Lifestyle

5 Things They Don’t Tell You About Giving Birth

The Joys of Motherhood begins…

• written by Joy Onu
• 4 min read
• 04 Oct, 2023

I think we can all agree on a few known facts about giving birth, but if you have no experience in that department and you’re curious, come on in, and join the club. Pregnancy is one of those things you think about but you don’t really really think about it till you have a bun in the oven. There’s a lot we know about being pregnant, like the swollen feet and nose, the cravings, the nausea, the huge bump, and so on. 

There’s also a couple things you might not know, and they are a lot, but we’re just going to stick to five. If you’re a super nerd who already knows all of this, congrats! But if you’re just a clueless one, stick around. Here are 5 things they don’t tell you about giving birth.

Pushing Is An Extreme Sport

The art of pushing isn’t the way you see it in the movies. Chances are, you’re going to be pushing for a while, and it's going to be exhausting, but beautiful. One might think, how hard can it possibly be to push? Well, pushing takes a lot of physical strength, so the trick we discovered is, don’t push and scream like they do in the movies, that will only exhaust you even further, it’s okay to grunt and make noise when pushing your baby out, just be careful not to overexert yourself.

Your Water Breaking Might Not Be As Theatrical

Your water might not break with a splash when you’re at a restaurant or somewhere public, sometimes it's a little bit more complicated than that. For one, your doctor might have to break it for you, and in some cases it could be like a gradual yet uncontrollable flow of liquid flowing down. Whatever the case may be, just don’t expect the dramatic splash you see on TV. Either way, it could be a gradual but constant leaking of fluid or an abrupt flow of fluid, to each their own. Knowing the variations in how your water might break can help alleviate any unnecessary panic during labor.

Epidurals 

The epidural isn’t just a normal injection that goes into your arm, if you’ve been living a delusional land like we have, welcome back to reality! The freaky part about an epidural is the thought that the epidural is inserted into the space around your spinal nerves, that sounds pretty scary. If you’re lucky like most people are, they say it doesn’t hurt because of the numbing injection you’re given beforehand.

Mommy Diapers Are A Thing

Giving birth is glorious, it even saves you nine months of not having to deal with a period, but when all is said and done, and that baby comes out, you may or may not need to use maxi pads for months afterwards because of the bleeding that follows.

After giving birth, many women experience what is called postpartum incontinence, which isn't talked about as often as it should be. This is where Mommy diapers, or postpartum pads, become essential as your body adjusts and recovers. Don’t worry, It is a normal part of the process, and using the right products can provide comfort and confidence during this phase.

Placenta Are Delivered

You don’t just deliver the baby and rest, afterward, the doctor will urge you to give one more push, and that’s for the placenta. The delivery of the placenta is an essential part of the birthing process, known as the third stage of labor. It often receives less attention compared to the actual birth of the baby. Understanding this stage, how it occurs, and its significance in ensuring a healthy recovery is vital so you can prepare your mind for all the stages of pregnancy.

Childbirth is an incredible journey, but it comes with its share of unexpected moments and experiences. It’s super important to know the things they don’t tell us about pregnancy because it can make the whole process seem less scary. By understanding these lesser-discussed aspects, expectant mothers and future mammas can approach childbirth with better preparation and confidence, making the birthing experience smoother and more manageable.