Stuff no one tells you...

245

Replies

  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member

    Question: Do you know...If you don't come in waxed, do they shave you? This is largely going to determine whether or not I make an appointment to get waxed soon-ish. The idea of someone coming near that area with a razor is TERRIFYING to me.
    No they don't! When I was preggo with my son, I attended prenatal class offered my hospital, and this question was explicitly asked, and the l&d nurse said NO. She said it doesn't matter and they don't care. Some women go there with full bush, others go with Brazilian, but t doesn't matter either way. I went to give birth with barely trimmed with my previous aby, and there was no mention about it. I never had a wax down there, and i am not going to do that at 9 month preggo. I usually shave there , but in the 3rd trimester that is mission impossible.
    However, it is very location specific. I am originally from eastern Europe, and I know back there they shave you and give you enema. In Canada , they do not do either of those , at least nt in this province.

    They did not shave me at the hospital. I don't think they cared. Honestly, I couldn't see it, and I don't like the idea of waxing down there, sorry!

    Here's the article I was referencing before. Notice the comments and how people rip the "confessing" nurse a new one over the pubic hair comment:

    http://thestir.cafemom.com/pregnancy/108826/confessions_of_a_labor_delivery
  • Jenny_Rose77
    Jenny_Rose77 Posts: 418 Member

    Question: Do you know...If you don't come in waxed, do they shave you? This is largely going to determine whether or not I make an appointment to get waxed soon-ish. The idea of someone coming near that area with a razor is TERRIFYING to me.
    No they don't! When I was preggo with my son, I attended prenatal class offered my hospital, and this question was explicitly asked, and the l&d nurse said NO. She said it doesn't matter and they don't care. Some women go there with full bush, others go with Brazilian, but t doesn't matter either way. I went to give birth with barely trimmed with my previous aby, and there was no mention about it. I never had a wax down there, and i am not going to do that at 9 month preggo. I usually shave there , but in the 3rd trimester that is mission impossible.
    However, it is very location specific. I am originally from eastern Europe, and I know back there they shave you and give you enema. In Canada , they do not do either of those , at least nt in this province.

    Meh. I should probably make the darn appointment. I will seriously freak out if someone puts a razor near my hoo-ha. The last time I got waxed was at 6 months, and I think the pregnancy hormones makes everything hurt a million times worse than normal. Honestly, it felt like the baby was gonna come out screaming. The upside to all this is that I wouldn't mind if that were to happen now... :-)
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    How about when you bleed afterwards, it's NOT like having your period for a month. It's way messier, plus you aren't allowed to use tampons.
  • nursenikki829
    nursenikki829 Posts: 432 Member
    Make sure that you ladies are doing your kegels! It will really help with the urinary incontinence! The one thing that I tell women is that if you are going to get stretch marks, there isn't much that you can do. Some women are just predisposed. You can buy every cream and potion to rub on your belly and drink tons of water, and it won't help. Some women get them, and some don't. It is just the luck of the draw. I wish that someone had told me that after I spend tons of money on different creams only to have angry, red stretch mark all over my belly.
  • LadyJocc
    LadyJocc Posts: 151 Member
    How about when you bleed afterwards, it's NOT like having your period for a month. It's way messier, plus you aren't allowed to use tampons.

    um.... yikes! first timer here -- can you elaborate? :huh:
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    That "checking your cervix" is more like getting fisted by your doctor or midwife.
  • doubletnurse
    doubletnurse Posts: 108 Member
    As far as the bleeding goes, it is really heavy and you can pass thick clots. Also, all of those mom's with other kids know the smell. It is hard to explain, but the best I can explain it is "earthy". Be sure to not bring good panties with you to the hospital as they can get dirty with old blood and take some extra thick pads from the hospital home with you.

    As far as checking your cervix, it feels even worse when you are in labor.
  • Pepper2185
    Pepper2185 Posts: 994 Member
    That "checking your cervix" is more like getting fisted by your doctor or midwife.

    Amen!

    It's even worse when they want to stick their hands in there and you're having a contraction. My legs slammed closed like a bear trap. Get away!
  • Jenny_Rose77
    Jenny_Rose77 Posts: 418 Member
    That "checking your cervix" is more like getting fisted by your doctor or midwife.

    Holy crap! Just had mine checked for the first time last week. This is exactly what I thought. And it really confirmed for me why I want an epidural. If just the checking part hurt that much, well...I don't even want to imagine.
  • Pepper2185
    Pepper2185 Posts: 994 Member
    Oh wait, another one:

    Your stretch marks might not appear until after you deliver. Say what?!?!?
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    How about when you bleed afterwards, it's NOT like having your period for a month. It's way messier, plus you aren't allowed to use tampons.

    a tampon wouldn't work for that mess!
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    Getting induced is horrible. If the doctor says that they are going to scrape your cervix to get things going, close those legs tight ladies. Don't let em in!
  • mellynat
    mellynat Posts: 345 Member
    That "checking your cervix" is more like getting fisted by your doctor or midwife.

