A few weeks ago when my friend Jessica announced she was pregnant and asked if there was any advice I could give her. She xplained that there were so many pregnancy symptoms no one had “warned” her about! Some of the ones she had, I didn’t even have myself, so of course I never would have thought to warn her! But, I have been thinking for awhile about posting my thoughts on things to know about Labor and Delivery. So, Jess, this one’s for you!
Most of these things have to do with the recovery part of delivery. I feel that when it came to the actual labor and delivery, that from reading pregnancy books and many blogs I basically knew what to expect… besides deliverying over 4 weeks early! Which brings us to point number one!
1. You can make a “plan” for L & D, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to go the way you “planned” it!
My plan was to have no plan, and it still didn’t go the way I expected! Because of needing to be induced early, I was really thrown for a loop. All along I thought that I wouldn’t go in with expectations and I was just let what happens happen. To me that meant going into labor naturally, saying “honey it’s time,” and driving off to the hospital! Boy, that “plan” didn’t work out!
2. You know how on TV shows and movies when the woman gets to the “push” stage and throws her head forward during the pushing?
Well, apparently you don’t actually have to do that. I wish I had known that, because when I was pushing I threw my head forward with all my might- as if that would help? My neck was sore for over a week. So the lesson here, do what feels rights to you, not just because you think that’s what it’s “supposed” to look like!
3. Did you know your whole body will hurt afterwards?
Yes? Well, I just did not expect that! I, of course, expected to feel sore “down there,” but what I didn’t expect is that my whole body felt like I had been hit by a truck or something! Don’t worry this only lasts for a few days (at least for me)!
4. Epidurals are awesome- in my opinion- but let’s not open that debate up.
If you do choose to get an epidural you should know this- the spot where it goes in will be sore afterwards! As in, really painfully sore. Again, this wasn’t something I expected or even thought about happening, but it did. I guess it shouldn’t have come as a surprise when you think about what an epidural actually is, but you really don’t care at the time! My back hurt in that spot so bad I could barely sit all the way back in a chair, in the car, and I had to carefully lay down if I wanted to lay on my back!
5. It will get better
I don’t really have a good 5th one so I’ll just say this (not unexpected stuff)- you will bleed, you will be sore but it will get better! Also, you might cry a lot, for really no good reason (maybe that was just me?) Your boobs will be sore and get even bigger than they did during the pregnancy!
What was something you didn’t expect about labor and delivery?
