Baby Formula

There are many things to learn about pregnancy, maybe you know a lot already, the 1st time round I had no clue what was going to happen. These are some of the things I just wish I’d known in advance.

What it was going to be like being pregnant during the summer months? Let me make it plain that it is intolerable, you sweat crazily, and you are far more tired than normal. Irrespective of how much you try you are miserable. I however didn't learn from this the first time around and have been heavily pregnant in summer twice.

Morning sickness, no one informed me that it did not only last in the morning. Most days it lasted all day from morning till night and often all through the night. All I know is that not much helps it, and there little you can do to prevent it.

What I could and could not do? There are such a lot of things that you can't do while being pregnant. Which after the list stops it is just about everything. Ok so I knew the basics of no consuming alcohol, or caffeine but it doesn't end there! No eating sushi or shell fish certain cheeses are off limits as well , and after a most things will give you heart burn so you do not need to eat it any way. You can not lift heavy objects, go up ladders, shouldn't be around bleaches, (passes the bleach to husband). After they are going thru the list of things you can not or should not do, it feels like there’s not too much left left!

How hard the heart burn was going to get? Now I've had heart burn before, but it typically went away with a pitcher of cold milk, though not this heart burn. Once it came it was here to stay, no matter what I ate I got heart burn. I swear even thinking about food gave it me occasionally.

There’s a good chance you'll get MASSIVE. I was expecting to put on weight from being pregnant. What I didn't realise was that I would feel massive! Those pictures of expecting women with nice round neat bumps have gotta be photoshopped!! Where are there great bumps? Oversized boobs? There were days I could of sworn I had another baby growing in my bum! As if this is not sufficiently bad to folks saying ‘can’t be long left now ‘ or ‘I thought you would of had that baby by now ‘ when you're barely 30 weeks is like torture! Oh and I got actually bored with asserting YES I'm Sure There's Just One IN THERE!!!!!

That whole thing about “pregnancy brain” which I thought was a myth is right. You can try your hardest hide it however it is certain.

The emotional wreck that you may not even know lies within you may come out. Tears will flow unreservedly at the smallest of things. From feeling your baby kick to watching your favorite TV shows. I just about had a breakdown when I put the washing powder in the fridge (see pregnancy brain above) and was sad.

Folk treat you differently. Nothing is off limits, from weird questions to the darn right rude you'll get them all. Everyone thinks they have the inherent right to touch you, even strangers. A few individuals love this but I did not, I'm not a huffy type – I like hug with my kids and husband, I’ll hug my closest family sometimes but thats about it, I'm certainly not OK with people wether I know them or not thinking that because I am pregnant they can touch my bump! I'd never dream of going up to somebody in the street wobbling the belly and walking off!

It isn't all bad though. And I gladly do it all over again.

You will never forget the first time you hear and see your baby which makes it all seem more lifelike. Your heart will stop the first time you see him or her poke an arm or foot out and make your belly move. The excitement when you start buying things for baby. Feeling each kick or movement and sharing them with your boyfriend and other kids. But just as significantly when you see that baby for the 1st time and fall head over heels in love immediately you will forgive every last thing that your pregnancy put you thru.

Emma Smith is a mum of 2 who blogs about her pregnancy experiences on PrenatalCareAtHome.com