The things they don't tell you about pregnancy

So there were a lot of things I did not know about pregnancy coming into it. I knew I wanted to be a mom and there was no talking me out of that, but I was so blurred by the itching/uncontrollable want to be a mom that I failed to heed to the warnings about what I was about to endure.

Sure some of my co-workers warned me about the FATIGUE: during the first trimester, the third trimester and then after the baby is born. They warned about the uncomfortability aspects, the nausea etc. But I was so excited I did not care how badly they painted pregnancy I still wanted to do it.

And I still do want to do it, but I will definitely feel differently going into it next time, I will prepare myself differently.

1. No one mentioned how bad the fatigue would be. In the first trimester I could not move, Mark would leave for work and I would be on the couch, he would come home from work and I would still be on the couch. I could sleep 8 or 20 hours a day and felt the exact same. The first trimester Lethargy can be compared to back to back to back to back all nighters. You feel like you have not slept at all. You are extremely light-headed so the only thing that feels like a good idea is sitting or laying down.

2. Urinary Frequency- pregnancy gives the word Frequency a new definition, "Yes, I eat frequently but I go to the bathroom REALLY, REALLY FREQUENTLY". Do yourself a favor and just move to the bathroom. In the first trimester there were times that I think I went to the bathroom like every half hour.

3.While we are on the topic of the "U" word, not a single soul told me about pregnancy related urinary incontinence. Poor me puking my guts out one end, and losing urine out of the other end (and having no control over it). I made the mistake of letting the husband in on my embarassing secret. He responded by laughing and telling me I was a freak. I really thought I was alone in this, that I had a problem! So at my very first prenatal doctor's appointment, at the very end of the appointment I mentioned that I "leaked" while puking and the response that my husband had. Fortunately my N.P. was very comforting and encouraging. She told me it was very normal, that puking is like a whole body muscular experience, it's no wonder we "leak" at the very least. The very next time I vomitted I took notice of how much of my body truly was involved, the entire body really is involved. I noticed that when I heave I go up on my tippy-toes and stretch my calves. You're taking something that is (or was) in your stomach (at the middle of your body) and telling it to oppose gravity, climb it's way back out the way it came in, many feet above where it had been resting.
*Due to this predicament I wear a pantyliner all day everyday because you never know when you might puke, cough, or sneeze. All of which may produce "leaking" I know what you're thinking, I never "leaked" before getting pregnant. Well now someone resides on your bladder. And after pregnancy, after we've stretched that nostril down there to the size of a watermelon. Well apparently for most, the urinary incontinence stays on after pregnancy.
*My best advice is, if you feel a cough, sneeze, or puke coming...do a kegel while simultaneously crossing your legs and feet.


4.Vomitting can be a relieving experience and a painful, burning experience as well. Sometimes I throw up moments after completing, or during a meal. It's like my body says "Rejected, go back where you came!" when eating. Those times are just annoying, because you're hungry, everything in your body says eat, but your body won't accept the nourishment. And if you don't get something to stay down quick then you're going to continue to get more and more nauseous, and feel even more lethargic.
And then the other one: Sometimes you throw up food you ate much earlier in the day or even yesterday. This one hurts because it's partially digested, so when it comes up so do the stomach acids and gastric juices...uh um...owe!!!!! It burns the whole way up and out and even after the food is out the acids remain in the esophagus and mouth and continue to burn. So even though you just threw up you need to eat, drink and take a tums to wash away the burn.

5. Nausea-My best position when nauseous is laying down, eyes closed, not moving a muscle (because the slightest movement could make it worse) and doing lamaze breathing while silently crying. For husbands: Don't touch me, don't talk to me, dissapear until you appear with the very food that I know I needed to eat, but didn't know I wanted! I can't tell you how many times Mark would angrily ask me "what do you want me to get you?" (Through tears) "I don't know, I need to eat, but I don't have an appetite for ANYTHING, and I am afraid that anything I try, will make this worse."

*I'm not trying to talk people out of pregnancy, because it truly is a miracle-women make humans, it's rather remarkable- but this is more to educacte those that may become pregnant in the future, and like me were never told of these "wonders".