What I wish someone had told me when I was pregnant...

We’ve been talking on our Instagram stories    (www.instragram.com/bubba_bump )  about “what I wish someone had told me when I was pregnant”

I’ve had 2 kids (3 years old and 9 months old) and both times postpartum has absolutely THROWN me! (Yes even the second time - although I was wayyy more prepared, it’still such a curve ball)

I love getting our beautiful community together and sharing our collective experiences and words of wisdom, I think it’s such a treasure trove of knowledge for us all to take from and give to.

Take note of what some gorgeous fellow mamas have wished someone told them and learn form it - and remember that you are not alone and we are ALL in this motherhood gig together.

~ Night Sweats ~ these pop up a lot when we talk postpartum. You will have them after birth and the can last for weeks. Its a hormone balance thing, you are not alone and YES it is normal.

~ Document Every Moment ~ I love this! Such a wonderful reminder to take pictures, remember things, smell your baby because I tell you there is NOTHING like a new baby smell. The New-born stage goes so ridiculously fast. Drink in the good and the bad because it all forms the memories that will become your experience of early motherhood. And yes even after the most hellish of days that you didn’t think you could even make it through,  when your babes are asleep you will look over those photos and cry your eyes out because you love those little humans so much.

~ Its ok not to feel an instant connection with you baby and NO it doesn’t mean you love your baby less ~ so much YES to this. Remember that its like a stranger coming into your life. Yes you’ve been growing them for 9 months but you haven’t met them until they’re born. Do you love someone you’ve just met straight away? More often than no- no! So its totally ok and so normal to take some time too!

~ Be proud of yourself, of your body, of your strength, of the sleepless nights… Be Proud! ~ You are amazing mama!! Remember this!!!! It’s no easy feat raising these little people. The emotional and physical fatigue is real!! So yes, be proud!!!

~Be kind to yourself, Motherhood is a journey ~ You ask any honest mother and we will all say we are winging it. There is no handbook for motherhood, you’ll make mistakes, you’ll have wins, you’ll wish you did something differently, there will be days you can’t handle your kids, there will be days you don’t know how you thought you couldn’t handle your kids. Motherhood is a paradox of the most confusing kind.

~ Things that could go wrong with Birth ~ This is a scary thought but remember that you will be in good hands with the hospital/ medical professionals. Hypnobirthing has been solid recommendation for a lot of mamas experiencing anxiety around birth and labour.

~ It’s hard ~ Ok lets all read this - MOTHERHOOD IS HARD. IT IS NOT EASY. If we are more open and honest about this, less mothers will feel like they are failing for thinking the same. You are completely normal if you find motherhood hard - REMEMBER THIS!

~ The postpartum hair loss ~ Enjoy your luscious pregnancy hair because you might find a lot of it all falls out, thanks hormones!

~ Breastfeeding is hard~ Yes, yes it is!! Its a new skill for both you and baby, remember that!!! Don’t feel like a failure if you don’t pick it up straight away! Expressing is hard, tandem feeding is hard, its all hard!!! And its completely normal to find it so!

~ Its ok to not be ok ~ absolutely reach out for help if you need. Especially postpartum- you have just been on one crazy ride and if you need help, reach for it. If you don’t have family, talk to your GP or community health nurse.

~ Meal prep ~ Yes! The last thing you will feel like is making dinner, nor will you want to. Take it from me, after our second we lived off husband made omelettes for dinner for weeks haha! Very appreciated husband made omelettes but also very monotonous.

~ Don’t listen to peoples judgment ~ Why people feel the need to pass on judgment, especially to pregnant woman and new mums, I will never understand. Don’t take it on though, you do you and don’t be made to feel bad about it!

~ Recovery takes so much more than ‘6 weeks’ ~ it certainly does!! Personally I didn’t feel a sense of normal in my body until months after and many other mums will tell you it took even longer! Don’t rush your recover, each person will recover at different times. Make sure you focus on you. Remember you grew a freaking human!!! That is no small feat!!

Check out out postpartum essentials here