all i had was colostrom and she said baby needed more then that but for the first day of their life babies dont really need alot and they get all they need from the colostrum it is normal for them to just wanna suck it helps bring the milk in sooner and it is hard and i was almost in tears sometimes noone said it would be easy but we made it through the first week and breastfed exclussive for the first 8 months

I wish somebody would have told me that I wouldn't gain any weight at all in the first 5 months but then in the last few I have gained 25 lbs. Perhaps I would have put those cupcakes DOWN!! Probably not though.

Also I wish someone would have mentioned that after a few tries of feeling your baby kick, no one is interested anymore! He never performs!!!

Quoting t i f f a l i c i o u s:“ I'm still pregnant...but I already wish I had known that people would be fighting over who gets to be ... [snip!] ... in there a long time ago. Now my mother & his mother are butting heads about it & I don't wanna hurt anyone's feelings!”

Just let your nurse know when you get there who you want and don't want in the room. Nurses are great about keeping you happy and comfortable even if they have to tick a few people off in the mean time.