50 Things Expectant Moms Won’t Hear Elsewhere

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If you are expecting your first child or know someone who is, this is the post that is essential to read. I have had seven babies and am having my eighth soon, and these are the things that I have learned that you may not hear from anyone else.

I am also a childbirth education teacher who accompanies women during labor, at times which means that the things I’ve shared here are not just experiences that are unique to me.

I so wish I would have known some of these my first time around, especially the one about not wearing my “real clothes” home!

Here are 50 things that expectant moms won’t here elsewhere!

(this post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you)

While in the hospital or birth center:

• not all first babies arrive late…some may even come early! (mine was 3 weeks early!)
• no matter how well you’ve prepared, you will feel scared and overwhelmed when the big day comes
• you will be emotional in labor
• not all nurses are created equal
• things will happen that don’t go according to your plan
• time seems to stand still
• the epidural may not work properly or at all, so, don’t put all your eggs in that basket
• labor can, and most likely will, last a long time
• they call it labor for a reason
• if you don’t have an epidural, you might throw up, tremble and shake, and be brought to tears out of sheer exhaustion

 

• pushing is hard work, but it actually feels good
• you will most likely poop while pushing
• you will make noise while you are pushing, and you might even be downright loud
• as your baby is born, you will feel a flood of emotions like you’ve never known
• you might experience a first or second degree tear, which is quite common
• the amount of blood and fluid you will be losing is astounding
• even if you are the most modest person in the world, you will lose that real quick
• you will be starving, completely famished, soon after labor is over
• you will still be poked and prodded all the time after the baby is born
• going to the bathroom might not feel so nice for a day or two

 

• you will most likely need, and want, stool softeners for a bit
• you won’t be wearing any of your pre pregnancy clothes home so don’t even think about that for a moment
• you will retain a ton of fluid, and your stomach will resemble what it did at 4-5 months pregnant when you leave the hospital
• when you get in the car to come home, your thoughts will resemble something like, “they’re letting me leave? What do I do now?”

Once you are home:

• it will feel weird to be home with this extra person, no matter how exciting it also is
• when you get home, you will be exhausted from the whole experience.
• you have never really known what real exhaustion feels like until about the second night home
• it might be nice to ask visitors to give you a few days at home before visiting
• you will be afraid to go to sleep at least the first night home
• you will still be bleeding a lot for a while. It could be up to six weeks
• you might not get a shower for the first week you are home. I might be exaggerating here, but a shower will be considered a luxury for a while
• the sheer amount of diapers you go through will never cease to amaze you
• babies poop – a lot
• babies sometimes cry – a lot

 

• you will most likely cry – a lot
• your emotions will be all over the place for a couple of weeks. After that, you should start to feel a bit more in control of them again
• whoever said to sleep when the baby sleep clearly never had one, and they most certainly never had more than one!
• you will soon discover all the baby things you didn’t need as well as all the things you wish you had
• everywhere you go you will receive unsolicited advice about how to care for your baby
• your instincts will almost always be right
• taking the time to thoroughly research a dr. for your baby will be well worth it
• it will take some time to figure out how to do all the things you used to do
• there are some things that you used to do that you just won’t be able to do now
• your heart will swell to an epic size that you could have never imagined

 

• each day will be crazy long, but most times, you won’t really mind at the end of the day
• you might not know what day it even is for a bit
• the first few times you leave the house with the baby, it will take you an hour or more just to think about what you need to take and then to gather it all
• and just when you are ready to head out the door, the baby will have a volcanic eruption that requires an entire outfit change
• your baby will grow out of newborn diapers and clothes quickly
• you will soon realize that there is no higher calling in the world

Navigating the waters as an expectant or new mother can be a bit confusing, but keeping these 50 tips handy and being very aware of them before the big day arrives will serve you well!

Looking for more? You may also enjoy One Piece of Advice Every Expectant Mom Needs to Hear, 20 Amazing Tips For Surviving Pregnancy, What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag, and How to Write an Amazing Birth Plan For a Natural Birth.