First off let me preface this by stating that I was 20 when I found out I was pregnant. So I really had no clue about the changes that were going to happen mentally and physically.
•And I wish someone had warned me•
Ya know as soon as you announce you're pregnant people start bombarding you with well wishes, advice, and tell you things like "pregnancy is such a beautiful miracle..." and don't get me wrong it is a miracle. But it ain't pretty I'll tell ya that much. They fail to tell you about the not so beautiful parts. So here's a list of things that no one tells you about pregnancy.
1.) Prenatal vitamins are very important for both mommy and baby during pregnancy. Everyone hounds you to take them religiously. But no one warns you about how sick they make you. I mean the burps you get from those things are awful! And they're these big ol honkin pills that are a pain to swallow. Literally. I had to chop those suckers in half. And because of all the extra iron in them they constipate you. REALLY constipate you...which brings me to my next point:
2.) Hemorrhoids. Ever heard of them? Yeah I bet you have. But as a 20 year old I had not. I won't get into great detail about the joys of hemorrhoids because it's a pretty gross topic but I will tell you this...whatever you do DO NOT take the mirror down there. No matter how curious you are about what they look like and you can't see over your big belly.
3.) Shaving. Grooming your lady bits will be nothing but a distant memory. By the time summer rolled around I was already 5 months pregnant so my belly was getting bigger every day. Which made shaving my legs impossible. Let's just say I spent most of the summer in maxi dresses.
4.) Potty Breaks. The baby growing
in your belly doesn't care that you're in the car and 20 minutes away from the nearest restroom, or at the movies and trying to squeeze the both of you down the aisle so you can pee-for the hundredth time, or that you're trying to sleep and have already got up numerous times to empty your bladder, all the baby cares about is stretching/kicking/getting comfortable inside of you. Even if it means squishing all of your organs.
5.) Sleep. Or lack there of anyways...sleeping on your belly is not an option when you're pregnant, obviously. And all the baby books, Lamaze instructors, and doctors tell you not to sleep on your back because the baby squishes your siatic nerve which is painful. So that leaves you to sleep on your left or right side. But your baby will be the deciding factor on how you sleep or don't sleep. After all the baby has to get comfy too right?? The side you sleep on will depend on what side the baby decides to put his/her head. Body pillows will be your new best friend.
6.) Emotions. Your hormones are R A G I N G during pregnancy...one minute you're happy, one minute you're sad, one minute you're angry, one minute you're hungry, sleepy, etc. It's like you're bi polar or something. And here's the kicker...even AFTER you give birth-your emotions stay the same. And maybe even worse than before. It's crazy. Just like your new personality.
7.) Pop.....goes your belly button! You pretty much don't have a belly button when you get pregnant. It pops out and morphs will the rest of your stomach skin. And just when you think you can't stretch anymore-you can.
8.) Eat a corndog-get heartburn. Eat a starburst-get heartburn. Drink a water-get heartburn. Basically every single thing you eat will cause heart burn. And I'm not talking about your regular uncomfortable burning. I'm talking about painful, never ending, chest & throat on FIRE...heartburn. And it continues up until the day you give birth. Yay!
9.) Birth. Now here's where it gets REALLY FUN! Luckily I didn't have to go through any contractions. I had an emergency c section. So let's talk about that for a sec...your adrenaline is going 90mph so you hardly feel the spinal tap. But you do feel them tying your hands down. And you can hear your skin popping when they pull the baby out. The healing progress is grueling. I had 22 staples and sneezed in the recovery room. Worst pain of my life! You aren't allowed to leave the hospital until you have a bowel movement or at a minimum pass gas. (Also painful) And you still bleed which means you get to wear diaper like pads the size of Texas. They also require you walk around the delivery floor at least once before you leave. Uhm hello nurse I was just sliced open from hip to hip and am very sleep deprived does it look like I want to go on a little stroll??
10.) Nobody tells you how absolutely positively in love you fall with your new baby. Because no one can reay explain the feeling of meeting your baby. You love their little fingers toes hands eyes bellybutton nose-even their little butt is adorable. And I will never forget the smell of Presley's breath the first time I held her. It was the smell of nothing. I felt her sweet little breath on my face but it didn't smell like anything! Just a fresh brand new life. It was truly incredible! As soon as you hold that precious little miracle you forget all about the negative side to pregnancy.
Okay jk you don't forget...haha!
BUT.....it all becomes 100% worth it.
