What I learned during my pregnancy...

[LeslieR]

I think there was a thread like this at the other place...

go to the bathroom when you have to go, don't wait or you will pay the consequences

if you only have to get up once during the night to pee, it's a good night

you *cannot* always eat whatever you want just because you are pregnant

if you're having severe chest pains, it's probably indigestion, *not* a heart attack

it's perfectly normal to have to buy bigger sized bras at least 3 times

no, your pelvis is not going to snap in half when you roll from side to side at night, even though it feels like it will

some of us are just blessed with pregnancy onset acne that lasts throughout the entire pregnancy

if you're going to get stretch marks, you will get them no matter what magic cream you use

Anyone else?

[Dotsie]

You will not always have the expected "maternal glow" about you when you are pregnant.

no pair of shoes is comfortable when you are 9 months pregnant in June.

once you hit 6 months you can forget about shaving your legs and your **ahem** other areas.

yes, your aerolas will go back down to size after the baby is born.

hmm, can't think of anymore right now

[beevo12]

yes, your aerolas will go back down to size after the baby is born.

Will they go back to their normal color too????

[Dotsie]

Yup, they'll go back to their normal color too. Thank goodness too!!! I had salad plates on my chest for the longest time.

Oh, I thought of another one.

Even if, IF, you do lose all of your baby weight your body will have changed shape so that your clothes fit you differently. No amount of crying will change that either....(trust me, I know :rolleyes: )

[msmarieb]

The amount of love that my husband has for me is deeper then anything I'd ever imagined
Everybody and their momma immediately earns a MD the moment you get pregnant :cool:
These people also have degrees in nutrition, ob, and pediatrics
There is such a thing as too much attention :rolleyes:
When ever you say "that is the most pain I've ever felt in my life" think about being pregnant, if you are you'll feel worse
Your feet CAN swell that big
Everybody DOSEN 'T get big boobs, just be glad your a$$ isn't growing
Nobody tells you EVERYTHING....and there is a good reason for it


Totally agree with the stretch marks be it 30 dollars or 300 dollars if you're looking for it to do anything besides make you greasy and smell nice good luck!

Oh and one more!
Babies come when they're gonna come, so unless you're gonna get one of your OB coworkers/neighbors to induce you just relax and enjoy the final days of your pregnancy! :D

[solongtogo]

The Tums company really loves pregnant women. Heartburn is a bitch.

[amtaylor]

*Don't expect extra help from the guy at the grocery store when your 6 months pregnant and buying a big bag of dog food....

*The myth about having a beautiful head of hair during pregnancy is so not true

[BeachBum]

You don't go from your normal shape to a volleyball under your shirt over night--there are many, many weeks of just looking like you gained 15 lbs.

[moderngal]

you may get through pregnancy with gorgeous stretch mark free skin, only to have mother nature slap you with tons of them when your milk comes in. :rolleyes:

[southerner]

good things to hear for those of us (shyly raises hand) who are apprehensive about getting pregnant!

[beevo12]

I love this thread.

What I've learned so far.... Do your Kegels. I actually peed my pants in BRU 2 days ago. :( And the sneeze was so powerful, I had a wet spot right around my knee.

[devil_kitty_1]

Morning sickness is a myth. Its not just "morning" sickness. It is morning, noon, night, middle of the night, while driving on the interstate sickness.

It also doesn't magically stop after the first trimester. Or the second.

Keep a large bucket with you at all times, just in case.

Pregnancy isn't for sissies.

[solongtogo]

another one..

Pregnant women don't complain as much as they *should*. Unless you're the lucky 1% that have no problems at all, pregnancy sucks.

[UTChick]

You ladies are scaring the crap out of me!! :eek:

[Cohl]

*Don't expect extra help from the guy at the grocery store when your 6 months pregnant and buying a big bag of dog food....

I am with you on this one!! I was 9 months pregnant grocery shopping with my friend who was NOT pregnant. The bag boy bagged her groceries and then WALKED AWAY and left me to bag mine. The cashier even stood there and waited for me to finish bagging by myself to get my money. I went into labor early the next morning. I still swear it was because of this..LOL

[QPDoll]

My DH has more love and understanding than I ever imagined.

Friends come out of the woodwork to 'help' when your due date is approaching, but if you ask for help before hand, be prepared for no response.

Freedoms like going to the store, or even leaving your house, are not to be taken for granted.

Things will happen, you can not control everything.

Relax and quit worrying - because worrying doesn't change anything except creates more stress.

Time to stop listening to people around you and to those you meet online. Some people or groups will always try to scare you with worst case information. Be informed, but not to the point of living scared.

Find POSITIVE support, be it friends, family, or an online group.

If you do not like the style of your doctor, it IS okay to change doctors.

[smiles33]

Thanks for all the great tips! I actually just finished reading the Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy (DH and I are now TTC) and was just shocked at how much information I just didn't know. I guess almost everything I know about pregnancy is from TV and movies, and some things just aren't "palatable" enough to see in an entertainment setting. :)

[imagirliegirl]

~ Sometimes being pregnant is 99% scary and 1% exciting.
~ You can't be pregnant and be shy. You've given up your right to dignity, just lie back and go with it. :p
~ Only complain to your friends who have been pregnant. The ones who haven't just don't get it.

[beevo12]

Bridget Your avatar is making me hungry. mmmmmmm....

[LILRTL]

-Random people WILL rub your belly with no notice. (aslkdjahslkdjfhaskdf)
-No one will feel as bad as you do when you have been a b!tch. It's inevitable. Just cry it out.
-Modesty becomes a thing of the past - sometimes a little toot just gets through. :o
-If your husband doesn't have a strong stomach, prepare to spend many hours alone if you have morning/noon/night sickness. Alone or with the dog also hanging his head over the toilet. :p
-Sex may or may not disappear from your relationship - it's okay. Usually nothing personal. And it's usually the women leaving it behind.

That's all I can think of right now.... :D

[adoredh]

Don't be surprised if you get extra clingy to your husband. (calling him if he's 15 minutes late from work because your scared to death he was in a car accedent, is one that comes to mind...)

A supportive Mom who listens to all these new parenting idea's that are very different from her own - is a very very precious gift - don't take her for granted.

Non-pregnant friends who think they know everything about pregnancy, are only trying to participate and be a part of your pregnancy - try not to rip their heads off when they tell you what you should and should not be doing. This anoying habit comes from love.

You will be constantly amazed at your husband, and constantly disapointed in him - try to keep the amazed moments at the front of your mind, and try to forget the disapointed moments.

Your sister, who professes to hate children, will eventually start to understand that her nephew is growing inside that huge tummy of yours, and start to be more intrested in your pregnancy

Forget about trying to make sure your DH gets a good night sleep by not over crowding him with pillows - you need your sleep and he will get used to the 10 pillows on your queen size bed. Eventually he'll start sleeping through the 5 minute process of turning over and rearranging the pillows again.

[LILRTL]

Forget about trying to make sure your DH gets a good night sleep by not over crowding him with pillows - you need your sleep and he will get used to the 10 pillows on your queen size bed. Eventually he'll start sleeping through the 5 minute process of turning over and rearranging the pillows again.

Ohhhhhhhhhh DH would so agree with this one! Every night before bed, he asks if I *still* have to use all the pillows. Um, yes dear, I still have a bowling ball out front. The pillows stay. Yet, he never wakes up when I'm up and down to go to the bathroom 4 times a night, or rolling back and forth even more times than that. And that brings me to another thing I have learned...


-If you have never done gymnastics before, you will learn during pregnancy. Rolling over with the aforementioned 10 pillows becomes quite the challenge. ;)

[LeslieR]

I told my DH that rolling over in bed at night is like doing a 5 point turn. lol

[Daniel's Kitty]

Don't kill your mom when she doesn't like the way you are planning on raising your child, pregnancy might not count as temporary insanity.

Even if you are smaller than normal or normal you will hear at least once that you look like you are going to burst especially from people who aren't used to pregnany.

Nobody who isn't pregnant quite understands, that is why online pg friends are great.

[bombedier]

Even if you are small and small for the number of weeks along you are, your tactless grandmother-in-law will make remarks about you being fat and packing on the pounds. Nevermind the fact that she is a hefalump!

[jennylou]

Even when you are feeling bloated and swollen, with heartburn and just tired, when your baby starts to kick it's the best/weirdest feeling and will put a smile on your face (or at least in your heart).

[LeslieR]

Even when you are feeling bloated and swollen, with heartburn and just tired, when your baby starts to kick it's the best/weirdest feeling and will put a smile on your face (or at least in your heart).

So true, Jenny! :)

[Daniel's Kitty]

Husbands can get all goofy when they feel the baby kick, or get to feel body parts.

[michael'sbride]

you may get through pregnancy with gorgeous stretch mark free skin, only to have mother nature slap you with tons of them when your milk comes in. :rolleyes:

I'll add to this one...

-You may get through your 1st pregnancy with gorgeous stretch mark free skin, only to have mother nature slap you SILLY with them in your 2nd pregnancy. (Yeah, and the PUPPP rash too, itch...itch...scratch...scratch).

-Everyone and their mother will give you advice about how they raised their kids...40 years ago. :rolleyes:

-Going to the bathroom is a circus...you have to pee when you stand up, can't pee when you sit down to go, manage to get a little bit out, and sure enough you have to go again while washing your hands.

-On the subject of peeing, pee in a cup? I can't even see or reach down there...forget aiming for a small dixie cup.

[LILRTL]

-Going to the bathroom is a circus...you have to pee when you stand up, can't pee when you sit down to go, manage to get a little bit out, and sure enough you have to go again while washing your hands.


