What I Wish I Did Before I Gave Birth

I love to read posts that give other women’s perspectives on pregnancy, childbirth and parenting. I recently polled the mamas in our private motherhood Facebook group (all are welcome to join here) and asked them in hindsight, what’s one thing they wish they did before they gave birth and I  love and resonate with all of the answers. I wish I read something like this before giving birth!

As for my own — I wish I would have prepared more for myself. I had one nursing nightgown that got spit up on at each feeding, only two nursing tanks and I found getting myself dressed to be a real pain, when really I just wanted clean, cozy, easy to nurse in clothes on hand :)  But reading all of the responses below, I really wish I would have had scheduled a house cleaning for before + after baby!!

I wish I read more about postpartum and study/talk to other moms/experts about postpartum. I was so focused on birth but not afterwards.

I wish I had gone to the movies and had leisurely meals at restaurants more before I gave birth. I didn’t take a lot of time to do things that I enjoy that would be harder to do after having a baby. For me, I was very focused on preparing for my baby’s arrival that I didn’t take time for myself.

Gotten a professional to clean my house because it wasn’t going to get cleaned again for a long time!

Started the nanny search, man… it’s a long process to find the right fit. Finally found someone amazing last month!

With my daughter coming 3 weeks early, I just wasn’t that ready. house wasn’t clean or organized, didn’t have true plan of action for taking a couple weeks off etc. i advise all to be prepared as much as you can a month before you’re due! ha

I wish I had read up more on infant sleep, the first few weeks were rough! Had I read something like the Happy Sleeper earlier I might have known how to help my little one nap a little better.

I was so focused on the pregnancy and delivery that I didn’t read anything about what happens after bringing the baby home. I took a half day infant care class but nothing prepared me for what was next. Reading a little and talking to other moms about the first few weeks would have been helpful.

I also wish I had read up on infant sleep and schedules. I relied way too heavily on (and still do at 10 months old) with feeding my girl to sleep. She literally won’t let anyone else put her to sleep and it’s been really hard. Also, I wish I had taken time to spend more quality time with close friends. Maybe had a girls trip somewhere to just relax! It’s so hard now getting together with friends (especially with friends who don’t have kids).

Pampered myself a little! Mani, pedi, wax, etc.

I wish I had mentally prepared myself for all the crying. My daughter was borderline colic and the first 10 weeks were so so hard.

Freezer meals and freezer lactation cookies. Underestimated how helpful that could have been!

I wish I had read up a bit on breastfeeding. I wasn’t expecting it to be that tough, but compounded with the fact that my baby was in the NICU and we were trying to nurse around a bunch of wires it was very stressful.

I’ve been a bit taken back by all the other misc little things no one told me with breastfeeding: the importance of nipple cream (????????), the legit pain, nursing pads & so much leaking, how you’ll feel when you’re milk comes in (holy moly), how much of a time commitment it really is, how it can be kinda lonely, and while it may seem silly, I’ve struggled to figure out what to wear everyday that allows me to easily nurse (requested nursing tanks asap from mom when she visited)! Little things but they caught me by surprise.

Image by Olive Juice Photography