Guest: Amanda from Raising Miss Mommy

Hi everyone!  My name is Amanda from the blog Raising Miss Mommy.  I'm very excited to be guest posting here today!  Among my friends I am one of the first ladies to have a baby.  I always have so much fun when friends ask me questions about pregnancy, birth, and mommyhood because I will tell them things that they are a bit shocked to hear happens.  The road to mommyhood is different for everyone but it's still easy to relate to the experiences or give you a more real idea of what can go on.  Here's my account of the things that not everyone tells you.

don't be too jealous of my awesome polkadot pants :)

The Beginning {finding out there's a little nugget in you} Our bundle of joy came as a major surprise, but the emotions were just the same.  Scared, shocked, happy, nervous, anxious, excited...just to name a few. You might ask what made me even take a test since we weren't trying to have a baby?  No, it wasn't because I had missed my lady time but because I just had this weird feeling.  My body just felt different.  I had been having a ton {and I mean practically constant} of heart palpitations.  I didn't think much of it until I found out I was pregnant and looked up unique pregnancy symptoms and that was one of them because you heart has to adjust to all the extra blood that is starting to go through your body.  After about 8 pregnancy tests it finally hit me that this was for real.  Went to the doctor to confirm and there was a little nugget in there!  Did I mention that I was also peeing a ton???  I know you always hear about how frequent trips to the bathroom can signal a pregnancy, but they don't quite explain that it's like feeling like you already have to go again after even finishing your current bathroom trip.

The First Trimester {the part where you want to stuff pillows up your shirt so people think you look pregnant not just bloated} After getting past the initial excitement and shock that pregnancy brings you want everyone to know that you are in fact pregnant, but not by telling them.  You want people to look at you and say "awwww what a cute lil' pregger"!  For me the whole first trimester was feeling and looking like I had stuffed my face at the fair and participated in a drinking contest.  Clothes got a little more snug but there wasn't really a belly to show for it.  This is also the time when crazy lady pregnancy brain kicks in.  I was paranoid about everything.  What I ate, walking past smokers outside, wondering if it could hurt the baby to wear to tight of pants, when did I need to stop sleeping on my stomach... I could go on and on. The reality of it is what is meant to happen will happen.  I was so worried that I would do something to cause us to lose this little blessing, but for the most part it's out of your control.  Yea you need to be more conscious of what you eat, don't smoke or drink and those common sense things but in the end your body and your baby are amazing things and know what they are during through this whole process.  I spent so much time being paranoid about everything and anything that I stressed myself out more that I should have been, which is one of the worse things you can do.  It's hard but tell yourself to chill out!  And for this beginning stage, shout it out loud {I'm pregnant!!!!}.  The belly will catch up :)  I was also lucky to never really get any morning sickness, but if you do try to remember it's all worth it and you'll feel better soon!

The Second Trimester {looking pregnant and feeling great} I don't have much to rant about for this trimester because it really was the cat's pajamas.  Out of nowhere I had a belly, I felt great, we found out the sex, I could finally feel the baby moving around, and the world could physically tell I was pregnant.  It was glorious.

The Third Trimester {so you say I could be pregnant for 10 months?} When everyone thinks of pregnancy they always think 9 months, when in reality if you go full term you are pregnant for 10 {yes 10} whole months.  And let me tell you once you get on the home stretch it just drags on.  I couldn't sleep because when you only have your left or right side to choose from for sleep positions your body gets a little antsy and not to mention I couldn't go more than 3 hours a night with out having to use the bathroom.  During the second trimester it's exciting to first have a true pregnant belly but now there's this huge thing protruding from you that has a mind of it's own.  Your skin itches because it is being stretched so tight, your back aches, and you just feel heavy.  It still is wonderful but no one really tells you the toll it takes on your body on a day to day basis.  Emotions begin to really get out of control now, you're way hormonal and getting so anxious to meet your little baby that start getting mad that they haven't decided to show their face early.  I didn't get any stretch marks until the last couple weeks of my pregnancy which just added fuel to my hormonal fire.  Also after ten months of not being able to poop you've had enough.  At this point too you have weekly doctor visits which is a pleasant reminder that the stork does not in fact peacefully place your baby in your arms, it has to come out of you.  Talk about terrifying.  Maybe ten months of mental preparation should have been used more wisely?!  Nothing can prepare you for what you are about to go through.  Trust me, we did all the classes, read all the books, watched movies... you think you know or have a good idea as to what it will be like... you don't.

The Birth {the most painful, beautiful, amazing experience you will ever have} Labor hurts, that's just a fact.  I could try to describe what contractions feel like when they're bad but all I can say is it's the most painful thing you will ever experience.  They just take over your body.  After we took our peanut home from the hospital my fiance told me the only comparison he had was that at one point he thought I looked like Emily Rose.  If you get paranoid and crazy like I did that also means you probably have a perfect little plan in place for your pregnancy and labor/birth.  That's all fine and dandy but I can almost 100% guarantee that it won't go the way you planned.  I was absolutely certain I was not going to use any pain medication or an epidural.  Well after 27 hours of intense and tough labor and only dilating to 3 centimeters you bet I gave in and got that epidural.  Best decision I never made in my labor plan.  I was also induced and that definitely wasn't part of my plan.  I wish I had had more of an open mind about things, I could have avoided a lot of pain and stress {not to mention everyone around me probably wouldn't have been as terrified of me as they were, resulting in a more pleasant experience for all}.  But then the time comes where you give birth and they put your little baby on your chest.  Everything else you just went through is like a dream, nothing matters.  The only thing you see and feel is your new little baby and the bond and love you have for you new little family.  It's more beautiful than words can describe.

Going Home and the First Few Days {so we get a manual for this thing right?} As if the first car ride with your baby isn't scary enough, you get home and there's no more nurses telling you what to do.  Where's my manual?  What the heck am I doing?  After the adrenaline from having the baby is gone you are quickly reminded what your southern region has gone through.  It hurts and sitting around isn't going to do you any good.  Get off your butt and walk around, it's ok to take your newborn out.  They will survive.  As for your sore, chapped and blistering nipples?  That gets better too, don't give up.  Rub some cream on there and walk around topless and air those puppies out.  Stick with it and you'll be a pro in no time.  This is also when you realize that other people want to help and hold the baby.  This too is ok, it will still always be your baby.  Daddy wants to feel like a parent too, he didn't get the joy of feeling what it was like to carry both of your child for so long.  He might not do things the way you would, but that's ok!  The first couple of months go by so fast that you won't remember how tired you were, how uncomfortable you felt... you'll just remember how amazing this little gift is.

out for a walk on our first day home from the hospital

Well I hope I didn't scare you too much!  I would love for you to visit me {blog}{Facebook}{Twitter}!  Want some more mommy advice?  Let me know, maybe I will do a follow up post on my blog :) Thank you Laura for having me!