LMAO thinking how true this is!!!!

[Kanga]

*Everyone else is always right, and their opinion is always the better one of yours, your dh, your doc/midwife's, and your mom's all combined; whether they've ever had kids or not. Or at least in their mind, and they're not changing it.

*You will have one person at least each day ask you how you are feeling. And expect you to say "Great!" with a big glowing smile.

*Your sleep will never be the same again, and then the baby comes.

*You never realized before how much you could worry

*Just when you think there's no way you could possibly get any bigger or gain more weight, you do.

This thread is fun! Keep it up.

[lady1297]

* You will regret all that advice you gave your pregnant friend once you get pregnant

*Arby, Burger King and Wendys ARE healthy when you are 39 1/2 weeks pregnant and don't want to cook anymore

*Sitting in the backyard with the dog is a great way to spend the last few weeks being pregnant. Especially since you can't get out of the lounge chair anyway until your DH comes and pulls you out.

*Stretch marks are natures way of saying your a great mom-who else would want reminders daily of your last month of pregnancy

*You will cry at movies, commercials, and radio announcements and it doesn't stop once baby is born. After you'll just get mad at them too!

[albuquerque]

This thread is hysterical. I have to go back to Beevo's profound advice: Do your Kegels--because this thread has me nearly peeing right here in my office chair every time I read it!

[Paula R]

I've learned that people who've never met you and don't know you from Adam will know whats best for you and your life. (Especially if you are spotted at a shoe store trying on wedge heels while you are 8 months pregnant)

I've learned not to get too stuck on a birth plan. Remember, you ideal birth is just that, ideal. The baby is going to come when he/she wants to come and their method of arrival will not necessarily agree with the birth plan you put long hours of thought into writing down.

[amtaylor]

*Something shorts out in your brain and makes you wear things you wouldn't have been caught dead in before pregnancy.

My husband almost passed out when I came home with a completely pink outfit that had a bow on it. I even bought a polka dot dress to my shower because my mom loved it... I use to HATE polka dots! :rolleyes:

[AttyGrl74]

You may miss NOT being pregnant after the baby is born.

And you may often still feel kicks in your belly even when your baby is 9 months old.

There is such a thing as "Pregnesia" - where within 3-6 months you completely forget all the bad things about pregnancy/labor/delivery and you think it could be something you'd consider doing again.

[devil_kitty_1]

Phantom Flatulence happens, blame the dog.

Hair will grow in odd places, such as your chin or stomach. Shaving and plucking, while difficult to do with a bowling ball in front of you, are OK.

Leg cramps that cause you to leap from the bed while screaming (well, as much as any pregnant woman can "leap") are good practice for "This is it honey!". You'll get to see how quickly your DH can come out of a deep sleep.

Getting the baby OUT of you isn't nearly as much fun as getting the baby IN you.

[Kanga]

Phantom Flatulence happens, blame the dog.

This is sooo true. This is probably tmi, but mine are usually silent, so I casually look over at dh to see if he noticed. By now he's recognized "the look" and gets up to leave the room.

[Dotsie]

ohh I almost forgot about the leg cramps!!! I started getting them really bad when I was 7-8 months along. It was April/May time frame so we had our bedroom windows open. I would wake up from a dead sleep screaming bloody murder. My DH would leap out of bed and shut the windows for fear that someone would call 911 because of me screaming so bad and thinking that I was being hurt. Wow. I can't believe I forgot those.

[cat_loverpq]

This thread is great! :D So much stuff to look forward to! ;)

[saathei]

Mine are a litle scary - sorry!

*No matter how craptastically sick you are, your baby is still sucking nutrients from you and will probably be OK.

*Bed rest is not a vacation, and no, you will not wish you were still on bedrest after the baby's arrived. Bedrest is total helplessness, and is not fun.

*You can have contractions and not be aware of them. Cramps can be contractions.

*Trust your feelings. If you suddenly feel anxious or extremely worried out of the blue, your body is trying to tell you something and you should see your doctor. (I went to the doctor after being anxious all day one day, and we found I was having contractions I couldn't feel that dialated me 1cm! :eek: )

*You will be amazed what body parts your baby can get his/her body parts into. :)

*Baby kicks feel like muscle twitches. (I can't tell you how many times I got a twitch and thought "a baby's kicking my shoulder....waitjustadarnminute" :p)

*If you are having twins, eat like a sumo wrestler for the first 5 months, because you won't be able to fit anything after that.

*Nursing really does help you lose weight.

*If you are having 1st-day-of-a-period-type bleeding for more than a couple weeks, check with your doctor - something could be wrong.

[LeslieR]

After 37 weeks of being pregnant, I have finally learned that the only thing you can predict about pregnancy is that it is going to be unpredictable.

[LexyLou]

Phantom Flatulence happens, blame the dog.

and

This is sooo true. This is probably tmi, but mine are usually silent, so I casually look over at dh to see if he noticed. By now he's recognized "the look" and gets up to leave the room.

Have me crying with laughter! Too true and too funny. DH just looks at me and whines, "COME ON!!".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~If you really think you can continue to shave your own bikini line, proceed at your own risk. More likely than not you will wind up very crooked. DH finds this amusing.

[mel7dog]

This thread is cracking me up and making me so NERVOUS now that we have just started TTC :confused:

[jnshanna]

This is a great thread! Too funny! Although it is freaking me out a bit too. LOL ;)

[ellybella]

i have really enjoyed reading this thread! i'm only 5w2d pg, but i'm looking forward to many of these experiences happening to me! :) i think ;) ...

[Natasha]

Sleep is ok and IMPORTANT! Don't feel like you have to be Superwoman, just take the darn nap!

Your emotions had never been and will never be as crazy as when you are pregnant. I can't tell you how many times I have asked MYSELF "what the hell is your problem!".

on that note, no one excuses your behavior because you are pregnant, except for maybe DH. Everyone else expects you to be happy and pleasant and to marvel in awe at all of their "advice" and "experience".

You will never have your body back, but it IS possible to lose all the baby weight and then some. It just takes some time. Then, when you get back to your high school weight, you'll get pregnant again! (Ok maybe not everyone, but thats what happened to me!)


To be honest, it is ALL worth it, and you will seriously consider doing it again in less than a year...

[alienhost]

This thread is cute...

- Don't expect many people to offer you a seat on public transportation. I know you are "reading" your paper trying to pretend you don't see me, 8 months pregnant and dying to sit down. If I wasn't going more than one or two stops, I'd ask you if I could sit down and make you feel bad.

- You will contantly worry about the list of things you shouldn't eat, soft cheese, cold cuts etc. What to do if the salad at the restaurant has goat cheese or feta? Is it crazy to ask if the cheese is pasturized? Incidently I did eat feta and goat cheese a few times but worried for days...

[amtaylor]

~ You will end up breaking the food rules and order a Dr. Pepper and Sub and not feel a minutes worth of guilt..... until you're done eating :rolleyes:

[devil_kitty_1]

People you have never seen before will want to touch your belly and ask you when you are due. You will gnaw a hole in your tongue trying not to say, "I'm not pregnant, I'm just fat", so answer them honestly and smile.

It is highly unlikely that your baby will just fall out of your crotch. But there are times that it sure feels like it will.

Charmin makes a Take-a-long roll of toilet paper. You can find it in the travel sized shampoo/conditioner section of Wal Mart. Get one. Keep it in your purse. You WILL need it.

One week at the beach gorging on every kind of seafood you can imagine will NOT cause mercury poisoning. However, it may cause you to swell like a puffer fish.

Charter Fishing when you are 31 weeks pregnant, and still puking, is NOT a good idea. Just trust me on this one.

[devil_kitty_1]

~ You will end up breaking the food rules and order a Dr. Pepper and Sub and not feel a minutes worth of guilt..... until you're done eating :rolleyes:

And if you're not feeling guilty, you may want another one!

[terrys wifey]

I love this thread.

What I've learned so far.... Do your Kegels. I actually peed my pants in BRU 2 days ago. :( And the sneeze was so powerful, I had a wet spot right around my knee.

LMAO!!!!!! :D :D :D I did this in my car and my 9 yr old will not let me forget it. Yep those sneezes are mighty powerful!!

[terrys wifey]

* You will regret all that advice you gave your pregnant friend once you get pregnant

*Arby, Burger King and Wendys ARE healthy when you are 39 1/2 weeks pregnant and don't want to cook anymore

*Sitting in the backyard with the dog is a great way to spend the last few weeks being pregnant. Especially since you can't get out of the lounge chair anyway until your DH comes and pulls you out.

*Stretch marks are natures way of saying your a great mom-who else would want reminders daily of your last month of pregnancy

*You will cry at movies, commercials, and radio announcements and it doesn't stop once baby is born. After you'll just get mad at them too!


LMAO!!!! This is hilarious, you are too funny!

[red_canuck]

OMG, I LOVE this thread!! too freaking funny, thank you so much to everyone sharing their stories!

[terrys wifey]

Okay after laughing at all of these posts until my cheeks hurt I am posting mine:

It doesn't matter how many kids you already have (I have one and one on the way) people are always giving advice and talking to you as if you have none.


At times you get sick of all the attention (HOw are you feeling, when are you due? Do you want a boy or a girl? etc...)

People tell you that b/c you have morning sickness you are having a girl, then proceed to tell you stories of people they know who did.


If you are suffering from "Gagging" it might now be wise to brush the back of your tongue it may result in 10 minutes of vomiting.


