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9 Things You Should Know Before Giving Birth
9 Things You Should Know Before Giving Birth
Even the most avid parents can have a hard time knowing what to expect when giving birth. This is especially true for new mothers. Even if you attend childbirth classes, for example, there are still things that can catch you off guard in the course of your giving birth. And these things can make you experience the serious difference between knowing something and experiencing something.You can lose weight during and after delivery.
Weight loss may seem obvious, as a baby is leaving your body. You can expect to lose a little bit more than 10 pounds during delivery. And in the weeks following delivery, it’s not uncommon to shed tens of pounds.Your cravings during pregnancy go away after the baby is born.
All of the stereotypical pregnancy cravings also seem to disappear almost immediately. Your appetite will revert back to standard levels.The labor pain really, really hurts.
The actual pain of labor cannot be fully described, and will always hurt more than you can predict. Although coaching classes help you to prepare to breathe through contractions, the actual pushing stage is more about buckling down and using all of your muscles to move the baby along. It is hard to be modest during this process as the pain of delivery will make you forget to care.The contraction and pushing stages are really different.
Between the contraction and pushing stages, you can probably describe the contractions as the worse. You actually hold your breath through the contractions, and only breathe when not contracting. You use your strength to deliver the baby. The pushing stage usually takes around two hours, but never panic if you give birth and yours will take more than that.Pushing the baby out is like pooping.
The nurses that attend to you will tell you what to do to get the baby out of your body. But if you're going to analyze what they say, they basically mean you have to poop the baby out. It's not a very nice comparison, but that's what you're supposed to do.Your inhibitions go away after delivery.
If you're a modest person, you might feel uncomfortable about even the nurses hearing your body liquid when you use the bathroom. But that level of modesty when you walked in goes away when the baby is outside your body. You stop caring about what people see in the room, or what the nurses do to your body.Breastfeeding is not that easy.
Once the baby is born, breastfeeding is the next challenge. Your baby will not know exactly what to do, and your body might not have milk ready. This can lead to a lot of discomfort for both parties.The second night is tough.
The magic of the first night will wear off; every and the second night can be a true test of how prepared you feel to be a parent when the baby is miserable. During the second night, you might think you're unfit to be a mother. But don't feel very miserable. Every woman who gave birth went through that second night.Don't hesitate to ask the nurses for help.
The nurses know best. Although the thought of asking for help might be uncomfortable, they are trained and able to answer any questions. They are happy to help new parents.