Personal Details About Pregnancy and Delivery: Facts for Expecting Mothers

Being pregnant for the first time can bring all kinds of anxiety as your due date nears. The fear is generated from all kinds of horror stories and the fear of the unknown. I am going to list a few things I wish someone told me before my first delivery. While I understand some of you would rather not continue to read because not knowing might be better, there are others of you who will want to know the personal details.

Epidurals don't always work. With my first, I had two epidurals and I was given enough pain medicine dosage for a c-section and I still was feeling pain. While they work for some, they don't always work for everyone.

Even with an epidural, delivery hurts. The epidural makes labor pains tolerable but delivery pains seem exempt from medication.

Being induced produces stronger contractions than a non-medicine induced delivery. Because they are not naturally occurring and your body can't control the frequency.

Delivery does not happen quickly when you are induced. With my first induced pregnancy, I was in labor for twenty-three hours.

Labor pains are not all of the same intensity; they grow in strength with the strongest nearest delivery. While in labor, I took a three-hour nap.

Your doctor does not spend the entire hospitalization time with you. Your doctor is called in for the final minutes of the delivery and might stop in a few times while you are in labor. This made me think we should be able to pick out our nurses rather than our doctors.

While in delivery and all you want to do is push this thing out of you, they will tell you "don't push".

Once the baby's shoulders pass, the rest of the delivery is mere seconds. I remember with my first being asked if I wanted to see the delivery in the mirror, I was in so much pain I thought if I only see a small part of the baby's body, I will be depressed and not able to continue pushing.

They make menstrual pads with ice packs in them. You'll be glad to have these.

After delivery your discharge flow is heavier than your period. If you stand up, it can quickly expel and soil your clothing. It can continue to be sporadic in amount for days.

Nurses will offer to throw out your soiled underpants. Bring more pairs than you think you will need. Bring a plastic bag to take home soiled clothing if you want to keep them and launder them at home.

You're first three times out of bed after deliver needs to be assisted. Also the first three trips to the bathroom need to be monitored by a nurse. Yes, they want to see it!

The warmth of your urination can hurt, especially if you have stitches. Rinse with water then blot with toilet paper. Wiping can hurt.

The first time you try to sit down in a regular chair, do so gingerly. Even though you have been sitting up in bed, a chair is much harder and it can hurt.

You'll be amazed at how tired a very short walk can make you feel after delivery. This walk will probably not happen for a day or two.

Post partum depression is a reality. There is no shame in admitting it and there is medication that can help control your emotions.

Nursing hurts and can feel awkward. Don't give up. It will become second nature and the pain will subside but it might take longer than you think.

You may need a few stitches after delivery because of a tear.

After delivery, your vaginal cavity fills with some air and for the next few days your body expels this air. It feels funny and you can't control it. Think gas. (yes, I am talking about farts)

You will have to wait before having sex again. Typically six weeks. Then again, you may not feel like it!