Robin's Advice
Pregnancy Advice | New Parents | Potty Training

FIRST PREGNANCY ADVICE

As the mother of four children, I could write a book! There is some advice that I have that isn’t in a book yet.

Buy two big boxes of things called Tuck’s which is a brand name for a medicated pad for hemorrhoids. Any brand is fine. Once you have had the baby you will be sore whether you have stitches or not. Put a large amount of tuck pad’s between you and the feminine napkin and they will help heal and sooth you so your skin will recover sooner.

It will sting when you go to the ladies room, go in the shower instead and the shower water will eliminate most of the stinging. When you do go to the ladies room, use the Tucks instead of toilet paper.

You know that your real milk will come in three days after the baby is born. Mark this day on your calendar and Dad's, please pay attention. For some women this day is not fun. Plan to have a non-stress day. Plan for two people to be with the new mom, like the new dad and the new mom’s mom.

On this day, and only this day, and only with the first baby, the veins in the breast will have the real milk go thru them for the first time and it MAY hurt. It is kind of like getting a shot without the needle. You can feel the fluids in the veins and it can sting. This is where all of the cabbage leaf stories happen. What is important to remember, is if it does sting, it is only the first day and the first baby. Do not think that this is what breast feeding will be like.

Most books will tell you to keep monitoring your milk so you do not become engorged with too much. Make sure you stay a little soft, even if you have to take some out in the ladies room without being able to save it. Milk can be frozen for up to 6 months. You can start storing it right away. Put it in different size bags, 2 oz., 3 oz., and 4 oz. so the day care provider will not waste it.

Child birth is designed really well. It includes a natural local numbing. The pressure of the baby coming out will numb you like sitting on your leg that puts it to sleep. The “hurt” is a pressure hurt not a cut or needle hurt. It is intense, like an elephant stepping on you but the pressure also is numbing. Once it is ok to push, it isn’t fun but if you are full of drugs you can’t push and help the baby. Yelling at or digging your nails into the guy whose fault this is works very well. Calling for your mom or other people who should be worshiped as if they were in another country is also a method used by most women whether it is their first baby or not.

It isn’t seeing the baby, knowing that it is ok, a boy or a girl or more, or even holding it in the blanket that is so marvelous. It is the skin to skin, touching, inspecting, smelling that is so perfect when the baby is sound asleep and totally limp depending on you to keep it safe and secure. You will feel like challenging the fiercest dragon you can find.

Congratulations and best wishes!