Ten things I wish I had known when I got pregnant

I’m not sure how many people will actually get something useful out of this, but I’ve been feeling lately like I wanted to write this up in case it helps someone.

 1) If you’re feeling completely exhausted all the time, that’s not normal. You’re probably becoming anemic, which is extremely common in pregnancy. Get tested!

2) If you’re feeling hungry all the time, try adding protein to your diet. I learned this one way too late and probably gained 10 more pounds than I should have because of it. I was always hungry, so I’d eat more, but not enough protein. Whey protein shakes made a huge difference in my last month.

3) No matter how much you think you have a positive body image or how cute you think other pregnant ladies are, be prepared to feel ugly.

4) Nine months is an eternity. And once you’ve figured out the gender, bought your maternity clothes, and decided on a name, there’s not a whole lot to do but wait and get huge and uncomfortable.

5) Having a tummy bump suddenly opens doors to all sorts of friendships. Everybody loves babies, so they all want to ask you how far along you are and whether it’s your first and whether you know the gender and what name you’ve picked out. I had never had this kind of attention before from strangers and acquaintences, and between that and making friends with other new mommies and mommies-to-be, I felt very socially connected for the first time in my life.

6) Just because a pregnant woman isn’t throwing up every day doesn’t mean she doesn’t have morning sickness. I never threw up, but I wanted to every single day of my first trimester.

7) Ninety-eight percent of deliveries at LDS Hospital last year were with epidurals. You are not a wimp or a bad mother if you get one. You are a woman of steel if you don’t. I spent a lot of time planning to “go natural” and worrying about the pain of delivery. On a first pregnancy, I would recommend not worrying about it. If you want to deliver without an epidural, great, but my humble advice would be to leave yourself open to either option. You’ll save yourself a lot of worry.

8) During pregnancy, some women’s immune systems get really powerful. Other women’s crap out. Guess which one I was?

9) Nothing prepares you for the sight of your baby. There is nothing more awesome than looking at him or her for the first time and knowing you made that person and that he or she belongs with you. You can’t imagine it until you’ve felt it, so don’t try.

10) Your body will never be the same afterward. If you know that going in, you won’t resent it as much when you get stretch marks, baggy skin on your stomach, etc. But, at the same time, you’ll be surprised at how much you can snap back.