Tell me about...

[BabyMagic]

Tell me about...

1) ...your pregnancy experience in a few words (if you have more than one child please feel free to tell about them all)

2) your labour experience in a few words

3) what took you by surprise during pregnancy

4) what took you by surprise during labour

5) what has taken you by surprise after LO was born

6) your favourite tip for birth

7) your favourite tip with a baby?

My answers:

1) pleasant, trouble free, exciting

2) water birth, not too bad, happy to do again

3) nausea in the first few weeks, you don't have to throw up to feel bad, and it can happen all day!

4) the speed of it. I was expecting a longer labour (and longer period in absolute agony) as my first baby

5) further contractions whilst breastfeeding - ouch!

6) use water!

7) buy a sling!

 

[NIE]

1. Scary and long but worth it.

2. Quick and lonely as hubby wasn't there during the labour and only made the birth by minutes.

3. How emotionally attached to my bump I became, anf the tiredness.

4. That it wasn't as bad as I imagined.

5. That is is so much more harder than I thought it would be, and also how much I love being a mum.

6. Shout a lot.

7. Trust your own instincts. You know your baby best.

Good questions BabyMagic. xxx

 

[Sam24]

1. Exciting and scary
2. Quicker then expected, has not put me off future bubbies
3. The hormones - need i say more
4. How in control i was - thought i'd be in a right state
5. How I can talk and look at poo without
6. Focus on breathing
7. They all cry for no reason sometimes - try not to worry!

 

[purple13]

1) ...your pregnancy experience in a few words
really quite easy

2) your labour experience in a few words
long, painful, soooo worth it

3) what took you by surprise during pregnancy
how much i loved my new body

4) what took you by surprise during labour
quite how evil syntocinon is

5) what has taken you by surprise after LO was born
how much sleep i've managed to get

6) your favourite tip for birth
don't be too brave

7) your favourite tip with a baby?
keep lots of puke cloths handy

 

[Kimbo]

good thread.


1) ...your pregnancy experience in a few words (if you have more than one child please feel free to tell about them all)
my pregnancy was really easy and didnt realise how much id miss it!

2) your labour experience in a few words
quick, but scary. nothing like i imagined

3) what took you by surprise during pregnancy
how bloody hard it is to turn over in bed!

4) what took you by surprise during labour
the pain... u cant describe it.. and getting to the end with no pain relief

5) what has taken you by surprise after LO was born
how hard it is to get out the house on time!

6) your favourite tip for birth
cold flannels!


7) your favourite tip with a baby?
hmmmmm, not sure!

 

[elaine22]

1) ...your pregnancy experience in a few words
amazing, exciting, relatively problem-free

2) your labour experience in a few words
quick, painful, bit scary

3) what took you by surprise during pregnancy
how good I felt in 2nd tri

4) what took you by surprise during labour
that the contractions just build up until you don't get a break in between

5) what has taken you by surprise after LO was born
how much she slept in the first few weeks

6) your favourite tip for birth
practice breathing exercises

7) your favourite tip with a baby?
get a rocking seat or a swing.

 

[BabyMagic]

Thanks for your answers - interesting...

NIE - I totally agree with you re a tip 'trust your own instinct'. People give you so much conflicting advice that it is just better to trust yourself as you know what is best for your baby (at least most of the time)!

Sam - I never guessed that I'd be talking about poo with my OH. Isn't it funny that your own babies poo doesn't even smell bad?

Purple - I totally loved my pregnancy body too! But I also love having my body back pretty much in the pre-pregnancy state...

Kim&Leah - I so love been able to sleep on my tummy again! And yes, it is pretty hard to leave the house on time with LO. Preparation takes ageeees...

Elaine - Before I started using a sling in the house as well I was seriously considering buying a rocking chair. If I had room I would have done - perhaps if we live in a bigger home if we have another baby...

 

[Tangerinedream]

1) ...your pregnancy experience in a few words.

Amazing, like I could have been pregnant forever

2) your labour experience in a few words

Long, scary and exciting (oh and very painful)

3) what took you by surprise during pregnancy

The pregnancy test

4) what took you by surprise during labour

How strong I am! I pushed a (nearly) 9lb baby out all by myself

5) what has taken you by surprise after LO was born

His smell, and how it made me fiercely protective towards the baby, almost like an animal mummy lol

6) your favourite tip for birth

I always assumed an epidural would result in a loss of control but found once I had one I gained a lot more control of the situation as before I had it I couldnt do anything except double over, I couldnt even breath! So my answer is- epidurals are good

7) your favourite tip with a baby?

They grow up so quickly, you cant take too many photos or videos of them

 

[Misslarue]

1) ...your pregnancy experience in a few words
Good, I esp loved letting my belly hang out!

2) your labour experience in a few words
Excruciatingly painful

3) what took you by surprise during pregnancy
Dizzy spinning spells

4) what took you by surprise during labour
The pain of contractions. I always thought it would be the actual birth

5) what has taken you by surprise after LO was born
How its true what they say........you never sleep!

6) your favourite tip for birth
Drugs!

7) your favourite tip with a baby?
Savour every second. Before you know it your lil newborn is gone and in his place is a real life, mobile lilttle boy!