If you have older kids be prepared to get asked some interesting questions or hear interesting comments. My son is 9 yrs old and everytime I get m/s he tells me " The baby must be sick again b/c they're making you sick, it's like they are controling you like a remote control"

He has been asking for a baby sister and a dog since I can remember so after we told him we're were pregnant he asks for a dog and we said we don't think so his comment " Well how about we make the baby wait until after we get the dog then they can come"


He looked at my strech marks on my stomach and said "I guess that's where the baby is eating"


Foods you may have loved before may not taste so good now

Sleep, Sleep, Sleep now!!!!

[terrys wifey]

More......

Everyone's pregnancy is different

Pregnancy is a wonderful thing but is also very scary

You don't always have wierd cravings and eat like a pig (I have absolutely no appetite and only gained 1 lb in 17 weeks)

Sometimes that pregnancy glow can be hidden behind pregnancy acne

[beevo12]

He looked at my strech marks on my stomach and said "I guess that's where the baby is eating"

ROTFLMAO!!! :D

[dzmattie]

You will learn that everyone's pregnancies are different but there is nothing better than having a friend going through it at the exact same time. (Who else can talk for two hours a day about one thing - your pregnancy!)

I learned about the emotions in family members -

- You can form a bond with your mother when you share pregnancy news (daily) and she had experienced the same things.
- You will see your father melt when he sees the ultrasound picture of his grandson - and watch his excitement when he learns the little one is on the way.
- You will see a grumpy father-in-law truly smile and a tear leave his eye when he cuddles with his first grandson for the first time.

[cocoa_femme]

Seriously, you guys are cracking me up (and scaring me a little)!

[Daniel's Kitty]

I still love this thread!!! It is making me feel so much better as I am having contrax so I can have a laugh.

I have a new one to add.

**Having someone tell you that they envy you when you are 38 weeks and having contrax because they have their period and are uncomfortable.**

ETA
**You can follow all of the advice on how not to get heartburn and still wake up feeling like you are on fire.**

[solongtogo]

[QUOTE=Daniel's Kitty]

**Having someone tell you that they envy you when you are 38 weeks and having contrax because they have their period and are uncomfortable.**

[QUOTE]

LOL...granted though, I have rather enjoyed not having that fun little monthly visitor for the past 9 months :D

[PGirl26]

This thread made me LOL too many times to count... and scares the sh*t out of me at the same time!!

[sarahanna115]

Loving this thread... :p

* Your DH is wonderful and supportive the first few times you are retching into the toilet in the early throes of morning sickness...but after a month, the most you'll get out of him is a sleepy "Are you ok?" from the bedroom when you are head in the toilet at 3 am.

* No matter that you think it will NEVER happen to you, you WILL be waddling around by the 9th month, lowering yourself into a chair very carefully, and requesting the need for a crane lift when you need to get back on your feet.

* When you want a chicken sandwich, DAMMIT, you want it now! And a barbeque chicken pizza does not fulfill that craving just because it has chicken associated with it!!! DH's must learn the how-to's of meeting a pg woman's cravings or suffer much wrath.

* It is OK to scream bloody murder and alert the neighborhood when you step on the scale and see a number pop up that you never have seen before.

* You will get over the embarassment of walking into your dr office only to be told brusquely to "head on back and pee in a cup" in front of the entire waiting room and your DH.

* You will pee on your hands, the toilet seat, possibly your clothes or the floor when at your dr appts giving the urine sample - by the time your in the 3rd trimester with a big belly, the dixie cup needs to be upgraded to a sauce pan if you have any chance of getting a drop in it!

* You will lie helplessly on your back like a turtle in your bed and have to lower yourself to asking for a heave-ho or pull to get up every morning and night...and possibly the three times during the middle of the night when your bladder is about to explode.

* Your DH will crap his pants a few times before he gets used to you waking up in the middle of the night screaming about being stabbed and "knives" and grabbing your leg and flailing miserably during a leg cramp session. He will try to help out and sometimes end up rubbing the wrong leg. Do not kill him, he means well!

* If ice cream is the only thing your body will keep down during those first few months, dangit, eat ice cream. Your baby will be ok! And you can slap anyone who thinks you are using your pregnancy as an excuse to chow Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream every morning.

* People will think it's cute to say repeatedly during the last month of your pregnancy "You're still here?!" and "No baby yet!?" You will have to fight the urge to strangle them, trust me!

* People really think it's ok to tell you that you look like you're "about to explode" when you're 8-9 months pregnant. If they're lucky, you will be in a tolerant, tongue-biting mood...if not, swing away and blame it on the hormones.

* People will not necessarily treat you more like a human being just because you are pregnant. People will still pull out in front of you at a 4 way stop sign, try to run you off the road, block you with their shopping carts, and expect you to move for them in crowded aisles at the store. Look out for yourself and take no chances!

* Books and friends and family will tell you that your baby will be deformed if you clean your house, lose weight, eat fast food, drink coffee or Pepsi, don't take special herbs and special vitamins...just keep in mind that's their opinion! You know what is OK for you and your baby, that's what counts! Paranoia because of other's opinions and advice should not be a part of your pregnancy! You have enough to worry about on your own.

* You will have to buy huge bras! They WILL pop out of your drawer and spring into your face like a scary jack in the box, so be warned!

* Your husband may complain that you are always greasy with creams and lotion, but remind him you never know what good they might do! If you do get stretch marks, it was meant to be, cause genetics are stronger than any tube of special cream!

* Your husband will not like that you take his "abdominal exercise ball" and claim it as your "birthing ball" -- it is best to refer to it, for his sake, as just an "exercise ball."

* You will think your baby's sonogram pictures are beautiful and you will be able to tell what body part is where. Don't expect others to. They will feel free to tell you that it looks like "an alien" and ask if it has "devil horns" on its head.

* If anyone finds out you are going to try and go med-free in labor, they will start exclaiming loudly that you are crazy, naive, and that you will change your mind and proceed to tell you how horrifying their labor was.

* Family members will randomly eye you from across the room, silently come over and just stare at your belly for an awkward minute, hoping to see it "move" again. Anytime they try to feel for the baby to move, the baby will be very still and you will be forced to awkwardly get someone out of your personal space!!

* Sometimes you just can't control the gas -- and sometimes you just don't care, you're pregnant! Be careful when squatting down (a la looking at the lower bookshelf in a library). Also learn to do the butt-squeeze-fart-avoidance method when standing and you feel one coming on - sometimes it works! Always blame it on "the baby" if your DH says anything.

* Above all else, pregnancy is temporary; and having a child is a beautiful treasure and probably one of the greatest blessings in your life! ENJOY and ANTICIPATE, REMEMBER and BE GRATEFUL. :D

[1_mommy]

Your DH will crap his pants a few times before he gets used to you waking up in the middle of the night screaming about being stabbed and "knives" and grabbing your leg and flailing miserably during a leg cramp session. He will try to help out and sometimes end up rubbing the wrong leg. Do not kill him, he means well!

this just happened to me last night. i HATE leg cramps!

[terrys wifey]

Sarahanna...

You are a mess and soooo right!!! LOL :D

[Surftraitor]

I love this thread...
--You're husband will seemingly turn into an Idiot to you, despite not doing anything differently before you were pregnant
--Within one minute you will love, hate and then love your husband again.
--Being told that you are "getting bigger" is far better than being told that you are "big"
--The scale will reach new levels that you never thought possible
--Peeing in a cup is as easy as winning an olympic medal

[katnbug]

--Within one minute you will love, hate and then love your husband again.

Ain't it the truth??? :D And it doesn't end at childbirth!

*Being pregnant is not an excuse for eating the entire menu at McDonalds/Wendy's/JackNTheBox... take it from someone who's still trying to lose those 20lbs of pregnancy weight 10 months later!

*There are two distinct groups of people out there: Those who absolutely have to know the baby's sex ahead of time, and those who would never ever ever ever want to find out. Whatever your decision, you'll hear loud and clear from those with the opposite point of view. Ignore them.

*Don't be too quick to shun your mother/sister/friend's offers to help out after the baby is born. Those offers that come while you're still pregnant suddenly disappear around your baby's 6 month!

*****GET SLEEP NOW!!!!!!!! Even if you think it's "impossible" to sleep being 8 months pregnant - you don't know the meaning of sleep deprived until you get that beautiful baby home!

All of that said, I really do envy all of you preggo's!! Good luck. :)

[solongtogo]

At 9 months pregnant, you too will waddle like a penguin when you walk.

[Daniel's Kitty]

Even people on the top of the list to call will sound surprised to find out you aren't in the hospital.

[lauren f s]

* Your DH will crap his pants a few times before he gets used to you waking up in the middle of the night screaming about being stabbed and "knives" and grabbing your leg and flailing miserably during a leg cramp session. He will try to help out and sometimes end up rubbing the wrong leg. Do not kill him, he means well!
This happened to me, but he thought I was in labor!

[SAMIKE32700]

I learned that I don't want anymore children. 1 is enough for me.

[hockeybrat]

This thread is hilarious but at the same time, it scares the shit out of me! :p

[usafwife]

*When people see you around town they will ask 'are you still pregnant' or 'haven't you had that baby yet?'

*People will ask 'when are you due' and then get this shocked look on their face when you tell them it's still a couple of weeks away. Then they reply back, 'well, you look like you could deliver anyday now.' Geez, thanks for that information I didn't or hadn't realized that before now.

*My husband always loved this comment....'are you having a baby?' well no, I just swallowed a watermelon/bowling ball.

*Your husband may not be the easiest to wake up in the middle of night while you are screaming at him to get up cause you have to go. He then wakes up and sleeply asks 'where do we have to go. It isn't time to go to work yet.' You reply back 'no, we have to go to the hospital NOW because my water broke.' Finally after repeating that statement a few times he wakes up and realizes that you aren't kidding him.

