It’s impossible to know exactly how being a parent feels until you become one. Everyone in your life will give you countless pieces of advice (some of which you will definitely want to ignore), but it’s ultimately up to you and your partner to decide how you want to raise your children.
The whole experience of becoming a parent can be daunting from the start, especially the idea of giving birth for moms. And while it’s expected for this to be intense and painful, there are still some things that moms wish they had been warned about beforehand. To help others feel more prepared and less alone, mothers on Threads have been discussing all of the unexpected experiences and side effects that occurred after giving birth. We’ve compiled a list of their replies below, so be sure to upvote the ones that nobody prepared you for either!
#41
That Post Partum can come with horrific catastrophizing OCD level intrusive thoughts. Traumatized my d**n self.
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3points
#42
Jumping, running, sneezing, etc. is a whole other experience postpartum. Also, the U.S. s***s at providing adequate postpartum care and recovery.
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3points
#43
That my v****a, that had been mine for 37 years, was never going to look the same. Ever.
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3points
#45
No one told me about postpartum hair shedding. My hair was everywhere. Me and the baby was crying.
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3points
#46
My sister wanted me about the pain of breastfeeding. My mum warned me about the uterus contraction pains. But nobody told me about peeing your pants while absolutely not knowing you are peeing. It would’ve been nice to be warned.
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3points
#47
That they use a crochet needle to break my water. I saw the doctor coming at me with it and I freaked out.
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3points
#49
When your b***s are too full and the letdown is aggressive, your baby will pull off and a fine mist of milk will spray out.
It’s crazy weird.
It’s crazy weird.
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3points
#50
When you have a c/s, the nurses strap you down on a table shaped like a cross. And you're not medicated enough yet to not be fully aware. It's terrifying.
Even when numb, you can still feel the doctor shuffling your organs and heaving your body back and forth.
Even when numb, you can still feel the doctor shuffling your organs and heaving your body back and forth.
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3points
#51
hemorrhoids. nobody warned me about hemorrhoids. do you know how painful a thrombosed bleeping hemorroid is?
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3points
#52
No one told me I could seperate my pubic bone and need to use a walker for a bit while caring for a newborn!!!!
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3points
#53
The injection in my spine that was supposed to stop the pain, but didn't – the pain I wanted to get rid of was the contractions.
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3points
#54
Postpartum anxiety was so wild. No one talks about how deep rooted that can be.
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2points
#55
I wasn’t expecting to feel kind of like I got sucker punched in the gut the first time sat up.
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2points
#56
Nobody told me that when they give you an epidural, the needle can move and hit a nerve that numbs the entire side of your body…and can continue to move when you keep trying.
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2points
#57
I had an emergency c-section and ended up throwing up. When I told my mom after she was like “oh I got that too, sorry should’ve told you”
And then the shakes afterwards?! That wouldn’t been nice to know.
And then the shakes afterwards?! That wouldn’t been nice to know.
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2points
#58
The insane amount of times a nurse comes in your room and pushes the f**k out of your stomach after birth.
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2points