Things they don't tell you about having a baby...

I did my reading, had a doula, hell, I work for a website and blog about pregnancy...but was I prepared for birth? Um...yes and no.

Yes because I felt educated. I knew what kind of birth I wanted to have, but also knew that sometimes things happen that can change that. If you read my other post, you know that my severe preeclampsia with HELLP syndrome prevented me from having a natural vaginal birth.

But no because, well...there are things that can happen along the way that people don't talk about.

Of course, I want to talk about them...

--The first time you stand up after birth, no matter how you deliver, there will be a massive gush of blood that will splatter all over the hospital floor. But you won't care that much because at this point so many people have seen your vagina and you may have even pooped when pushing out baby.

--Your pregnant belly doesn't magically disappear even though you've given birth. I looked about six months pregnant for about a week after having my twins. Now, three weeks later, I look about two months along. Or just like I drank too many beers and ate too many burgers.

--You will bleed for weeks after birth. And then it turns yellowish.

--Your belly button will never be the same. (And if you had a belly button piercing from 1992, it will look even worse.)

--Your baby may have a hairy face or unusually hairy arms or back. It's called lanugo and it's common in preemies and goes away after a couple of months.

--You will most likely have hemorrhoids even if you had a c-section and that first time you go number two might be traumatic. Like cannot sit down traumatic.

--Everyone will see your boobs when you breastfeed and you really don't care. Unless it's your father-in-law.

--If you had a c-section, you will secretly hate the women in the hospital who gave birth vaginally and you will be able to tell who they are because they are much more mobile and they recover faster.

--That c-section incision spot will feel numb...possibly for years and years. My friend told me it took her scar area ten years to have feeling again.

--Oh and even though you so want to shave the hair down there, you will be scared to because of the incision. But it doesn't matter because you can't have sex for six weeks anyway.

But like all moms will say, it's all worth it. And it really is.