*Just when you think you can't be/get sick again it gets worse. And you have to tell your husband to pull off on the side of the road so you can throw up while cars are zipping past you.

*Everyone you see wants to know if you know the gender of the baby and what the name is going to be. And when you tell them the gender but not the name they act like the world is going to come to an end.

*People will not give up their chair while waiting to be seated at their tables. Even when your legs and feet are so swollen that they can't help but see them and know that they must ache. They will look at you and give you the look that says you should be home not here.

*Realize that the baby is going to come when it wants. Not when you want or would like them to. Be that 2 weeks early, 5 days past your due date, or 2 weeks late.

*Expect the unexpected.

*Leaving the house is never accomplished as quickly as it had been before the baby arrives. It takes twice as long so prepare for it ahead of time.

*Accept the help from family members that want/offer to help you after the baby arrives (and even before). They are wonderful to have around once you get home and don't feel like running up and down the stairs to do laundry, fix something to eat, cleaning the house, and all that.

*Expect to have 'discussions' with family members over who gets to hold the baby. Everyone wants to hold the baby so get used to it.

[amtaylor]

~ When your science geek of a husband compares your unborn child to a parasite, resist the urge to cut off his manhood and feed it to him. If you look up the definition you'll find out that technically... he's right :rolleyes:

[AndreaMMS]

-There is morning sickness, and there is Hyperemesis Gravidarum. They are completely different. One can make you miserable and uncomfortable for the first trimester, but it's normal and not dangerous. The other can land you in the hospital repeatedly fr dehydration, get you having IV's and nursing services at home, and endanger the baby's life and your health. It can also last the entire pregnancy if you are very unlucky (mine lasted 6 months). ***If you can't keep anything down for 24 hours CALL YOUR DOCTOR OR GO TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM.***

-When you start to show, people will begin to make VERY personal comments. They will want to pet you. You will get treated like a hands-on art exhibit instead of a person.

-There is nothing like the look of shock, awe, disbelief, and love on your husband's face the first time he feels the baby move. It's beautiful.

-Pregnancy will be the way it will be and go the way it will go. Your visions of how it "should" be don't matter!

-You start being a parent as soon as you are pregnant. You may have to make tough decisions very early on. You are up for it - trust yourself and your husband.

-When you sneeze or laugh hard you may have "accidents!" No one warned me of that!!!

-It is a crazy experiece watching your body change so much!

-Feeling the baby move can be wonderful and sweet...sometimes it can also hurt!

-Contractions (braxton-hicks) don't necessarily hurt. They can just feel like your belly suddenly gets hard. If they are coming often, time them! If you get them every 10 minutes or closer for an hour and you are less than 36/37 weeks along, call the doctor!

[Daniel's Kitty]

You will wonder how some pregnant women make it look so easy!
Movements can hurt, especially when they stretch out in the last few weeks. Or while you are having a contraction.

[usafwife]

A couple of things that I forgot in my earlier post.

*French Fries could be considered an acceptable form of food if it's the only item that you might be able to keep down.

*Look for the foods that hurt the least coming back up. That is if you can stomach the sight/taste/smell or even though of food.

*Labor might go faster than you thought it would. Yet another time to expect the unexpected. And once again be prepared to get sick. (I sure wasn't counting on being sick for nearly 3 + hours during my labor.)

[looty]

*Labor might go faster than you thought it would. Yet another time to expect the unexpected. And once again be prepared to get sick. (I sure wasn't counting on being sick for nearly 3 + hours during my labor.)

I have never been pregnant but I was in the delivery room with my best friend and that was the biggest surprise to me. I thought it was just her but after telling other people who had kids, they confirmed that it happened to them too. As if the contractions and pushing a baby out aren't enough.

[LeslieR]

I think these are the last two things I've learned, one was during labor and one has been since the baby was born...

~they tell you to exercise during pregnancy for a reason-you will need all of your strength for delivery-more strength than you think you have

~all of those annoying people that tell you to "get your sleep now while you can *wink, wink, hardy har har*" are right :eek::rolleyes::(

Oh-one more...

~during L&D your husband will get to know you in new ways you never thought possible

[allyray231]

Even if, IF, you do lose all of your baby weight your body will have changed shape so that your clothes fit you differently. No amount of crying will change that either....(trust me, I know )
Oh god I just learned this last week trying to buy clothes-very sad

[Bliss]

Dont bother buying bras in quantites more than 3 at a time. I have restocked my bras twice now as the bbs have kept on growing, and wasted too much money and drawer space on bras that do not fit anymore.

- Ditto on clothes- should have listened to the BTDT moms on this one, now I have 5 pairs of pants that cut off my circulation and I have to move up into the next size *sigh*. Maybe they will come in handy after the babe is born lol.

- I thought I got a break from PMS for 9 months, turns out I have just had it continuously in strange cycles since I got PG.

- I have learned how to sleep with pillows everywhere, and even how to turn and reposition myself while half asleep. DH has learned to sleep as well, on the tiny piece of bed he has left lol.

- Tuna is the most desirable food in the whole world when you cannot eat it.

- Feeling the baby kick is the most amazing experience in the world :D

[terrys wifey]

Tums will become apart of your diet

Pregnancy doesn't give you a break from having to wear maxi pads if your bladder is weaken from being pregnant especially when you sneeze.

[kindermom]

While it is amazing to have your little one still within you, and you may love to feel him/her kick, and you may cherish the sleep you are getting, you will want to have your little one out by the 38th week, not matter what it takes.

The linnea negra does not magically disappear once you give birth

While you may lose most of the weight right after giving birth, that does not mean that your pre-pregnancy clothes with fit you right away...even the baggy ones!

When buying maxi pads to wear after you deliver, find the thickest ones you can because you will need the extra padding for a while!


Edited to add another lesson learned

[Daniel's Kitty]

You will cry if your husband hits a bump on the way home from the hospital.

Be careful about getting pads that are not rough textured. It is really uncomfortable if you have stitches.

[kat]

Well, I'm only 14 1/2 weeks, but here's what I've learned so far (in addition to many of the hilarious ones that other people have posted):

-french fries are God's gift to you during the first trimester.

-do NOT buy more than a couple of bigger bras. I bought about six of them during the first growth spurt (at around 9 weeks) and I've already outgrown them.

-you do not magically get your energy back the minute you hit the second trimester.

-your husband, your mother, and your friends who've been pregnant can be great targets for your complaining....the others won't care and just want to hear, "I feel great!"

-no matter what your circumstance is, you will have at least one friend (sometimes a very good friend) who will insist that everything about her pregnancy was more difficult than yours. Just stick to talking to her on the phone so you can roll your eyes and move on.

-if you have any negative feelings during pregnancy (probably hormonal, but negative nevertheless), everyone will assume it's just "fear about being a good parent" and tell you they felt the same way. Even if your feelings are nothing like that.

-not every pregnant woman weeps when seeing the ultrasound image or hearing the baby's heartbeat. In fact, not every woman feels a surge of ANY emotion at these times, and you are not an evil, coldhearted person if you are one of the ones who doesn't.

-if you're expecting twins, you can expect the "do twins run in your family?" question at least three gazillion times per day. You can also expect a few "Wow"s, followed by a very scary silence.

-now maybe this is a pregnant-with-twins thing, but you may find yourself unable to get a good night's sleep far sooner than you expected. I thought that happened in the third trimester, when the belly is biggest. Wrong. I haven't slept comfortably in weeks, and it ain't because of the peeing or because my belly is huge. :)

-just because it has an elastic waist, that doesn't mean it'll be comfortable during pregnancy.

[curlywig]

Loving this thread... :p

* You will pee on your hands, the toilet seat, possibly your clothes or the floor when at your dr appts giving the urine sample - by the time your in the 3rd trimester with a big belly, the dixie cup needs to be upgraded to a sauce pan if you have any chance of getting a drop in it!

* Your DH will crap his pants a few times before he gets used to you waking up in the middle of the night screaming about being stabbed and "knives" and grabbing your leg and flailing miserably during a leg cramp session. He will try to help out and sometimes end up rubbing the wrong leg. Do not kill him, he means well!

* Sometimes you just can't control the gas -- and sometimes you just don't care, you're pregnant! Be careful when squatting down (a la looking at the lower bookshelf in a library). Also learn to do the butt-squeeze-fart-avoidance method when standing and you feel one coming on - sometimes it works! Always blame it on "the baby" if your DH says anything.


OMG. ROTFL!!! I was going to add these, but I'm glad to see I wasn't alone!!

[AusMarchBride]

-you do not magically get your energy back the minute you hit the second trimester.

-not every pregnant woman weeps when seeing the ultrasound image or hearing the baby's heartbeat. In fact, not every woman feels a surge of ANY emotion at these times, and you are not an evil, coldhearted person if you are one of the ones who doesn't.

Yes and Yes, sooo true.