    Holy crap! Just had mine checked for the first time last week. This is exactly what I thought. And it really confirmed for me why I want an epidural. If just the checking part hurt that much, well...I don't even want to imagine.
    That's exactly what I thought when I got my first "check" w my son. I knew if it hurt that bad getting checked it'd hurt even more when I was pushing a baby out. I ended up getting the epidural but since I wwasnt pushing "the right" way they turned off the drug & I felt every single bit of my baby coming out. Burned like fire!!!
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    How about when you bleed afterwards, it's NOT like having your period for a month. It's way messier, plus you aren't allowed to use tampons.

    um.... yikes! first timer here -- can you elaborate? :huh:

    Before you go to the hospital, buy industrial sized pads. Probably 2 containers. You'll wear them for a while. The doctor will tell you that any clots larger than a half dollar after the first few days is reason for concern. Do you realize how big that is?
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    When your milk comes in you will need to sleep with a blanket under you or your bed will be filled with milk. You can also squirt it across the room - without trying or wanting to!
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    How about when you bleed afterwards, it's NOT like having your period for a month. It's way messier, plus you aren't allowed to use tampons.

    um.... yikes! first timer here -- can you elaborate? :huh:

    Before you go to the hospital, buy industrial sized pads. Probably 2 containers. You'll wear them for a while. The doctor will tell you that any clots larger than a half dollar after the first few days is reason for concern. Do you realize how big that is?

    I was told anything bigger than a golf ball. I had some that were larger than a half-dollar, and so I called my OB's office to ask, "About the golf ball thing, is that cumulative or at one time?" They told me to rest and take it easy (not so easy when you're home alone with a newborn) and to worry about whether or not I was filling up a pad in an hour's time (I think that was the standard).

    As someone else said, it definitely has a specific, "earthy" smell, and there are lots of clots. TMI alert - they are reminiscent of bloody leeches (not that I've ever seen any in person). They also kind of slip out of you. It's pretty gross. The good news is that the heavy bleeding does not last for very long (maybe a week or a week and a half? I can't remember), and the larger clots are really only for a few days. Then it's kind of like a heavy period with some random, small clots. Pretty soon it tapers off to a lighter period-type bleeding. My OB's office accidentally scheduled my 6-week postpartum visit at 5 weeks, at which point I was cleared for normal activity, but I remember that they asked me how long ago my bleeding had stopped, and it had been about a week. So, long story short, I bled for about four weeks.

    You're also not allowed to wipe down there - you have to use that squirt bottle thing (warm water is your friend) to clean yourself after using the bathroom. I don't know if that's any different if you have a c-section, but it suuuuucks not being able to wipe. (You can wipe your backside, though, don't worry.)

    It's just hard because you're working on little to no sleep and worrying about your newborn, and you have your own bleeding and sensitive vajayjay to deal with.

    The hospital gives you these rockin' mesh panties and super-absorbent maxi pads. They are the best!!! Raid your hospital for as many as you can get your hands on (both the pads and the panties). Ask for more if you have to. But you will run out eventually, so you'll have to use panties that you don't mind tossing if they get badly stained, and I remember buying these Kotex super-long overnight maxi pads. (Please excuse the fact that the link is to freaking diapers.com!) http://www.diapers.com/p/kotex-overnight-maxi-pads-with-wings-255413?site=CA&utm_source=cse&utm_medium=cpc_D&utm_term=KC-430B&utm_campaign=Google&CAWELAID=1338728046&utm_content=pla&cagpspn=pla&ci_kw={keyword}

    Anyway, it's gross but short-lived. I wish someone had told me just how heavy/gross it can be, especially because I got all worked up that one day when I called my OB's office. I actually called my husband home from the office because I was afraid I was bleeding too much and didn't want him to come home to me dead on the floor with a screaming, starving newborn. Yeah, I was a little hyper.
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
    Hemorrhoids.

    (Thankfully I didn't get them last time but have this weird feeling I won't be so lucky this time.)
  • ehg87
    ehg87 Posts: 430 Member
    Wow... you'd think I'd never had a child reading some of these. Guess I've been super fortunate in the birthing department. Only had one clot after the birth of my first child, didn't experience "pain" while getting my cervix checked during late pregnancy, had my membranes stripped prior to birth of second child, and didn't have any pain, and I guess my milk never came in enough (due to not breastfeeding) to leak out. Prepare for the worst, & hope you're like me; one of the fortunate ones who's reading this like WHAA?!


