Here's a #FlashBackFriday post for you 😁

Here's a #FlashBackFriday post for you 😁

Motherhood is beautiful and amazing but you don’t really understand the struggles until you’re living it. Even then, it’s mind boggling at times. Googling and reading books can only tell you so much. Here are 10 real secrets about motherhood and babies that only moms who have been there, and done that, will tell you. 👶🏻❤️

➡️ 1. Labor and Delivery – You will learn all about birth from your classes, books, talking to your girlfriends. But your experience will be unique and completely different than you imagined. Yes, it’s going to hurt, and it’s true with a vaginal birth, you poop when you’re pushing out your baby. But really, you’re so much in the moment that it’s no big deal.

Epidural, caesarean, natural, water birth… It’s you and your doctor or midwife’s choice to make. Whatever you do decide, don’t let anyone say you’re less of a mom!

Later, you’ll only remember that wonderful moment, when your baby is in your arms, and everyone in the room is crying with tears of joy.

➡️ 2. Postpartum bleeding and pain – My birthing class completely glossed over this very important part of the whole birth process. Postpartum pain and the heavy bleeding are for real. The nurses showed me all about the sitz bath when I was in my post baby haze and on pain meds. I barely understood until I tried to step into the car to go home, and it was painful!

➡️ 3. Breastfeeding – If you’re like most moms today, my own mother didn’t breastfeed, so I had no idea on the techniques. Latching, positions, colostrum, this was a whole new world to me.

Meet with a lactation specialist if you plan on breastfeeding. It is worth talking and working with a specialist to prevent any future pain or problems. And don’t be discouraged or feel bad if you’re a formula mom. You’re baby is being fed and thriving.

➡️ 4. Explosive poop – Newborn poop starts as dark meconium and then turns to light brown seedy explosions, especially if you’re breastfeeding. No diaper will hold this mess! Be prepared to change your pants or sheets or blankets often. The poop will come out of nowhere and blast you away. Don’t worry, this stage doesn’t last forever.

➡️ 5. Colic – I was not prepared for the crying and the fussiness, which always seemed to happen late at night and when you’ve had the least amount of sleep. A fifth of all babies develop colic between their second and fourth weeks, and though there are clear ways to identify colic, like intense crying that can’t be soothed, there is no definitive explanation. It could be gas, sensitivity to certain foods in a breastfeeding mom’s diet, or many other reasons.

There are numerous things to try to help your baby with colic, like Gripe Water, rocking or tummy massages, but sometimes you just need to wait it out.

➡️ 6. Baby Blues – Giving birth is a huge life change, and together with a woman’s fluctuation of hormones, many women suffer mood swings, loss of appetite or even crying spells. Some of these symptoms disappear after a week, while other moms may need medical treatment to help with postpartum depression, which affects about 1 in 7 moms.

➡️ 7. Love – The bond that develops with your child will far exceed your expectations. It is such an amazing feeling, that you’ll want another baby pretty soon after your first.

➡️ 8. Baby Gear – You probably had a great time registering baby gear and you loved the look of a certain bottle or stroller or pacifier, but your baby didn’t. You’re going to end up trying many different types of baby gear and often the most expensive and time-saving seeming options are the ones that don’t work out. Every baby is different, and you will become very familiar with your local baby store.

➡️ 9. Sleep – You will soon learn to survive on very little sleep. Do try to nap when your baby is napping, or ask for help you can get some extra shut-eye. You will need it. Also, throw those baby sleep schedules out the window. Our first pediatrician insisted on the 7 am to 7pm sleep schedule, so we spent hours each night trying to force our first baby into it. After a couple months of wasted time, we gave up. Don’t feel like a failure and follow your own instincts.

➡️ 10. Mom Friends – Many of your old childless friends will depart from your life. It’s true. Those friends you went club-hopping with will be too busy for you. But no worries, you’ll soon know who your real friends are. Those are the ones that brought dinner over or helped you vacuum one evening. Or just listened to your whining. And make mom friends too. They understand what you’re going through and may even give you some sound advice!

What do you wish you knew before you had your baby? Please share in the comments below!