then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
Alright, let’s dive right into the jaw-dropping, weird, and sometimes downright bizarre things moms went through during pregnancy and childbirth. These stories are straight from the real MVPs who lived it! Check ‘em out below.
This post may include affiliate links.
I stopped sleeping through the night at 8 months pregnant and I've never slept well since.
My son is 20...
After - the huge clumps of what looks like liver that falls out for a good week
It also messed up my teeth pretty bad. I’m still struggling with that and I’m terrified of dentists so it’s just an ongoing issue
Edit: I had no idea the teeth thing happened to soooo many women!! It’s just another of those things they don’t tell you or don’t account for hey? I wish someone had told me at the time because I spent so long being terrified and ashamed. I’ll be brave and try and make an appointment with a dentist when we get back off holiday.
During: endless vomiting.
After: the most intense sadness I've ever felt.
Wouldn’t do it a second time, but so glad I made it through once. Because she’s also made me feel joy at life again.
One thing I didn’t know is afterwards your internal organs (bladder, uterus) can kinda fall downwards and it’s unpleasant….
First pregnancy was golden. Second one wrecked me. Ended up dilated to 4cm for over a month. Hemorrhages after birth. Because of that second pregnancy I developed a severe bladder and uterine prolapse at 28 and had to have a repair and hysterectomy at 29. Also developed cyclical vomiting of sorts and vomit about 1-2x/month for no good reason. Probably will have a rectal prolapse with how things are going but on the bright side by that time if will likely be time for my bladder repair revision so I can do them at the same time!
Injectable blood thinners for 9 months plus 6 weeks after. Cervical incompetence so had to be stitched together and bedrest for 4.5 months. Pre-eclampsia. Crash c-section. These all happened in various pregnancies.
Multiple pregnancy loss. I’ve been pregnant 10 times with 3 living children.
They are worth it though!
Sweating like a stinky old goat to get rid of all the extra fluid in your body after giving birth.
Iron depletion. Take your iron levels including ferritin more seriously or it will cause a lot of damage later on. I refused iron infusions during both my pregnancies and post birth. That was so stupid of me.
How quickly things can turn during childbirth and become life threatening. I was well aware of the risks and had friends who'd come up against things like preeclampsia, breach babies, etc. With one of mine it seemed plain sailing and I was due to have a home birth but then he changed position in labour and got stuck face first. I had to have an emergency c section and we both almost perished - they started cutting before I was knocked out. Everything changed within minutes, it was insane.
Really made me rethink my views on the importance of good pre and post natal healthcare even in a country like the UK!
24/7 sickness for over 30 weeks, gestational diabetes, induced labour, not pooing for over a week, a grazed vulva (you can tear up - I didn’t know that before I had kids!) that had me peeing in the shower for 2 weeks, mastitis…
Honestly, I could go on and on.
Do you know what happens if during c section they can’t get the baby out still?
They page orthopedics and open your pelvis like a book.
Parts of my feet and legs are still totally numb almost 4 months postpartum. It started in my hands during pregnancy and eventually hit everything below my knees.
Did you know that pregnancy can trigger your body to develop allergies? I didn't know that either. I am now allergic to cats and I have an oral allergy to kiwi fruit, raw bell peppers, raw green beans, cashews, and walnuts. I had no allergies prior to my second pregnancy.
I had a pretty terrible labor. I was 16, the doctor who delivered me for my Mom ended up being the same doctor to deliver my son for me.
The epidural didn't work but my legs were numb and heavy and they made me hold my own legs and I couldn't focus on pushing. I pushed for 2 hours without success. My Midwife didn't know my son was faced the wrong way which put us both in danger. I had to get TWO episiotomies and felt it because the epidural didn't work and my mom screamed at them that I could feel it so they only number me after the fact.
They used suction and forceps to get my son out because I was going into shock after 3 days in labor. My son's cord was wrapped around his neck, they took him out the wrong way out, when they broke my water there was meconium in my water so it was in his lungs. When he was born the doctor said 'sunnyside up!' and then just plopped him onto my stomach. And he wasn't crying. I remember laying there saying in my head please cry over and over again.
He finally cried and I got to look at him for 2 seconds and kiss him before they took him for X-ray and suction for his lungs. He was kept on an IV and incubator for 3 days. I only saw him to feed him. Poor guy was born with a cone head.
The nurses laughed at me when I screamed and cried in pain.
After I gave birth his biological father tried to compete with me over who has been through the most pain which he tried to say him breaking his collarbone (which never happened, he's a compulsive liar) was more painful than what I just went through. I said mmm no, giving birth to a human without any numbing is pretty much more painful than anything you'll experience shut up.
He's not been in my kids life for 15 years, he's a deadbeat and doesn't pay court ordered child support. The government doesn't care.
I was sewn together down there with internal and external stitches and basically was like a bad basket weave pattern. It was bruised badly and it was agony to walk. Had to have my parents help me in and out of the tub. Couldn't wipe with tissue for a month and had to use a squeeze bottle of water. Stairs were horrible, the healing itchy stage was horrible, bowel movements were horrible. Lack of sleep, being in pain and having a kid that you g was hard but I wouldn't change anything.
Moral of the story is be careful who you have kids with. I'm done having kids
TLDR: Epidurals can not work, you might have to be sewn together down there, you can have your kids first poo inside your waters before they're born, don't rely solely on midwives, don't have babies with jerks.
Sepsis 5 days after giving birth and being almost 2 days in labour and difficulty delivering. The nurses said I should be able to be up and walking in no time after being discharged the day after giving birth. They did not account for the missed placenta pieces that were slowly infecting me from the inside. 5 days after giving birth, I suddenly couldn’t get up and walk. It was a whole ordeal getting back to the hospital with a newborn and getting the proper treatment. 0/10 do not recommend.
Post partum psychosis .
It kicked in mental health issues for about 5 years after my second. I am now finally feeling human. It was terrifying because I had no idea what was happening. Very thankful I have a wonderful family who stepped in and helped me out. It wasn’t until years later I realized what it was. Doctors kept telling me it was normal. It was my own personal hell.
The giving birth was easy compared.
Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex (D-MER). I had never heard of it before experiencing it. Basically, every time you breastfeed or pump, your dopamine plummets. This causes a sudden and severe depression. I compared it to what I imagine the Dementors in Harry Potter felt like. So, that feeling 7 times a day while pumping, combined with sleep deprivation and trying to navigate having an infant.
31
0