u/clairqalb

I’ll go first
Mine was the first time I went to the bathroom after giving birth. The constipation was so bad it honestly brought back memories of labor

What was your first postpartum cry about?

Before becoming a mom, I swore I’d do certain things and never do others

Then I had a baby and quickly realized parenting is very different when you’re actually living it every day.

What’s a parenting opinion you had before kids that completely changed after becoming a mom?

Pregnancy was supposed to be a happy time, but I honestly struggled with a lot of anxiety

I worried about every symptom, every appointment, and whether my baby was okay. Some days it felt like my mind just wouldn’t stop.

Did anyone else deal with anxiety during pregnancy? How did you cope with it?

For the moms who had a C-section, what was it like for you?

Was it planned or an emergency? How was your recovery, and what do you wish you had known beforehand?
I’d love to hear your experiences and advice

For the moms who had a vaginal/normal delivery, what was your experience like? 😭💕

How long was your labor, did you get an epidural, and how was your recovery afterward?

I’d love to hear your stories and experiences

My baby is almost 8 months old and has never taken a pacifier. We tried a few times when he was younger, but he just wasn’t interested.

Did your baby love a pacifier, hate it, or never take one at all?

Labor can be so different for everyone

How long were you in labor from the time contractions started until your baby was born?

I was in labor for 27 hours 🥲 What about you?

Before becoming a mom, I thought exclusive breastfeeding was just feeding your baby and that’s it

Nobody told me about the cluster feeding, leaking milk, worrying about supply, being the only one who could feed the baby, or how thirsty and hungry it can make you.
What’s something nobody warned you about when it comes to exclusive breastfeeding?

recovery, but not enough about the mental and emotional side of postpartum
How long did it take before you felt like yourself again? Weeks, months, or are you still figuring it out?

For me, things started getting much easier around 4 months postpartum, and by almost 8 months I feel much more like myself again 🥹

For the moms who worked while pregnant, how far along were you when you stopped working?

I stopped during my last week of pregnancy
When did you finish work before baby arrived?

My baby is 7.5 months old, so we've been on our solids journey for a while now
So far he's tried banana, apple, papaya, sweet potato, carrot, potato, suji, cerelac, and a few other foods. It's been so fun watching him explore new tastes and textures.
How old is your baby, and what's been their favorite food so far?

Both are exhausting, but in completely different ways

Pregnancy tired had me falling asleep anywhere, but newborn tired had me functioning on broken sleep and pure survival mode 🤣

Which one was harder for you: pregnancy tired or newborn tired?

My birth plan was to have a completely natural vaginal birth without an episiotomy. After a 27-hour labor, my delivery ended up requiring vacuum assistance and an episiotomy. It wasn't exactly how I had hoped things would go, but in the end both baby and I were safe and healthy.
My birth plan was:
• Immediate skin-to-skin
• Breastfeeding
• Vaginal delivery
• Epidural
• Vitamin K for baby
I ended up getting everything on my list, although my water was broken by the nurse when I was 10 cm dilated.
What was your birth plan, and how closely did your actual birth match it?

My baby is 7.5 months old and still sleeps in his bassinet, but I know we’ll need to make the switch soon

I’m not sure what to get next. What did your baby move to after the bassinet, and how did the transition go?

For me, it was the baby carry cot and the swing 😭I was so sure we’d use them all the time, but they barely got used.

What’s one baby item you regret buying or didn’t get your money’s worth from?

Did you scream, cry, stay quiet, or completely surprise yourself during labor and delivery?

I’ll go first, I screamed way too much during active labor and while pushing. At one point I told the nurses I was going to jump off the bed and I kept pulling off my blood pressure cuff and pulse monitor 😭

Labor really brings out a different side of you 🥲What was it like for you?

I’ll go first 😭🤣yes, I did.

At that point there was so much going on that I honestly didn’t care. The pushing was way more intense than worrying about pooping 💀💕

Now your turn… did it happen to you too?

I’ll go first yes, I did.

At that point there was so much going on that I honestly didn’t care. The pushing was way more intense than worrying about pooping 💀💕

Now your turn… did it happen to you too?