What do you wish someone had told you before giving birth?

[MamaReadyUK]

I was chatting with a friend who’s currently pregnant and it made me realise how much you only really learn after you’ve been through it.

What do you wish someone had told you before giving birth? Could be practical, emotional, or even something funny.

That I didn’t have to go on the hormone drip right away. I was a week overdue and they broke my waters and hooked up the drip instantly. I went from zero to 100 in a second. I honestly thought after an hour I must be about ready to push. Just because it was so intense. I could barely get the word out epidural. It may have still ended in an emcs but I’ll never know.

Don’t just buy big knickers buy them a few sizes bigger than normal u don’t want anything to be tight when uv just had a section or even the fact u still have a bump! Also loose bottoms. I only had my maternity skinny jeans with me and had to get my sister to bring me a pair of stretchy leggings that were a few sizes bigger than my usual.

The tea and toast doesn’t always happen after, I had built this up as being the best ever lol. I wasn’t offered this with my first but I was quite unwell and it was the middle of the night she was born. After my second they offered me a shitey sandwich as I’d just missed lunch. Still no offer of tea.

Only let them do internals when absolutely necessary. I also had a student midwife so that meant 2 internals every time, I felt bad saying no as they need to learn somehow. I’m convinced that’s how i caught an infection during labour.

If you plan to try breastfeeding, read in to it and do a little research. Creams for sore nipples, shields, cluster feeding etc. I foolishly just thought och I’ll give it a go, I had no idea. I assumed it’s easy. So be prepared not unprepared like me!