And to add:

Pregnancy is not necessarily a time of unbridled joy, it's ok and normal to feel apprehensive and (gasp) to not actually feel that it's the best time of your life

Your husband will not die from lack of home cooked meals or lack of s-e-x (even if he says he will ;) )

Friends and relatives will fall into one of 2 camps: the "I can't believe you're actually eating smoked salmon/sushi/soft cheese/whatever - I'd never risk my baby's health like that" or the "I can't believe you're NOT eating smoked salmon/sushi/soft cheese/whatever - I ate it all the time when I was pregnant and my kids are fine"

Friends and relatives will fall into one of 2 camps: the "I can't believe you're going to have an epidural/drugs/gas/whatever - I did it without any medications, trudging 500 miles through the snow with no shoes etc" or the "I can't believe you're NOT going to have an epidural/drugs/gas/whatever, you must be insane it's going to hurt like hell"

Your DH will be more loving and caring and attentive than you thought possible and you'll fall in love with him all over again. Then you'll want to smack him because he's being TOO loving and caring and attentive and is driving you nuts :D

You will be amazed (and slightly horrified) at the amount of gas that comes out of your body, and that it can be sooo bad that your DH has to leave the room

The internet is a great source of information and support, but try to limit your reading of the bad stuff that can go wrong. You'll only worry yourself and generally, there's not so much you can do about it

[angelgirl8]

-if you're expecting twins, you can expect the "do twins run in your family?" question at least three gazillion times per day. You can also expect a few "Wow"s, followed by a very scary silence.

now maybe this is a pregnant-with-twins thing, but you may find yourself unable to get a good night's sleep far sooner than you expected. I thought that happened in the third trimester, when the belly is biggest. Wrong. I haven't slept comfortably in weeks, and it ain't because of the peeing or because my belly is huge.

wow, are you me?!

i get the question about twins running in the family every time. when we tell people that i'm pregnant we get this:

me: i'm pregnant
them: oh, congratulations.
me: it's twins.
them: are you kidding?! oh. my. g-d. ...silence.

as for the good night's sleep? i feel like i went straight from the first trimester pain (m/s, exhaustion) to third trimester pain (too big, trouble sleeping).

[sandt8704]

Dont bother buying bras in quantites more than 3 at a time. I have restocked my bras twice now as the bbs have kept on growing, and wasted too much money and drawer space on bras that do not fit anymore.

- Ditto on clothes- should have listened to the BTDT moms on this one, now I have 5 pairs of pants that cut off my circulation and I have to move up into the next size *sigh*. Maybe they will come in handy after the babe is born lol.

- I thought I got a break from PMS for 9 months, turns out I have just had it continuously in strange cycles since I got PG.

- I have learned how to sleep with pillows everywhere, and even how to turn and reposition myself while half asleep. DH has learned to sleep as well, on the tiny piece of bed he has left lol.

- Tuna is the most desirable food in the whole world when you cannot eat it.

- Feeling the baby kick is the most amazing experience in the world :D

OMG.. I am so right there with you on the tuna! I could pass up chocolate ANYTIME now, but GIVE ME TUNA!!

[bluhimmy]

Love these!

yes, your aerolas will go back down to size after the baby is born.
Hmm... this did not happen to me. Although they did shrink a little, but not to its' original size before pregnancy. :confused:

Kegels! Can't stress them enough. My GFs warned me to do a lot of them during my pregnancy; but I guess I just didn't do enough of them...

This might just be me, but I noticed an increase of grey hairs sprouting out of my head. At this rate, I may be completely grey within the next 5 years. :(

[curlywig]

See, Kegels for me didn't matter. I was HORRIBLE about doing them. Maybe I did 300 the entire time I was pregnant (I used to hear how you should do 200 a day or so!). Never had a problem during pregnancy, and (knocking on wood) haven't had a problem PP either (DS is 4.5 mos old). Next PG, you bet your bootie I'm doing them. Not tempting fate twice!

[Surftraitor]

Reviving this great thread with some more lessons learned...

--By the time the 9th month rolls around, you will be bitter of every woman who is giving birth before you.
--Drinking a Guinness (or at least 1/2 a can) can reduce swelling in your feet/ankles.
--You sink to a new low when you realize that your belly is resting on your thighs when you sit.
--Growing out of maternity clothes is even worse than growing out of regular clothes.

[bluhimmy]

--Drinking a Guinness (or at least 1/2 a can) can reduce swelling in your feet/ankles.

Wish I knew that one... I don't drink, but half way into my second trimester, I started to crave beer big time.

[kindermom]

Growing out of maternity clothes is even worse than growing out of regular clothes.
LOL - Even though everyone said I was small, when my belly no longer fit under my maternity shirts and instead overhung the waist band of my pants it was pretty depressing!

[nyrican]

This thread makes me LOL. I'm glad there's more action on it. I have one...

Being nine months pregnant does not guarantee you a seat on a crowded train. People will look you directly in the eyes and not even budge. (I don't know how they can sleep at night)

[angelgirl8]

--Growing out of maternity clothes is even worse than growing out of regular clothes.

so true! i was already out of some of my maternity clothes at 16 weeks. very sad!

[Christy5599]

Ugh, I'm a long way from growing out of my maternity clothes but I can only imagine how depressing that is!

I do have one.... I've learned that there's nothing worse than being having a cold and not being able to take anything that actually works for my symptoms!!!

[Kanga]

When you are about a month from your due date, just about everyone you know will call on a regular basis to see if you've had the baby yet, even if you've promised them a hundred times you will call them when the time comes. (Advice of another CCer) Eventually it's necessary to change your machine to "You've reached the Smith's, and no we haven't had the baby yet, leave a message."

[charissa]

Ugh, I'm a long way from growing out of my maternity clothes but I can only imagine how depressing that is!

I do have one.... I've learned that there's nothing worse than being having a cold and not being able to take anything that actually works for my symptoms!!!

ohhhh - i was JUST there... all i could do was take a warm/hot shower - not too hot of course, and that sort of cleared things up (for a while anyway) and helped me feel better...

A Resident friend of mine said that its safe for pregnant women to take Sudafed, has anyone else heard of this?? Not that I don't trust him, but I just hadn't heard it before.

[mel7dog]

A Resident friend of mine said that its safe for pregnant women to take Sudafed, has anyone else heard of this?? Not that I don't trust him, but I just hadn't heard it before.

I've read Sudafed (as well as a bunch of other meds) are safe. You should be able to google a search from a baby site.

I had the cold thing last week and it was horrible! I ended up going to the Dr. and turns out I had an ear infections that could have turned worse and been bad for the baby, so pay attention to those cold symptoms lady!

[Christy5599]

My doc says Sudafed is fine... but it's never done anything for me! So I took it just in case but it turned out all for not. I did end up falling in love with Afrin, totally cleared my nose but you can only use it for three days. I'm not much of a nasal spray girl but when something works go for it!

[ShannonGH]

You'll never use so much concealer as you do when your pg. (at least that's been my case)

[usafwife]

A Resident friend of mine said that its safe for pregnant women to take Sudafed, has anyone else heard of this?? Not that I don't trust him, but I just hadn't heard it before.

At my first appointment, my OB said for me not to take anything except antiacids (i.e. tums) and Tylenol without calling first so that's what I always did. So if I were you, I'd call because what one OB says is fine another one might not. Better to call and ask first.

[kat]

My OB said Sudafed was okay, but I'm sure not all OBs agree (and I didn't care much because I can't take it anyway - thyroid disease - and probably wouldn't risk it even though my OB said it was okay). Anyway, just wanted to let you know that at least some OBs think Sudafed is fine.

[kindermom]

My OBs said Sudafed was fine as long as it was taken solo (not in with other meds like Tylenol Sinus). Definitely ask your OB.

-I learnd that any calls I made in the last month needed to be started not with a hello but with a "This is Noel and no I have not had the baby. Is Jill available?"

[Standrea]

Although I'm only 6-7 weeks along, i have learned just how SORE SORE boobs really are! I got goosebumps and the pain was terrible!!

[Baby Lust]

Although I'm only 6-7 weeks along, i have learned just how SORE SORE boobs really are! I got goosebumps and the pain was terrible!!


Exactly! I hope the first trimester is the worst for sore bbs, or I feel sorry for everyone else!!

This thread is awesome!

[postkalidurga]

I just learned it really is possible to throw out your pelvis. Thanks Relaxin!

[beevo12]

Exactly! I hope the first trimester is the worst for sore bbs, or I feel sorry for everyone else!!

This thread is awesome!

Actually mine eased up in the second trimester but now in the third, just my nipples hurt, and REAL bad! If I get cold, it's really painful. Feels like I have a nail through my nipple. :p

[Lindzee82]

Actually mine eased up in the second trimester but now in the third, just my nipples hurt, and REAL bad! If I get cold, it's really painful. Feels like I have a nail through my nipple. :p
Same here!!!! And it is getting colder in Maine each day!!!! I think I may start wearing nursing pads just to see if they keep my bbs warmer so that my nipples dont get hard and hurt!! :eek:

[Bliss]

- By the third trimester, you will not care if you are walking around w. the bottom of your belly hanging out of your too short maternity shirt. You will refuse to spend any more money on clothes you will wear one week before it gets colder out.

- Nausea comes back in the third trimester. Not as bad as the first, but it definitely makes a return appearance.

- People will feel very free to make comments about not only your "about to explode" belly, but how swollen your ankles/feet are. Older women will give you the "you should not be out of the house/walking around/working" look.

- You find yourself spending more and more time in the bathroom after you pee, waiting for the inevitable "second wave" to come that usually waits until you have stood up and pulled up your pants to arrive :eek:

- DHs tolerance for complaining has a limit, after a while he will only offer up a lame "sorry you are uncomfortable baby" to avoid a hormonal outburst from you.

[jasonsgal]

- You find yourself spending more and more time in the bathroom after you pee, waiting for the inevitable "second wave" to come that usually waits until you have stood up and pulled up your pants to arrive :eek:

SO TRUE!!!!!! I feel like it takes me 10 minutes of potty breaks before I can go to bed at night!!
:p

[Lvella43]

I've been having the worst day and I couldn't be more thrilled to have found this thread. I just spent the last hour laughing my fat, preggo ass off!

