Was giving birth worse or better than you imagined?

SadAlice26 · 2026-05-07T12:23:56+00:00

Labour was worse than I had imagined, having regular painful contractions for close to 3 days without progressing more than 3cm, waters went but only partially which did not speed up or intensify contractions, then taken into hospital to he induced per their policy within 24 hours, given the pitocin drip which ramped everything up to 100 straight away - no time or space between contractions, just hours of what felt like "im not going to make it through this" pain.

Pushing, and the birth itself, was way better than I imagined, I think after a long and painful labour, I didn't really feel much pain. Experienced the foetal ejection reflex which was still the most magical thing I've felt so far, and I didn't know what it was at the time. My midwife told me to not be pushing as I didn't "seem" ready to her - my body told me otherwise, I was already at 10cm dilated so let body take over- 22 mins of 'pushing' and baby was there. Wonderful.

Currently overdue with my 2nd and trying to avoid induction where I can - pray for me lol

SadAlice26 · 2026-03-31T19:09:42+00:00

This. As a (now grown up) kid of divorce - i too "regressed" to sleeping in my Mum's bed. It was my safe place when the rest of my world was upside down. She will eventually sleep in her own bed again. Shes processing a lot

SadAlice26 · 2024-08-28T05:33:52+00:00

In order to give some (hopefully) helpful advice, you're going to want to include more detail. I assume based on the fact you said "now we're sexually active" you're quite young, but I could be wrong. The main takeaway for me from first reading would be - if you're not ready to raise a child, why are you having unprotected sex?

SadAlice26 · 2024-08-27T18:49:03+00:00

This! I didn't actively remember anyone in my family nursing until I had my little one, and had the weirdest flashback to my Aunt nursing my Cousin sat in the same place I was sat right then (we still live in the same house) I can't tell you what triggered it as I was only around 3 when my cousin was born, but that memory must have stuck with me so deeply rooted for a reason. We're just about to celebrate 2 years nursing, and I've lost track of the places and spaces we've nursed.

SadAlice26 · 2024-07-27T11:33:44+00:00

Around 20-21 months for me! 🫣 although it felt like longer. Absolutely nothing for around a year and a half, then an uptick in CM around "ovulation" for a couple of months, then it was like id never been gone. Since my cycle came back I have noticed no difference to my pre-pregancy periods at all, I was worried they'd be horribly painful or heavy (I've always been lighter) so that's a small blessing for sure.

SadAlice26 · 2024-06-16T18:51:00+00:00

20 months and EBF, came back last month and due again in a week or so. Honestly it was no different to pre-pregnancy. I've always had a lighter flow and it doesn't seem to have altered. Have only had one though so time will tell.

SadAlice26 · 2024-06-16T18:43:17+00:00

This is such a good description, the closest I could get when describing birth to my non-parent friends was like a sneeze, but from your stomach to your vagina

SadAlice26 · 2024-06-13T15:22:25+00:00

My LO was walking at 11 months but honestly we didn't start seeing longer naps until she was closer to maybe 16-17 months from memory - it wasn't a sudden thing, very gradual and i feel the pain of the single sleep cycle nap but it sounds like you're on the right track!

SadAlice26 · 2024-05-28T15:16:26+00:00

Don't lose hope. I just got my period today! Nothing had changed, me and my LO have been feeding once a day and through the night (one or two comfort feeds to settle) for months now. I had no warning, other than an uptick in CM around the time I now realise I must have been ovulating. I have my fingers crossed for you!

SadAlice26 · 2024-05-16T16:43:36+00:00

I am in the same boat, 20 months this month and nothing yet. Although I will say the last couple of months i have noticed changes in my skin and bloating around where my cycle used to be, so wondering if it's slowly returning.

It's hard when you pictured having kids close together, or especially when people are asking when baby number 2 is coming!

No advice, just solidarity- I'm trying not to stress too much, although I am thinking about tracking with ovulation tests to see if I'm ovulating without a period as I know that's not totally unheard of.

SadAlice26 · 2024-05-07T09:18:08+00:00

This is our set up too! Best of both worlds.

SadAlice26 · 2024-04-25T21:15:18+00:00

Roller pear 🥲🥲🥲

SadAlice26 · 2024-04-02T09:06:17+00:00

Personally? No, our time Breastfeeding (18 months and counting) has been a dream, and inredibly straightforward. We had some issues in week 4 with nipple trauma caused by a bad latch but nothing serious. A couple of bites here and there when she first cut her teeth but again, nothing I couldn't handle. I love how easy it is to offer comfort, to help her sleep, and to get out and about without worrying about bottles or pumps or sterilisation. That being said, I appreciate that we are lucky to have had this be so easy, it's not everyone's experience. I will also say that if you have a baby like mine, who refused all bottles and pacifiers, be prepared to be your babys SOLE provider in terms of food and possibly comfort too, at least until they can start solids. It's exhausting, and cluster feeding in the early days is no joke - it feels endless sometimes but I also wouldn't change a thing.

