Things no one told me about pregnancy...

[ProfessorChaos]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's been totally floored by some of this pregnancy stuff. Hopefully people have good things and bad things. Today I just have one to share:

No one told me to budget for supplies and treatment to make myself more comfortable in the third trimester. I've spent about $300 within the last week on prenatal massage, support belts, chiropractor copays, and, most recently, a new pair of cheap-ish shoes because my normal shoes don't fit my feet at the end of the day due to swelling. And I'm still in a lot of pain.

Anyone else have things to share?

[pinkdoggie]

ProfessorChaos I am so sorry you're feeling stressed. This is good to know as I am in early pregnancy right now. I hope you feel better soon and congrats and your LO!

[IFinTN]

No one told me that if you pee yourself you might have a UTI--despite a negative dipstick! Seriously, I started feeling like death warmed over and was clammy and sweaty at my OB appt. this morning. She ran a CBC with diff and my WBC was high with high neutrophils, which apparently points heavily to bacterial infection and UTIs in particular.

ProfessorChaos I guess one advantage to being a big gal is that so far my body seems to be carrying baby pretty well. If I were more petite I could see this whole shift in gravity thing being a big problem!

[viola]

No one told me it's OKAY if you don't fit into the 25-35 lb recommended gain box. Every body is so different and it doesn't mean that you're unhealthy. You don't need to eat all the sweets, but you don't need to survive on spinach salads either.

No one told me that symptoms will come and go and come again. There are no rules

No one told me you're going to doubt yourself and sometimes wonder what the hell you were thinking. You'll feel "not ready" for something you've been waiting years for. There will be moments, mostly brief, where you wish you were not pregnant. None of this means you don't love your baby or that you wont be a great parent

[gsancho]

Swamp crotch...so bad...discharge and sweating down there has really amped up in 3rd tri. If I forget panty liners, I go through 2-3 panties a day.

And I'd heard a little about heartburn and insomnia, but I didn't know how bad it could get.

[gsancho]

And not directly pregnancy related, but I was reading one of my pregnancy books last night and apparently milk doesn't just come out of your one hole at the end of your nipple...but out of lots of little holes all around the nipple? Maybe I'm in the minority but my mind was blown.

[hbanana18]

@ Gsancho - The pregnancy insomnia! Ugh. And the finding it impossible to sleep comfortably for any length of time. I hate when people say 'get your rest now!' I've never slept worse.

[Deleted]

That you will have so many days where the very fact that you survived is accomplishment enough. (Like today, for me) Growing a human is just exhausting, difficult work.

[kmc84]

gsancho yes! If you ever pump, you'll be shocked at the sprinkler system your nips are equipped with, lol!

[ProfessorChaos]

Mar 13, 2015 16:01:16 GMT -5 kmc84 said:

gsancho yes! If you ever pump, you'll be shocked at the sprinkler system your nips are equipped with, lol!

Wait, what?!

[kmc84]

Mar 13, 2015 16:26:19 GMT -5 ProfessorChaos said:

Mar 13, 2015 16:01:16 GMT -5 kmc84 said:

gsancho yes! If you ever pump, you'll be shocked at the sprinkler system your nips are equipped with, lol!

Wait, what?!

Lol- when you're breast-feeding you can't really see what's going on, but when you pump and you have the clear plastic flanges on your boobs, you can watch the milk spray out and it definitely doesn't come out of one hole, it comes out of like five or six maybe a few more or less depending on your unique nip set up!

[kmc84]

While I'm on the topic of boobs, I had a very good supply while breast-feeding and I had no idea that after a nice warm shower it would trigger a letdown and I would get out of the shower and spray milk all over the place! Thankfully that calmed down after a couple weeks, lol!

You need your sense of humor while you're pregnant and you definitely need it after the baby is here!

[sewfie2]

Mar 13, 2015 16:26:19 GMT -5 ProfessorChaos said:

Mar 13, 2015 16:01:16 GMT -5 kmc84 said:

gsancho yes! If you ever pump, you'll be shocked at the sprinkler system your nips are equipped with, lol!

Wait, what?!

+1

[ruthie]

Mar 13, 2015 16:01:16 GMT -5 kmc84 said:

gsancho yes! If you ever pump, you'll be shocked at the sprinkler system your nips are equipped with, lol!

Ha! SO true!! It's very bizarre to see it spraying all over the flange. And, NO ONE ever told me you could have milk for a year or more after weaning! I had a mammogram 5 mos after and I sprayed all over machine. That poor tech.

[lilyharper]

<~~~ backs away from this post

[hbanana18]

I remembered more fun things!

The leg cramps when you stretch in the middle of the night or first thing in the AM. Yup just got one.

The sides of my legs losing feeling because the weight of my uterus is slowing blood flow to my legs.

[ProfessorChaos]

Two more:

Lady part swelling. (WTF??!?!!?!!)

That kicks/fetal movement can HURT! I'm pretty sure my right ribs are bruised.


@jimbobcooter, that's just so, so true!

[bluefairy5]

Mar 14, 2015 9:09:46 GMT -5 @buttmonkey said:

Mar 14, 2015 8:58:39 GMT -5 ProfessorChaos said:

Two more:

Lady part swelling. (WTF??!?!!?!!)

That kicks/fetal movement can HURT! I'm pretty sure my right ribs are bruised.


@jimbobcooter, that's just so, so true!

Oh yeah, my friend just had a baby in November and last summer I vividly recall her explaining what was going on down south.  She basically couldn't wear anything without massive camel toe.  Lovely.

Oh, good, so there's at least one thing (apart from not breathing) that moderate-severe OHSS prepared me for.  (It. was. awful.)

[megrae12]

I'm not gonna lie, this post is equal parts entertaining and downright frightful.

[rella22]

omg had no idea about the sprinklers....def thought it was just one hole! And I'll second the swollen bottom half...I love leggings and feel like now when I wear them I have my baby bump and my fupa bump.....

[cml112]

I admit I'm a bit traumatized with all this new info. Nipple sprinklers, swollen lady bits....

I am surprised that sleep deprivation starts this early. I thought it wasn't supposed to come till AFTER they are born.
The intense leg cramps. I wake up screaming, it feels like my calf is being pulled off the bone. Holy pain!