THANK YOU!!

[solongtogo]

toward the end your vision gets blurry...I though I had bad contacts and put a fresh pair in several times, still blurry. Your vision goes back to normal after delivery

[AusAshMommy]

These are all too funny...after 2 pregnancies I can relate to EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!!!

Keep 'em coming!!

[CTs_Punkin]

Bumping this up - love hearing these!!

[Lvella43]

No one tells you that towards the very end you feel like you've been kicked in the crotch and that someone hit you with a bat or something on both hips. Its so incredibly uncomfortable.

Bliss Each item you listed cracked me up because I can so relate!

[PaulsGirl]

You will forget all the pain, discomfort, nausea, and [insert your own here] and will think "That was the best thing I ever did" once you see your babe for the first time.

[cagey]

I'm 14 w along, and have learned this:

You always hear that a pregant woman's hair/nails are healthy and grow like crazy......I never thought that my leg hair would be the same way. I swear I could shave twice a day.....

[southerner]

bump for maryanne.....

[Mystikal]

I'm loving this thread, but I'm getting scared with the whole sneezing/kegels thing. I guess I really need to start doing those, because when I sneeze, I sneeze about ten times. I can just see myself peeing down my leg. :o I thought that only happened after childbirth.

[maryanne]

Southerner, you are awesome. I just read through the entire thread (it's great) but I was wondering how I missed it when I started the other....now I see you bumped it from the depths THANKS!!

[dandygirl]

Hello fellow alum! DH and I are job searching in Austin...so anxious to get back there!!! Also 7 weeks and frightened of what I'm reading! :)

Good luck with your pregnancy!

[sarahncraig]

Subscribing!

[terrys wifey]

Morning sickness can return in the 3rd trimester

[Baby Lust]

When you first tell people you are pg, they act very surprised and ask if you were trying :rolleyes:
Even though you feel blessed not to be puking during the first trimester or so, you feel sorry for yourself because you are constantly nauseous.

[J&K2003]

When you first tell people you are pg, they act very surprised and ask if you were trying :rolleyes:


YES! I was certainly not prepared for the number of people who asked me this. :confused: :eek: :rolleyes:

[mel7dog]

-Parents aren't always excited right off the bat, even if you are married and the pregnancy was planned. My mom was freaked out at first, the thought of being a grandma made her nervous. Later the same night she felt better though!

[ruby]

I learned that varicose veins aren't just for legs. I was horrified when I came across one "down there" with my first pg.....luckily, they do go away after all that pressure is gone......but man are they ugly!

[Surftraitor]

The thicker, shinier hair you have during your pregnancy goes away fairly quickly after the baby is born. Welcome back thin, frizzy mop.:(

[neenbean]

Your pregnancy is yours alone- to be shared with whomever you chose. However, EVERYONE will tell you how to do everything.

Your boobs really will get smaller again, just not nearly as perky. That is what push up bras are for. ;)

Despite you being able to feel every movement your baby makes, others may never feel your baby kick- try not to be disappointed.

Hating your husband temporarily for almost no reason at all is normal, just try to remember all the good things that you love about him and your mood will eventually change.

Your body will *never* be the same shape- even if you eventually weigh less than your pre-pregnancy weight. Learn to accept your "new" you.

Be prepared for your labor to not go as planned- things happen, try to go with the flow and know you are in good hands.

Even if your labor story is something you want to share, no one really cares. They are just happy to know you and baby are healthy.





The nine months of complaining, mood swings, gas, heartburn, carpel tunnel, weird food cravings, awful food aversions and aching are all worth it when you hold your little one for the first time. :)

[Surftraitor]

Be prepared to "work" at breastfeeding. It isn't that easy and may be even more painful than labor. :mad:

You will look forward to the day when you pack up the maternity clothes!

[TheFuture]

The best part about the swollen ankles is when you shave (on the rare occasion) you don't have to worry about cutting your ankle bone since it's hidden under the swelling. :D

[yby1]

That I really, really like my bladder in it's natural shape. Having it crushed by the baby on a consistent basis is no fun.

[Standrea]

that just because YOU feel like your as big as a house, doesn't mean you look like it.

I was at my regular family doctor yesterday, and the doctor wouldnt believe that i was 6 months pregnant...she thought i was only 3...:rolleyes: This seems to be the general consensus of everyone around me...

[ShelbyMay]

that just because YOU feel like your as big as a house, doesn't mean you look like it.


On the other hand, just because you've barely gained any weight doesn't mean your darling MIL won't insist that you're as big as a house. :mad:

[AusAshMommy]

ShelbyMay ~ I'm sorry to hear that she has said/thought so...haven't seen your pics...but that's just cruel!

[maplekitty]

*bump*

rolling over in bed is no longer something you can do while still asleep. It becomes a 3 sometimes 4 step process including moans and groans!

[mel7dog]

*bump*

rolling over in bed is no longer something you can do while still asleep. It becomes a 3 sometimes 4 step process including moans and groans!

So true! Especially because you have to adjust each and every pillow so you fit nice and snug in your pillow cacoon!

[maryanne]

Especially because you have to adjust each and every pillow so you fit nice and snug in your pillow cacoon

yep!!! and then your husband steals it or your car does :rolleyes:

[PinkMartini]

Especially because you have to adjust each and every pillow so you fit nice and snug in your pillow cacoon

yep!!! and then your husband steals it or your car does :rolleyes:

LMAO Car.... I assume you mean cat, but that made me laugh... Thanks ;)

[Standrea]

Shaving your legs is a VERY tideous project...as if it weren't before pregnancy...Try bending over in the shower with a huge bowling ball pulling you down...and it gets worse the more swollen your feet/cankles are...

[maryanne]

ooops! I swear I am leaving really cryptic messages like that across the board tonight...:rolleyes:

[Baby Lust]

LOL about the car!! :p Strange thoughts went through my head on that one!! :p

[jimmysgirl424]

That women TTC for the first time should NOT read this thread! ;) Seriously...I laughed myself to tears but a big part of me wanted to run straight to the nearest pharmacy to get a refill on my BC pills. :o Ah well..live and learn.

[cosmic]

*bump*

rolling over in bed is no longer something you can do while still asleep. It becomes a 3 sometimes 4 step process including moans and groans!

OMG, that was me last night. :) I swear I'm getting no sleep at all at this point.

[ladybug777]

At 14 weeks, this is what I've learned so far....

* It is possible for your body to change and get much bigger without you gaining any weight. And when this happens, and you tell people, "No, I've actually lost weight!" you will get "that" look. The look that says, "Oh, poor thing. She's in denial."

* Your otherwise sweet and sensitive husband, will one day think it's okay to tell you that your a$$ is spreading out.

* That if you take the time to make waffles for breakfast, only to discover that there is no syrup in the house, you will cry. Yes, I did say cry. Real tears.

That's all for now. :D

[DallasLady]

At 20 weeks I was so excited to feel the baby move, I'd wait for the little flutters all day.

At 34 weeks I just wish she'd be still so I can relax!

[jdevaz]

I learned that I absolutely loved every second of being pregnant - reminding myself how lucky I was to be carrying a healthy baby.
I also learned that I needed a lot more sleep, which was perfectly normal, but I was not used to.

[katmg]

I've learned that people have no tact or manners. I don't know what planet, "You're waddling" is a compliment on, but it sure ain't Earth!

[Lilla]

I've learned that people have no tact or manners.

ITA. I can't believe the number of times people at work have asked me "So was this planned?"

Now really, does that matter?! And what difference does it make anyway?! Grrrrr...

[katmg]

Lillia - That and "did it take you long to get pregnant?" Um, yes it did but I don't really want to get into that in front of all my coworkers. Thanks though! I also appreciated coworkers asking - "Are you coming back to work after the baby?" Sooo not answering that question at work. :rolleyes: I swear, I used to love my coworkers, but since I've been pregnant I really wonder how the heck they were raised.

It is possible for your body to change and get much bigger without you gaining any weight. And when this happens, and you tell people, "No, I've actually lost weight!" you will get "that" look. The look that says, "Oh, poor thing. She's in denial."

Yup! I've gained 2 pounds so far but my coworker keeps telling me I'm going to have trouble losing ALL my pregnancy weight. :rolleyes:

[jenahdawn]

* That if you take the time to make waffles for breakfast, only to discover that there is no syrup in the house, you will cry. Yes, I did say cry. Real tears.


*And with that, you go through all of the hassle of making them (or pancakes) or your HUSBAND does only for him to put it in front of you and you realize you never want to eat pancakes again.

*(what I will have to keep telling myself) Skin stretches

*Random strangers will ask you quite personal questions. (Were you trying? How long did it take? Was this planned?)

*If it tastes funny to you, it's probably just you. And your husband will not be able to hide his eye rolling every time you ask him to "Try this, does it taste funny to you?"

*The books are general guidelines, not everything will apply to you.

*When you tell people it's twins, besides the irritating, "Does it run in your family" question, they will ask if you were on meds or if you were shocked when you found out. (Shocked is quite negative. Surprised is a MUCH better term...and, yes, we WERE surprised. No one EXPECTS there to be more than one!) And, I am quite aware that it will be a handful, thank you very much. Oh, and "Are they identical?" Well, do you really want me to get into the medical explanation of what they are? Don't get ticked when I say "We don't know" because I just don't feel like explaining what mo-di means for the 5 millionth time!