 

[zebrastripes]

1) ...your pregnancy experience in a few words (if you have more than one child please feel free to tell about them all)

Alright I suppose. Didn't enjoy the vulnerability, but loved stroking my bump and wondering what my baby was going to be like.

2) your labour experience in a few words

Didn't have one! Ha!

3) what took you by surprise during pregnancy

The constant bloody heat and nausea

4) what took you by surprise during labour

The fact i didn't have one. damn caesarean

5) what has taken you by surprise after LO was born

How much I love her, how sad and boring i have become

6) your favourite tip for birth

Pfffft

7) your favourite tip with a baby?

Breastfeed, saves such a lot of hassle once you have it down.

 

[Gem & Leland]

Tell me about... Laughing

1) ...your pregnancy experience in a few words (if you have more than one child please feel free to tell about them all)

bloody awfull lol , sick till 25 weeks , hospitalised at 32 , spd , reflux blurrrr but did love being pregnant and not just fat for once hehehe

2) your labour experience in a few words

quick , painfull and so proud i did it !

3) what took you by surprise during pregnancy

that it ended at 34 weeks lol oh and the fact it nearly killed me lol

4) what took you by surprise during labour

that i ended up doing it with no pain relief when i thought i had low pain threshold !

5) what has taken you by surprise after LO was born

i think im coping really well and i didnt think i would , and the unbeleivable love u feel for them !

6) your favourite tip for birth

never give up ( i wanted to so many times lol all i said was i couldnt do it ! but i did ! ) well u kind get no choice lol plus keep those straws and flanels handy hahaha


7) your favourite tip with a baby?

buy a swing lol and dont be afraid to let them cry , some like to air there lungs ALOT [/b]

 

[happy-chick]

1) ...your pregnancy experience in a few words
Awful, felt so ill all the time! Loved having a bump though.

2) your labour experience in a few words
Induced, very long & painful, wud do it all again a million times for Ellie though!

3) what took you by surprise during pregnancy
How ill I felt and how much pain I was in, dreaded SPD!

4) what took you by surprise during labour
How surreal everything felt, it was like a big painful dream!!

5) what has taken you by surprise after LO was born
How hard breastfeeding was/is & how hard being a parent is

6) your favourite tip for birth
I used a mini fan and it was amazing!! Concentrate on each contraction as it comes and not think 'how the hell am i gunna do this?!'

7) your favourite tip with a baby?
Remember that its one big learning curve for baby and parents

 

[Jade&Evie]

1) ...Unexpected. I was insecure about my bump and changing body but I loved feeling my baby move about and hiccup in my belly.

2) Fantastic. not half as bad as I expected- quick and uncomplicated. Would do it again today for E.

3) what took you by surprise during pregnancy
The piss stick!

4) what took you by surprise during labour
The fact I could do it with no pain relief!

5) what has taken you by surprise after LO was born
the size of Evie's feet!

6) your favourite tip for birth
Keep calm and Active. Your body will do the rest for you.

7) your favourite tip with a baby?
There's no book on parenting

 

[Melanie]

1) ...your pregnancy experience in a few words (if you have more than one child please feel free to tell about them all)
Honestly I hated being pregnant, i generally felt like crap and Budapest is too hot in the summer to be that big!

2) your labour experience in a few words
Quicker than I expected and i cant remember lots of it!

3) what took you by surprise during pregnancy
How big i got!

4) what took you by surprise during labour
That epidurals dont always work!

5) what has taken you by surprise after LO was born
Everyday brings a new surprise even now when i've got a toddler on my hands!

6) your favourite tip for birth
Just go with whats happening, dont fight your body.

7) your favourite tip with a baby?
Buy a sling! Babywearing can change your entire parenting experience!

 

[smile]

1) ...your pregnancy experience in a few words (if you have more than one child please feel free to tell about them all)

Pretty good, constant nausea to 16 weeks but no sickness, worked full time to 35 weeks in a demanding job. Mild craving for custard but nothing too weird.

2) your labour experience in a few words

stop/start labour for 2 days, 1cm to baby in 6hours, gas and air only, delivered on the antenatal ward as too busy on delivery suite and labour progressed too quickly to transfer. Baby needed oxygen at birth, stopped breathing twice and was kept in for 2 days observation and antibiotics. Me - fine, no tears and walking around the hospital 2 hours after the birth.

3) what took you by surprise during pregnancy

the complete exhaustion and constant back and joint pains.

4) what took you by surprise during labour

how much pain my body is capable of taking

5) what has taken you by surprise after LO was born

how long it takes to feel 'normal' I'm still not there and my joints still ache! how powerful the love I have for him is despite the fact that he assualted my body, kept me awake for the last 4 months and shouts at me all day!

6) your favourite tip for birth

water spray for your mouth, a birthing ball and a husband with strong arms! - and don't feel you have to try water if it doesn't seem to working for you - it made it worse for me

7) your favourite tip with a baby?

cut yourself some slack - it is hard work and your mind and body need time to recover!
cut your baby some slack - he's never done this before!
cut your partner some slack - he's got two of you to worry about!