Pregnancy and Birth: What to Really Expect

Pregnancy and birth are beautiful things. They are milestones in life that most pass, and most enjoy passing. They are parts of life that give purpose to more than one person’s life, and for some people makes life worth living. Pregnancy is a happy time, and birth is even happier. But, being pregnant and then giving birth isn’t all happy times; in parts, it is tough. And, before you do decide to give pregnancy and birth a go with your life partner, just make you know what to really expect when expecting. To find out just some of the things to expect, make sure to read on.

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The symptoms of pregnancy

As you probably know, when you fall pregnant you also succumb to a number of symptoms. But, do you know just what these symptoms are and how uncomfortable they can be? If not, then it is best to know what you’re letting yourself in for before you, well, let yourself in. The early pregnancy symptoms include: crippling fatigue, new aversions to food (that might not even ever go away) that you have always loved, tenderness pretty much everywhere, a desire to units far more frequently and at uncomfortable moments, bloating, raised temperature and, of course, morning sickness. Unfortunately, these are just part and parcel of pregnancy, and you have to expect to face them. But, it’s better know what you’re up against than to not, isn’t it?

The seriousness of all the crying involved, both before and after the birth

Simply, when you are pregnant you will be crying, a lot; and when you give birth your newborn will be crying, a lot. So, both when you are pregnant and a new parent, expect there to be a lot of tears!

But this is more serious than it may first appear to be. During pregnancy your hormones will change so much that you will begin to feel emotional at just about anything, and this can be very serious for those who have suffered with mental illnesses in life before. For instance, those who have suffered with bi-polar disorder in life prior to falling pregnant can have their disorder intensified by the hormonal imbalance. What’s more, those who take medication to deal with this disorder, or any other disorder that they might be fighting, may have to stop taking their medication in order to protect their unborn baby and themselves during the pregnancy; this can then result in all manner of problems, which could include a mental breakdown. Then, once the baby is born and keeping the whole house up at night with his or her crying, sleeplessness and the fatigue it causes can become so bad that they drive new parents to putting themselves or their baby in danger — one example of this happening is the tired parent falling asleep at the wheel whilst driving.

So, as you can see, the intense hormonal imbalance during pregnancy and the lack of rest after birth are more serious than just a few tears. You should, then, make sure you have all the support you need when it comes to dealing with them. If you have a history of mental health issues, make sure to consult with a doctor prior to you trying to conceive or as early in the pregnancy as you can; by doing so, they will be able to point you in the right direction as to how you can remain as healthy as can be during the pregnancy. And, when tackling the sleeplessness and general unrest caused by a newborn, make sure to take it in turns with your partner, or have another close family member help you (for the first few weeks, at least), when it comes to tending to your child during bouts of crying at nighttime.

How different your life will be after birth

Yes, you know your life will be different after you’ve given birth and are tasked with looking after your newborn, but do you know just how much?

The first thing that you should know is that your time, efforts and money now have to be geared solely towards looking after your baby, and nothing else. This means forging time in your day to look after your baby or spending your money on having them professionally looked after by a nanny. This means cutting back on social meeting with your friends outside of your home, especially those that take place at night. And this means prioritising things that your baby needs over things that you want when it comes to shopping, and budgeting around them too.

Simply, you have to realise just how different your life will be once you’ve given birth. And, for your newborn’s sake, you have to be open to these differences and changes and adjust to parenthood as quickly as you can.

Your pets will probably not like your newborn

Your life isn’t the only one that is going to be changed by the arrival of your newborn, your pet’s life will be too. So, if you do have any pets, make sure they are not forgotten about! Specifically, this means remembering that animals are very territorial, especially dogs, and will not take too kindly to something coming into their home and then stealing their limelight.

Because of this, you must prepare your dog. This means making sure that they are obedient and will abide by any rule you emplace on them and do whatever you ask them — if not, you could find that they hurt your child. More specifically, you should ensure they know how to act around little children; one way to do this is to carry a baby doll around with you prior to the birth and making sure your dog knows about it and sees it so that they can get used to the baby form.

So, there you have it, some of the hardest hitting truths about pregnancy and the birth that follows it. But, now you know about them the better chance you will have of dealing with them when your time to be pregnant and then give birth comes along!