*The books that say "your breasts will be tender" were written by a man who has never experienced sore boobs like this before and never will! ("tender" my a$$)

*I discovered I have NO qualms about saying to my father (after he makes the RUDE comment, hey fatso) "I'm due in Feb, what's YOUR excuse"

*When your doctor tells you (or restricts you) to avoid or do less of something, there's a reason for it. Just listen to him. Your mom or best friend or husband (most of whom are not OBs) do not have better advice. (Like, when he says limit it to 12 pounds, don't go moving a 25 lb box!)

*Just because I have lost 6 lbs doesn't mean I've stopped growing.

But, for those of you who talk of the people who won't give up their seats on public transportation, I would like to applaud one of our best friends who is a soldier and was going on almost 60 hours of no sleep on a bus home for Christmas last year (Chicago to Milwaukee, flight was cancelled) and STILL gave up his seat for a woman when others wouldn't. Shows that some people still are selfless.

[MichelleRenee]

Shows that some people still are selfless.

I think we are all so quick to talk about the RUDE things people do we sometimes forget the nice things.

*I never expected that when I was 6 months pregnant and waiting in a loooong bathroom line at a restaurant that everyone in line would *insist* that I go first.

*I never expected so many people to ask how I'm feeling and then really seem to listen like they care when I start going on and on about the back pain, hip pain, butt pain, belly pain, heartburn...etc.

*I never expected so many of DH's friends/brothers to pitch in and help us move when I was 6 months pregnant so that I wouldn't have to lift a finger. We've moved several times before and the response was never quite so generous on moving day. And it was during the heat wave..... words can't even say how thankful we were for the help.

[Rancid13]

*I've learned that you just have to get used to feeling sleep deprived all the time. No matter how many naps you take, how early you go to bed, or how tired you are when you go to bed, that will not make you sleep or feel any better. Strategically placed pillows will help you feel comfortable as you are attempting to sleep, but they do not magically bring on sleep for you. :eek:

*I've learned that by mid-pregnancy, you will fill hungry all. the. time. In between meals you can snack on healthful (and supposedly 'filling'!)things such as fruit and veggies and yogurt and hummus, but come lunchtime you will be simply ravenous. Then hungry again 30 minutes after. :rolleyes:

*I've learned that it is possible for one's feet to be sore and achy & in need of a massage by 10am when all you've been doing for the last several hours is SITTING on your butt at your desk job. Most days I can't wait to get home and put some hot water in my Conair foot massager/bath and relax these puppies. :cool:

[nic]

*That you can feel amazing, sore and tired all at the same time

*That there's nothing like seeing you belly move around will you're lying still

* That you can feel breathless just sitting at your desk at work

* That you just can't sleep comfortably no matter how many pillows you've got

[isobel]

*That no matter how sick or in pain you feel, it's "normal". One of these days I am going to tell my OB that I have sprouted purple hair and she is going to say "yep, that can happen"

[CTs_Punkin]

Bumping up - I'm 6w preggers & love these "tips"!!

[Standrea]

I "re-learned" how tired you actually become when you are pregnant. And it is A-ok to nap if need be!

[pride&prejudice]

**That you could be 34 weeks pregnant and some how the flight attendnat singles you out as the person that needs to move into a cramped row rather than the spacious one you are in becuase "you just sat down" and "these kids need to be together. :rolleyes: Sorry, those kids can be next to each other in a cramped row.

**Before above mentioned flight. You could be rocking back and forth to relieve the pain you are in from standing, but yet no one will give up a seat and you are told by a middle aged man to just sit on the floor like everyone else.

But I do want to mention that not everyone is bad, justseems I run into all of them at the airport.

[mcgwigan]

I can't believe the number of times people at work have asked me "So was this planned?"

Ha! I had someone ask us this the other night when DH told him that I was pregnant. AND he asked us twice, like he couldn't belive it! I thought it was weird!

**how you can be exhausted, for no reason, yet still not be able to fall asleep when you have the oportunity to nap!!

[Loud_curly]

Ha! I had someone ask us this the other night when DH told him that I was pregnant. AND he asked us twice, like he couldn't belive it! I thought it was weird!

Yep, I get asked all the time, especially when that person finds out I'm due at Christmas. Luckily I have no problems explaining that we'd been trying for a year, this baby is very much wanted, and you take what you can get! That usually shuts them up fast (esp. if they're a fertile myrtle).

* How much gas your body can produce! Whoa! Luckily, I don't have to share an office!

*Just how swollen your feet can get. I have trouble fitting into flip-flops these days!!

[jimmysgirl424]

I learned that feeling the baby move inside me was not anything like what I expected it to be. It never really felt like she was kicking me per se, more like she was constantly rolling, tumbling, etc.

Here's one thats maybe TMI...how often I needed to poop! :o:eek: I went from a one time a day kind of gal to multiple times a day.

How hard it was to learn to sleep on my side after being a tummy sleeper all of my life.

[Heidi9771]

Love this thread. I am a pg rookie. :)

[coquelicot]

**how you can be exhausted, for no reason, yet still not be able to fall asleep when you have the oportunity to nap!!
This has *totally* been me. I've lost count of how many naps I've attempted to take, only to just lie there for like 15 minutes without dozing off. Really frustrating, especially given my first revelation below...

Some others I've already learned at 9 weeks; haven't seen them on here:

* Your dreams will get vivid, weird, and numerous. I wake up 3-4 times a night after having one of those dreams.
* Rubber bands are your friends when your pants are just a weeee bit too tight.
* Not everyone pukes their guts out during the first trimester. Some people don't puke at all. (Knocking on wood here--so far)
* You might get acne in spots you didn't know existed.
* Don't freak out when you find random brown spots. Just be thankful when they're not on your face.

[wendalah]

The biggest one for me:

--No matter how vain you are, there will come a time in your pregnancy where you will shrug your shoulders and say "Oh well. What the f--k" regarding weight gain. And seriously, you really will stop caring. Because there is literally nothing you can do...you just have to sit back and watch Mother Nature take over.

Other ones:

--On the weight note, I had no idea how uncomfortable and out of breath the weight gain would make me! To me, 20-30 pounds does not sound like an extreme amount of weight--but when it's concentrated in your belly, it sure makes you feel like you are toting an anvil around.

--You may be able to wear your regular clothes for a long time. Maternity pants are the first things I bought, but I didn't actually need-need them until probably midway through the fourth month. I wore regular tops until about my 7th month.

--I did not get the dreaded acne, but my hair really suffered. It got super weak and broke easily (it's doing a little better now).

--After you get past the nausea stage, pregnancy hormones feel really good! Like the strongest antidepressant on the market, seriously. From my fifth month on, I've been feeling really, really happy--and I'm an average to lower-level "happy type" personality normally.

[wendalah]

Oh...forgot a good one:

Big boobs are totally overrated, and if you aren't used to them--man are they uncomfortable!

[Standrea]

Big boobs are totally overrated, and if you aren't used to them--man are they uncomfortable!
Even if you are used to them, they are uncomfortable. They get even bigger once the baby is born...

[FoxyBlue]

Big boobs are totally overrated, and if you aren't used to them--man are they uncomfortable!

And if you had them already, you now hate them totally!

I'm learning that you can grow a pant size or more and not gain a pound!

And for the first time ever, not gaining a pound is NOT consolation.

[Rosebud]

Well, I'm still in the midst of this pregnancy, but have already learned quite a lot.

- Some people have morning sickness the whoooooole pregnancy. It could be you. You will have to figure out how to get up and go to work while feeling like you have the flu every day for months and months. You may get depressed, you may get angry. You have to figure out how to get through it.

- You can and should buy full-fat ice cream and eat it daily. :)

- You'll learn to be assertive with your doctor. Just because they're a great doctor doesn't mean they're thinking about you and what you need all day. If you have a question, a fear, a need- you will have to be assertive and address it with the doctor until you get a resolution that makes you more comfortable.

- Online shopping will be the biggest godsend ever. When you are puking 24 hours a day and can't go to work, much less out to shop for maternity clothing, you will never be more grateful for sites like gap.com and babystyle.com.

- The Snoogle is worth its weight in gold.

- Your husband will eventually get used to your bumping, farting, puking and crying and won't even bother commenting on it anymore. You will never believe him when he says you still look cute, though.

[kmmommy]

Rosebud ~ Sounds like our pregnancies are nearly identical. I'm sick the whole time too. I hope you get a reprieve soon. :)

[MrsBeckyLP]

I’ve learned that car salesmen will ask why you’re looking for a new vehicle. If you’re not very far along and tell them it’s because you’re expecting your first child, they will look at you and say, “But you don’t look very pregnant.”

You will sob when you find out the car you go back to the dealership to purchase was sold that morning. You will blame it on your DH, and he will then take you to another dealership, where you will find a new, better car! And you will buy it on the spot.

[wendalah]

Oh...I forgot another one. Pregnancy gas is really rank.

If you have a dog, keep him around you at all times. He comes in handy when you are gassy. (I cannot count the number of times my hubby has entered our bedroom, and said "Omigod! This room is DOG FART CITY!")

I feel a little guilty letting the dogs take all the blame, but they don't seem to mind.

[pocahontas]

You will never believe him when he says you still look cute, though.
My favorite right here since my DH says it all the time and I just grunt an acknowledgement 'cuz I sooooo totally don't feel cute. :rolleyes:

[mrschica]

What I've learned so far...

- Your farts may now have a little more bass to them and generally just sound like some sort of echo in Carnegie Hall seeing as how your colon has been pushed just a tad further from your anus than it had been at prior.

- Sometimes, no matter what you eat and no matter how little fat or acid it may have, you're going to get heart burn and you're going to want to stab yourself in the chest.