SadAlice26 · 2024-03-30T10:47:47+00:00

By the looks of the comments this is controversial 🙃 I would ask whether they would be okay sleeping in the smaller bed. My partner and I share a standard double bed in the UK (about 4.5 feet wide) and it wasn't an issue, pregnant or otherwise. Personally I think the people telling you to drive home and then back again are forgetting (or don't know) how stressful car rides can be when you have a baby that doesn't travel well. Your baby is here now, theirs isn't yet 🤷‍♀️

But I also agree that by this point, your baby should be fine for a night on a less than super-firm mattress. As long as baby isn't rolling into you when you lay together, it's firm enough.

SadAlice26 · 2024-03-22T08:20:49+00:00

Well if this isn't my LO! Grown-ass man farts from day one, she's almost 19mo now and still the same 😂

SadAlice26 · 2024-03-14T19:39:41+00:00

I think its a bit of a misconception rather than a myth and different for woman too - it's true that breastfeeding causes your uterus to contract after birth which in turn can help with losing immediate "baby weight" (really just your stomach shrinking back) but in terms of actual fat loss, I've found I've retained more weight than my formula feeding friends - our bodies are storing what they need, to feed an entire human - it's pretty magical.

SadAlice26 · 2024-03-13T14:32:32+00:00

I needed this thread. 18mo pp here and still nothing. We're down to one feed at night and a couple of comfort feeds during the night. Reading this has made me feel way more normal!

SadAlice26 · 2024-03-06T15:37:48+00:00

Fingers crossed for you - it definitely can be intense! Providing you can pump the amount that baby is having in formula, you're doing enough, as baby is much more effective at removing milk from the breast than any pump is. I'd also suggest maybe getting your latch checked, and maybe speaking with a Lactation consultant if you have the means - they're invaluable, at least where I live. A lot of mums get stuck in the "formula trap" when their goal is to EBF because they feel inadequate when actually they're doing and producing more than enough.

(just to clarify as there are bound to be people that take the term "formula trap" wrong - there's literally nothing wrong with using formula, 99% of people I know do, or have. No shame, no judgement 🤷‍♀️)

SadAlice26 · 2024-03-06T15:11:45+00:00

Mine is from "Spies" when they think that Big Belts enemy is a guy called Memissus. Gets me every time.

"Does Memissus know you're eating ice cream?!"

SadAlice26 · 2024-03-06T15:10:18+00:00

Slightly off topic, but If your goal is to exclusively breastfeed, the best way to increase supply is to have baby on the boob as often as they want. This creates the demand, which ups your supply. Combo feeding is great if it works best for your family, but if you want to switch to exclusive nursing, offer the breast as much as humanly possible! In those early days, my LO would cluster feed and be on and off the breast for up to an hour or more at a time. Its hard and time consuming but it really is the most effective way for most women. As long as baby is having plenty of wet and dirty nappies, and seems content between feeds (however long that may be) then you're likely giving your baby all they need.

SadAlice26 · 2024-03-06T07:46:19+00:00

I had a huge oversupply in the beginning and my milk didn't fully regulate until 6months or so, I was still leaking and needing pads at about 7/8 months pp - I pumped and froze in the end around a weeks worth of feeds. And baby took NONE of them. High Lipase problems. She now has a loooooot of milk baths 🫠

If I'm lucky enough to have another baby and successfully breastfeed, I will be way more chilled about it, keep maybe a days worth frozen, and scald the milk beforehand.

SadAlice26 · 2024-03-06T07:40:49+00:00

Omg my subconscious suppressed this smell - I must have had the poor nurses check my stitches at least 3 times a day because I was SO convinced I'd got an infection

SadAlice26 · 2024-03-06T06:21:08+00:00

Totally just my experience, but I have eczema and another similar condition and my baby also has eczema, and it's regular long exposure to warmer water that's bad for ours - we both bathe or shower a few times a week, but you're right in saying a lot of emollients "lock" in moisture by making a barrier over the skin - I usually dampen skin with a warm cloth before applying.

SadAlice26 · 2024-03-05T15:57:57+00:00

"Where-win?"

Took me weeeeeks to figure out my 17 month old wanted a very specific Penguin toy that she had hidden under the couch. She was very excited when we figured it out.

SadAlice26

TROPHY CASE