9 Months Pregnant
There are so many things I knew before my first pregnancy. My parents live in Brazil, so unfortunately I didn’t have my mum around to give me advice throughout my pregnancy and she didn’t have the opportunity to share her own experiences before I gave birth.
By the time my mum arrived from Brazil, I had already given birth to our gorgeous little boy.
9 Months Pregnant
If Only I’d Known…
- That in real life, being pregnant and massive is not as glamorous as they picture in magazines and books. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed being pregnant and I will do it all over again, but a big bump gets quite uncomfortable towards the last trimester.
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One Day Old
That “morning sickness” does not happen only in the morning. Instead it should be called “all day sickness”. I felt quite sick while pregnant from the moment I woke up until I went to bed. Towards the end of my pregnancy, I found out that mini cheddar would make me feel a bit better, so I kept some by my bedside and reached for a couple as soon as I opened my eyes each morning.
- That strangers treat you like friends when you have a bump. I lost count how many people approached me and asked questions about my bump, whether I knew what it was. Once I actually wanted to reply “I hope it is a baby, not a cat” (I blame my pregnancy hormones), but instead, I had a big breath and I thought it would be more sensible to say “it’s a boy”.
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One Week Old
That on the other hand, the only place nobody seemed to notice I was pregnant was on my train journey to work each morning. No matter how big I was and the “Baby on Board” badge I was proudly wearing, I wasn’t offered a seat on the train. As it was the rush hour and the train was so crowded, I had to ask to sit down or my bump would be squashed. They would eventually get up, but not before giving me a look.
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If Only I’d Known.. How Much I Would Love Him!
That no matter how much you plan your pregnancy and birth, most likely it will not go according to plan. In my birth plan, I wrote that I wanted my son be born in a birthing pool with no pain relief, listening to classical music. Instead, I had two epidural and also a few complications when my son’s heart stopped while in labour. Eventually I was rushed to have emergency caesarean, I was put to sleep and didn’t see my son’s birth.
- That being in labour is not the most glamorous event of a woman’s life. Before giving birth, I’ve never thought that I would be with my legs open in a room with different doctors, midwives and nurses looking at my private parts.
- That I should make the most of any help offered. I have always wanted to do everything on my own, but after my c-section I had to learn to sit down and relax a bit more, ask for help when needed and accept any help offered.
No matter how my pregnancy and labour went, I wouldn’t change it for the world. My baby boy is the best thing has ever happened to us and we love him to bits!
This month, LittleStuff has teamed up with Aptaclub, who have launched a brilliant new ‘Preparing for Birth’ app to support Mums through the last trimester of pregnancy. The app is designed to help mum stay organised through editable checklists and answer questions with tips and advice. It also comes with a contraction timer and birth announcer.
I’m so glad I came across this amazing app as we are currently trying for our second child. It would be brilliant to have much information this time as I will be planning one pregnancy while looking after a small child. Why don’t you also download the app?
This post is Lilinha Angel’s World’s entry into the Aptaclub ‘If Only I’d Known…’ competition
Lilinha Angel's World 