- People have unrealistic expectations, the minute everyone finds out that you're pregnant they expect you to wake up the next day with a full grown belly and proceed to ask you about it for months afterward till you start showing, at which point an idiot or two will comment on how big you've gotten and that it seems you've been pregnant an eternity.

- If you have big boobs to begin with, cute maternity blouses with buttons on them are out of the question, also, you become just a tad intimidating with mother natures WMD's jiggling about and most bras just don't do the job anymore.

- Sex is extra fun till you hit 'thighs rubbing together' status, at which point even doggie style loses it's pizazz because everything is flopping together and your about to pee because your bladder is getting assaulted in the process.

- When you're 26 years old and pretty much used to shopping for your clothes at places like Urban Outfitters, GUESS, and Abercrombie, it's kind of hard switching from looking like the hot young thing that you are to (cue sound effect: woman screaming) maternity clothes all of which, in your personal opinion, tend to be frumpy and not at all youthful.

[tashaw6]

That when you go shopping you will want to eat everything that you see so you buy it, but when it is cooked or open for eating you do not feel like it anymore

Dreams become vivid and you have many!

No amount of sleep is enough.

Even if you are sitting at your desk the whole day you will suddenly become so tired at around 3 that you won't be able to keep your eyes open.

Your DH will not be 100% sure what to do with you but he will be there when you need him!

[lotsahaircrazy]

You WILL pee your pants when you sneeze not matter how hard you try to hold it.

[PookiePrincess]

Big boobs are totally overrated, and if you aren't used to them--man are they uncomfortable!

So completely true. Mine were a decent size, not too small, not too big. They now need their own zip code.

*My big one - not everyone gets what you hear as "typical pregnancy mood swings." I haven't been overly emotional, a raging bitch, nor have I cried for no reason. I guess some people's bodies just handle hormones well.

*Not everyone gets sick during the first trimester and that's no indication of the sex of your baby. When I told people I didn't get sick, they'd say for sure I'm having a boy. Nope, she's a girl!

*Even if you had the world's largest pre-pregnancy bladder, even a 9 oz baby can make you have to pee every single hour.

[pocahontas]

You WILL pee your pants when you sneeze not matter how hard you try to hold it.



*Even if you had the world's largest pre-pregnancy bladder, even a 9 oz baby can make you have to pee every single hour.I just wanna co-sign every single thing ever said about bladder issues with a hearty AMEN!!:p

[honeygirl]

Just because it says things will happen in the Pregnancy books, doesn't mean it will. For example:

-Not everyone gets a strong sex drive in the 2nd trimester
-Nausea does not necessarily go away once you reach the 2nd trimester
-You may not get swollen legs and feet (yay)

Also:

-You may think you're feeling baby's movements early but it's probably gas ;)
-If you need to wear maternity clothes early it's b/c of swollen intestines, not the baby (cause it's really really small), but you won't care b/c you're so excited to wear them finally!
-The fear of loosing a pregnancy comes and goes. I'm almost 35wks and still worry when I hear about stillbirths or late term losses.
-BH (practice) contractions don't hurt

That's what I have so far, but I have a few weeks to go!!

[Chelsea524]

You will want to throw something at your DH when he say "Why are you tired, you haven't done anything today" umm, growing a human from a tiny egg is a lot of work, try growing two at once, grrr.

Even though your DH is more freaked out than you are he will still be so sweet and help you through the times when you think there is no way I can do this (an then promptly follow with another stupid comment like above)

Trust your instincts, from the moment I found out I was pregnant I thought it was twins and I was right.

Everyone asks the same questions over and over, just remember, this is the first time "they" have asked even though you have answered the same question 100 times.

[Lydia]

Your belly button, whether innie or outie, will look like a cat butthole at about 32 weeks on.

[jimmysgirl424]

That you can and most likely will gain weight in places you didn't expect. My upper arms were gross by the end, they jiggled so much I was embarassed to wear short sleeve shirts, much less a tank top.

That DH will be both your hero and the person that you want to strangle on a daily basis.

That people will say the dumbest and most insensitive things you can imagine. I can't tell you how many women told me about miscarriages they had and what they believed caused them. I lived in pretty much mortal fear during the first two trimesters.

That complete strangers think its their god-given right to ask you very personal questions, like whether or not I was planning on breastfeeding.

[wendalah]

That people will say the dumbest and most insensitive things you can imagine.

Ha, ha--here is my current favorite, that I've been getting from everyone...strangers, friends, and family...

"Wow, you don't seem very big for 8 months. You are having a boy, right? No, you can't be having a girl. Girls make you huge."

:rolleyes: I assure them that I had an amnio which confirmed the little bowling ball is indeed a female. If I'm feeling energetic I then tell them that I'm carrying exactly like my mother did, for all three of her daughters.

[pelican75]

I have to agree with this one:
*My big one - not everyone gets what you hear as "typical pregnancy mood swings." I haven't been overly emotional, a raging bitch, nor have I cried for no reason. I guess some people's bodies just handle hormones well.

It pisses me off when I say something snappish or I'm just in a bad mood and it gets blamed on pg hormones. Um, no. I did get in bad moods when I wasn't pregnant! (See now, if my sister read that, she'd say "SOMEONE's hormonal!" and I'd want to slap her.)

[isign]

-Every pregnancy varies, don't trust everything you read, or think if it doesn't apply to you, something is wrong.

-3rd tri sex,although awkward, is great!!

-Dreams become odd and some have physical results (see above ;))

-Everyone HAS to comment on your size. MIL told me i wasn't high or low, I was wide.

-Trust yourself!! If you think you are in labor, you probably want to go get checked out!!

-Being PG is the most amazing feeling in the world. Labor isn't so bad, and even if it is horrible, seeing your child's face, and holding him in your arms makes all the years of IF, horrible morning sickness, swollen hands, and major mood swings worth it.

[pocahontas]

Modesty goes OUT the window when you are constipated! :( You will go to all new levels for relief!

[Standrea]

Modesty goes OUT the window when you are constipated! You will go to all new levels for relief!

ABSOLUTELY! This is me now!

[wendalah]

-3rd tri sex,although awkward, is great!!

Eeek, don't know if I can agree with this. Too many freaky things going on right now for me to feel sexy--constipation, 'roids, gas, leaky boobs, 27 extra pounds.

But, on that note--I discovered I'm more exhausted in the third tri than I was in the first tri. I seriously feel sleepy all day long, and can fall dead asleep over the most exciting book, TV show, movie, even my beloved USC Trojans' football games. I do a lot of conference calls at work and they are murder...I have to struggle to stay awake through those!

[FoxyBlue]

TMI WARNING! (lol)

When you want/need to pee, the pressure of your uterus will make it difficult.

When you don't want to pee, the pressure of your uterus will make you leak!

___

If you wear a pantiliner for 5 days, you may stay dry that entire time.

However, defy the fates by going linerless, and you will leak.

[Heidi9771]

TMI WARNING! (lol)

When you want/need to pee, the pressure of your uterus will make it difficult.

When you don't want to pee, the pressure of your uterus will make you leak!


wow- is this ever true. so annoying... and I hate sneezing!

[Mandos*Bella]

That DH will be both your hero and the person that you want to strangle on a daily basisSO TRUE!
I never expected to be so thirsty, and not be able to quench it for anything! Or how much I would miss the foods I couldn't eat.
I had never been so tired and out of it than my first trimester. Sheesh!

I didn't realize how much I'd miss being pregnant, especially feeling my baby kick and protecting him from everything. I especially liked that he and I shared something no one else could. :o

Labor isn't that bad in the beginning, and after the epidural :D I also expected to be a wild woman during labor and delivery, but I wasn't. I am very proud of myself!

[bensgirl1222]

Never thought I'd ever be 40 pounds heavier! That was a shocker...

[coquelicot]

I've learned that you don't have to gain a lot of weight for your belly to really start to show.

[MrsBeckyLP]

That it becomes very hard to lean close to your mirror to apply makeup/put in contacts if you have kitchen-height cabinets in your bathroom.

[Chelsea524]

That putting on socks/shoes gets so difficult you are ready to go back to bed afterwards.

[jimmysgirl424]

All of these deal with being in the hospital and post-partum.

That certain people that you know and love (and some that you don't) will tell you that your delivery of your LO didn't really "count" as childbirth because you had a c-section. :mad::mad: Two of my oldest friends (both male) actually had the gall to say that to me shortly after DD was born. I was ready to punch them both out. But, DH jumped right to my defense and asked them if either one of them had a wife that delivered via c-section. The answer was negative in both cases, so DH told them that they [basically] were talking out of their as$es.

That sometimes epidurals aren't the greatest thing ever and can be downright scary (and terribly painful) to get.

That your L&D nurses will be your personal heroes and saviors.

That even if you are BF'ing, some of the hospital LC's can seem like breastfeeding nazis.

That you will want to strangle the person(s) who come to see you and baby in the hospital but refuse to wash their hands before touching the baby.

[mkvh]

- That being induced doesn't mean you will have a baby as a result. Sometimes it doesn't work!

- That when and how you have the baby, though you may plan and plan, is nearly completely out of your control. And that the vast majority of the time, it turns out just as it was supposed to.

[pocahontas]

That the 2nd trimester isn't ALWAYS the "honeymoon" phase that some people make it out to be...

[Smittenk]

that it can fulfill you in ways you can not imagine

that complete strangers will give you their opinions asked for or not

those same strangers will ask you very personal questions

that the baby's movements can make you feel nauseous at first

that you can starving and sick at the same time

that is can be one of the funnest experiences of your life! I had so much confidence while I was pregnant...it made me want to join groups, talk to people etc

I had no idea how much I would miss it once it was over :(