Pregnancy's Best Kept Secrets

sooz

after panicing all the way through this pregnancy, how i would cope with two children - i think my favourite moan was 'i'll never be able to leave the house again' - i wish someone had told me how easy the second is [he's 7 days old, and i'm still very very loved up]. you really should have the second one first, as you know what you are doing!

i do wish someone had let me practice with the gas and air first - i could not get the hang of using it, so it stayed in my husband's hand the whole time.

also wish someone had told me in my first pregnancy to give all my shoes away, your feet grow and they never ever go back. nearly 4 years later i've been crying as i sent bags [and bags and bags] of all my beautiful shoes off with a charity collection....and i still cannot walk in proper high heels.

Gingham_Ribbon

I went up a shoe size - length ways. my doctor said it was impossible unless there was something wrong with me and sent me for a load of pointless tests. LOL

iwanttosave_2

Gingham_Ribbon wrote:

I went up a shoe size - length ways. my doctor said it was impossible unless there was something wrong with me and sent me for a load of pointless tests. LOL

Its quite common for your shoe to go up a size, its because all the ligaments relax. I went from a size 6 to a size 7 with my last, all my pretty shoes

tanith

No one ever told me that I would be given an enema (35yrs ago ladies they still did this) and even if I had known I wouldn't of had a clue what it was .... think yourself lucky they don't do it anymore... it was disgusting.......and just when you think its over they ask you to walk into the delivery room and guess what , I hadn't finished..... :eek: embarrassed and mortified just weren't in it....:eek: I was just 20 but very naive....

Becles

Murtle - I had the anti D injection as I have rhesus negative blood. This is given to all rhesus negative mothers shortly after birth. It's also common to have one if you have a late miscarriage or still birth.

It is possible for positive baby blood to pass through the placenta into your own blood stream. Your body attacks the positive blood and creates antibodies against it. The anti-D injection destroys these anti-bodies. If you didn't have one and the antibodies were left in your body, you could abort future babies as your body thinks the positive blood is trying to attack you. While it's not a pleasant injection to have, it's very worthwhile having.

I had blood taken at most anti-natal appointments as I'm borderline anaemic, so they checked on iron levels each time and also kept an eye on the antibodies.

I didn't have any other injections.

The only problem I had was that I have very poor veins and sometimes it's impossible to get blood out of me. I went through it all - arms under hot tap, lying with arm hanging of bed and all sorts. One day they had to find a doctor who manage to squeeze a dribble out the back of my hand!

It's common for trainees to work on the anti-natal clinic collecting the blood. However they wrote "Warning - this girl has poor veins. Not suitable for trainees" in big letters across my notes :rotfl:

Horasio

Breastfeeding is the best thing for mother and child. I was surprised at how easy it was.

Also, labour is like having the most painful period. As I had periods from hell, I took it in my stride and had a very loud scream each time.

Horasio

looby75 wrote:

I was told off by the mw for "growling"

I told her to shut up and leave me alone LOL

It is the time where people telling you to shut up is definitely wrong and you can tell them where to shove it:mad:

Horasio

emilyt wrote:

Has anyone mentioned the placenta yet!. I remember the women in the next ward was on her 6th baby. She went home the same day and took the placenta with her to eat. She said she had cooked it twice before with her previous two and it tasted lovely with onions. Yuk.


Also been talking to my mum about this thread. She was telling me when she had my sister in 1960 that when she was asked to take a urine sample she didn't know what to use. She washed out a HP sauce bottle and filled it to the top. Not realising they only needed a small sample.

Also in those days when they gave you an internal they covered your face. She said she lay there for about half an hour. The midwife was doing quite a lot of internals and talking to a number of other midwives. Suddenly the curtain dropped down and she was surrounded by about 8 medical students who had all been training.So each one had given her an internal.She was mortified.
When she had my sister she produced so much milk that the midwives expressed her milk and sent it to the premature baby ward. So not only did she feed my sister but all the prem babies too. Wonder if they would still do that today.

I suppose if you really don't like waste and partial to offal but it is like cannibalism IMO:eek:

My son was in hospital and I had to express milk. I overdid it and felt very good about being able to donate

emilyt

CCStar wrote:

I suppose if you really don't like waste and partial to offal but it is like cannibalism IMO:eek:

My son was in hospital and I had to express milk. I overdid it and felt very good about being able to donate

Well done CCstar. I am sure you were very proud of yourself. It does make sense to use surplus milk to help the prem babies. I could never get the hang of breast feeding so i am afraid i was one of those terrible mothers who gave up in the end.

laughing_cow

I don't have any children but am still hopeful. After reading this, I think I'd still like them but have to say that all the tales of pain have actually made my bits ache in sympathy!

sooz wrote:

also wish someone had told me in my first pregnancy to give all my shoes away, your feet grow and they never ever go back. nearly 4 years later i've been crying as i sent bags [and bags and bags] of all my beautiful shoes off with a charity collection....and i still cannot walk in proper high heels.

I have a vast collection of lovely shoes so I think this puts me off even more than the pain and lack of dignity :rotfl: I wouldn't expect to be able to fit in my pretty clothes, but to have shoes taken away too? - that's sooooo not fair!