If only I'd known!

• The overwhelming love you feel
• Feeling so blue…
• Horrible hormones!
• All you need are babygros!
• Great grandparents?!
• Where to next?

• 1 Just HOW tired you can feel, you do read about tiredness being a factor but never imagine just how tired you can be.
• 2 That when the baby starts to kick it can feel alien. Not altogether nice. I wasn't the only mum to be who felt that way. (I love it second time around).
• 3 That breastfeeding is not always possible and that you should never feel like a failure if it doesn't work. AND that you won't necessarily think it's a nice feeling. I couldn't feed Calum even after four weeks of trying very hard, and I never admitted until a year or so later that I hated it, it was far too painful for me personally.
• 4 That bizarre baby blues thing a few days after the baby is born - MOST mums cry a lot for no particular reason and that it is completely normal!
• 5 The overwhelming love you can feel for your baby. Still to this day, six years on, I am amazed at the strength of it.

Caz, 27.1weeks

Feeling so blue…

Caz, you have covered the majority of things I would have put. The baby blues were awful for me three days after - the midwives changed shifts and the day-shift midwife came in to ask how I was. I just broke down! I think it is something to do with the hormone levels dropping - I snapped at all my visitors too!! Nice!

I would have liked to have been warned to have a good stock of maternity towels, as I originally thought you would bleed like a period but I bled for a good couple of weeks at least. I only had two packs so had to buy more.

Gill C

Horrible hormones!

I have to agree with all of the above! Can I just how much hormones effect you. We've always had them but they really do go for it in pregnancy don't they?! One minute you feel on top of the world, and the next minute like Beckham taking 'that' penalty (notice my studying football ready for birth of baby boy!)

Helen (27 weeks on Wednesday!) Gill's right- I really wish I'd known before about the bleeding afterwards and not to fill my hospital bag with lovely new white nightwear and slippers! You need dark coloured old roomy things with boob access!

All you need are babygros!

I agree with everything Carol says - although, for me, breastfeeding was the most amazing feeling and that surprised me! Yes, it hurt (and I never realised my boobs would get so big and sore on the third day!) but it made me feel 'nurturing' love like I'd never imagined!!

The only other thing I'd wish I'd known is that, fun as it is to buy all those gorgeous little outfits, all you need for the first few days (or really weeks!) are all-in-one cotton babygros with FEET. Oh and a couple of thin swaddling blankets. A third-time mum wrapped Mary for me in hospital and it was like magic!

caz

Great grandparents?!

Something I have just thought of …

How rubbish some grandparents can be. I think most of us have this ideal picture of grandparents making cakes with our kids, and picking them up from school. Not so in our case. Hope some of you have it!!!

Also, how long it really takes to feel 'normal' again. And how long it takes for your sex life to be the same.

Iraina xxx

Where next?

• Read our interviews with Zita West - pregnancy guru to the celebs
• Share your experiences of pregnancy - past and present - on our General Pregnancy forum
• Find out what you need for your hospital bag !