    O & as far as being shaved. They certainly don't do that anymore. Per my grandma/mom the last time that was standard procedure was 30 years ago. You went in to have a baby and they gave you an enema, shaved you ANDDD (even worse) gave you an episiotomy all standard
  • EmilyRanae22
    EmilyRanae22 Posts: 506 Member
    That braxton-hicks contractions start so soon... I've had them since 15 weeks, up to 15 per day (got checked out many times, nothing is wrong, its normal-for-me). 27 weeks now and sick of em!

    THIS I had no clue! I get them all the time and the high risk doc (i was exposed to x-ray early in pregnancy) acted like I had no clue what I was talking about when I said i was having them often

    also...

    --everything you loved about your husband will at some point make you want to punch him in the face
    --vaginal bleeding when you have a big poop isn't bad (sorry for TMI)
    --the major excess of fuids from all parts of your body that generate fluid
    --you will not sleep through the night starting in the second trimester (I thought i'd at least make it to LATE in the 2nd before getting up all the time)
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member

    --you will not sleep through the night starting EARLY IN PREGNANCY (I thought i'd at least make it to LATE in the 2nd before getting up all the time)

    Fixed that line for you..... I am 14 weeks this time and have slept through the night maybe 2 or three times. 2 other pregnancies I was also up most nights from very early on.
  • EmilyRanae22
    EmilyRanae22 Posts: 506 Member
    Yikes to the getting your cervix checked!

    re: shaving....ok, there's a lot of talk about them coming near your hoohaa with a razor...don't they keep one handy in case of an apeziotomy (however you spell it)....the thought terrifies me!
  • ehg87
    ehg87 Posts: 430 Member
    Yikes to the getting your cervix checked!

    re: shaving....ok, there's a lot of talk about them coming near your hoohaa with a razor...don't they keep one handy in case of an apeziotomy (however you spell it)....the thought terrifies me!



    Had to have one (episiotomy) when I had my daughter....they used some weird looking pair of scissors, that I'm sure has some official name unknown to me.
  • Jenny_Rose77
    Jenny_Rose77 Posts: 418 Member
    Oh my God, y'all, this thread is like a really bad traffic accident. I. CAN. NOT. LOOK. AWAY. But it is freaking me out! :-)
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    Oh my God, y'all, this thread is like a really bad traffic accident. I. CAN. NOT. LOOK. AWAY. But it is freaking me out! :-)

    It's nice not feeling like such a freak though. :) That's why I love this group. We're all in this craziness together.
  • That you have to take potty breaks to run more than 2 miles.

    A. Freaking. Men. sister.

    Oh my word, this about killed me. I was like only 5 weeks pregnant and I had to run half way, come home to pee, then run halfway again. :p
  • rubybeach
    rubybeach Posts: 529 Member
    The morning sickness....all day and night.

    And no strong cravings, besides fruit. Mostly food aversion.

    Now insomnia....

    And pain in the night, slight a sharp stretching pain in my stomach......what's that? Stretching ligaments? It's actually wakes me up in the night it hurts that bad.
  • VelociMama
    VelociMama Posts: 3,119 Member
    The morning sickness....all day and night.

    And no strong cravings, besides fruit. Mostly food aversion.

    Now insomnia....

    And pain in the night, slight a sharp stretching pain in my stomach......what's that? Stretching ligaments? It's actually wakes me up in the night it hurts that bad.

    The pain sounds like round ligament pain. I've had it all through my second trimester and even a few times in week 28 and 29 :( It sucks, but it's normal.
  • jls8209
    jls8209 Posts: 450 Member
    Oh wait, another one:

    Your stretch marks might not appear until after you deliver. Say what?!?!?

    TRUE!!! I found a little one just the other day. It's a really faint purple, but it's totally a stretch mark. Thank goodness it's only one, and it's not big or dark!

    Also, just because you didn't get stretch marks from your first pregnancy it doesn't mean you won't get them during future pregnancies.
  • LadyJocc
    LadyJocc Posts: 151 Member
    As far as the bleeding goes, it is really heavy and you can pass thick clots. Also, all of those mom's with other kids know the smell. It is hard to explain, but the best I can explain it is "earthy". Be sure to not bring good panties with you to the hospital as they can get dirty with old blood and take some extra thick pads from the hospital home with you.

    As far as checking your cervix, it feels even worse when you are in labor.

    Wow. Thank you - I had no idea that it was a prolonged bleeding situation.

    Sounds awesome! :laugh:
  • jls8209
    jls8209 Posts: 450 Member
    Hemorrhoids.

    (Thankfully I didn't get them last time but have this weird feeling I won't be so lucky this time.)

    Almost 5 weeks postpartum and I'm starting to worry my bum will never be the same. :sad:
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