First, congratulations on our pregnancy mama! Being pregnant is such a beautiful sensation. You get flooded with joy, anticipation, excitiement, but also, fear of the surprises you’re yet to face. So what should you expect when you’re expecting? We’re sure you’ve heard a lot of these tips and advices from your doctor, your mom, your siters, friend or even your kind neighbour, like keep your body exercised, get ready for a lot of peeing, etc, but here are 5 things expectant mothers don’t always consider when expecting.
1. BEING CONSTANTLY CONGESTED
As your belly grows, your body feels the unusual weight coming on. These are normal pregnancy symptoms. Your body will change quite a bit to accommodate these changes, for the best of you, and your little baby. Your ankles will swell, your face will swell. But have you heard of a stufy nose? Yes, many mummas experience a stuffy nose during pregnancy which causes a congestion and a runny nose. This is because your hormones Mr. and Mrs. Progestorone and Oestrogen which increase your blood flow to your mucous membranes. While not all muothers may experience negative feelings by this, it may cause irritation to some. Some mothers may also experience nosebleeds. Keeping tissues at your bedside, and a warm mist humidifier helps set the atmosphere to prepare for such an insance.
2. RESEARCHING AND PLANNING FOR THE BIRTH METHOD YOU DON’T WANT
There are different types of birth: natural, vaginal, cesarean, induction, and more. While you may be planning on having a vaginal birth, a number of reasons could force that to change. The more you know about the other ways to deliver a baby, the less scared you’ll be and more empowered you’ll feel giving birth. You could read up on post-partum birth procedures, to know what to expect as you give birth- we know you aren’t getting time to do this reading once you’ve had your baby!
3. SHOPPING WITH A NEWBORN
While expecting a baby, you tend to focus on the happy times you’ll have: endless baby snuggles, dressing baby in her first outfit, taking his monthly photoshoots, etc. But one thing you may not have wondered yet is how do you go grocery shopping with an infant? Well, first-time grocery shopping with a newborn won’t be easy. Think about all the things you’d want to take on your stroll! Extra diapers? Baby food? Nappies? Pacifier? Baby wipes? And most of all? How are you going to take them all with you between the shopping isles? You might want to think about purchasing a pram organizer, or a pram with an extra-large shopping basket, to hold all your baby’s needs. You will find some New Zealand businesses offering this feature in their prams, with some prams able to hold up to 12kg in their shopping basket in addition to holding a baby at a 20kg maximum weight capacity. And all, for a reasonably weighted pram! This is one of the least thought of things when expectant mothers consider when expecting!
4. MAKING A POSTPARTUM CARE KIT FOR EACH BATHROOM IN YOUR HOUSE
After you have delivered the baby, your belly will have shrunk, heartburn should ease, and you’ll loose a several numbers from your weighing scale. But depending on your delivery method, your belly slit, oor your “girl down under” will need more time to heal. Obviously- she’s been through a lot. A champion in short.
Your hospital should send you home with some postpartum recovery items, but you’ll want more than what they offer. Here’s a great tip you might have already thought of. But if you didn’t- keep a small basket of every essential item, from pads to chocolates to a essential oils, in each bathroom. This way, you wouldn’t need to have your husband run across the rooms in your house, each time you go. so you don’t have to remember to take it with you from bathroom to bathroom or yell at someone to bring it to you each time you go. If f you know anyone else who’s pregnant, postpartum care kits make great gifts for expecting moms.
5. FINDING A MOM SUPPORT GROUP
Just as much as your concern on caring for your body post-partum, you must also care for your mental health. The best mental health care kit is to be in touch with communities of mothers or even your own mother, sister, and friends who have gone through the experience. Advice, support, engagement, or even a pair of ears to listen to what you feel, You can even join an online forum or a local in-person one. You can find one now or shortly after your baby’s born. It’s never too soon to find a group of women with babies who you can get together with. Your support group could also be your mom, sisters, grandmas, best friends, and women neighbors who have been in your now stretched-out shoes.
And there you have it, the most uncommon and less heard of 5 things expectant mothers don’t always consider when expecting.
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