Most Unexpected Thing About Pregnancy?

I was amazed at 39, for my first pregnancy how GREAT I felt. And I didn't gain a lot of weight like I thought I would.

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Based on my sole pregnancy, everything was not what I expected, both good and bad. The first flutter, not what I expected, but wonderful. First big movement, same thing. I had never felt anything like that within my body so nothing was what I thought it would be or feel like.

Birth...sorry to say it was a breeze (That you Senor Epidural!)...although, pooping in front of my husband was a bit humbling (for about 5 seconds!). The after effects....whole 'nother issue. I felt so vulnerable like never before, and so needed.

No book, teacher anything can prepare you for anything that will happen. It happens and you're like, "That was ____?" I LOVED being pregnant, giving birth, everything. I wish we could do it again sometimes but I believe my plans have been laid out for me!

Fabulous question.... thanks for allowing me to go down memory lane!

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I was surprised by the sheer exhaustion!

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I had a "textbook" pregnancy, in that I was queasy and tired for the first trimester, felt wonderful for the second and into the third, felt a little big and tired towards the end. My pregnancy, at age 40, was even better than I'd hoped. I felt beautiful, I was able to keep running into my seventh month, I didn't gain too much weight (27 lbs), no stretch marks, no varicose veins, no other bad side effects. Sex was great up to the day of delivery! I didn't expect to push for over three hours, but I didn't know that I had until they told me afterward. I expected to use no drugs, and was delighted that I needed no stitches.

Unexpected things...she had the hiccups several times! It took me awhile to figure out what was happening, then I found it hilarious!

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The unexpected things during pregnancy:

How much sleep I needed
How much extra I ate and drank
How extra beautiful I felt and forever connected to humanity
How much my hips separated and the pubic pain it caused
Carpal Tunnel - a total surprise
Fear and anxiety about being able to handle 'it all'

Most unexpected post-pregnancy things:

How much hair fell out
How difficult breastfeeding is to get started with inverted nipples...ouch, ouch, ouch, but am sooooo glad I did.
Co-sleeping with my infants next to me :) I knew they were warm, safe, sound, loved....and they knew it too.
My pubic bones still hurt, I still have a hemorrhoid, I still have inverted nipples and how much I love being a mom to sweet, loving, caring, kind, empathic children who I truly enjoy spending time with.

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I was pleasantly surprised (and I think my husband was too!) at how all those hormones made me want sex all.the.time!!!
I was also surprised at how much I loved being pregnant and how much I loved those little people from the moment I took my pregancy test :)
EDIT: I guess I didn't realize with my first how tired I was, esp. in the first trimester b/c I could nap when I got home from work and go to bed early and sleep in on the weekend! But...when I was pregnant with my youngest and taking care of a 3 y/o ~ man was I exhausted!!

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I felt so good, and didn't mind being "fat". It was the least self conscious I've ever been about my body. I loved being pregnant : )

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The thing I expected the least was to feel beautiful, but I did and that made it even more special for me. I loved being pregnant!

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Hemmeroids (sp?) and heartburn, never had either before so yes, I was unpleasantly surprised.
And I was surprised at how much and how long I bled after giving birth.
Other than that I felt pretty good up until about the last month (I was HUGE) it was such a happy, exciting time :)

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The amount of water that my babys had around them

With my 1st they thought we were having multiples, to find out I have cysts that were sending out enough hormones each to sustaine a baby each. who knew. (I do now, all about it)

The amount of pelvic discomfort

What round ligaments are (and the issues with them and LARGE babies)

The complications of using the Hospitals linens (I brought my own after that.

How big I would actually get.

I LOVED every minute of it. I didn't even put on that much weight and I lost it so quickly. I felt great, no morning sicknes had lots of energy, and felt beautiful. I didn't even know I was pregnant until I missed my period and then waited 4 days to take the test. Best 9 months of my life!

I was more fit and felt super sexy! I looked soooo hot, and had an excuse for my belly pooch, the only pooch on my whole body. Now that baby is out in the world, my sweater dresses don't look as hot on me, and I don't feel as sexy with this pooch hanging off my front. I love it, though.

Oh, one thing that was a funny surprise--I was so tired all the time. It was just unreal how I felt like I was dead on my feet. Not in a worn out kind of way--I was just gorgeous and pooped. We laughed at it because I would step away from my desk and take naps during the day.

I was excited and surprised by how comfortable maternity clothes were. I didn't get any until I was about 7 months. Before that, I was wearing my husband's jeans. Oh, that band at the top of my pants felts sooo good around my belly. Who knew??

suprised by no morning sickness and hemoroids after birth

Nothing like I expected. With my first, I had awful morning sickness, got anemia from not eating and developed migraines. She was breached and had to have a ECV at 36.5 weeks. Also, had to be induced and was in labor for 59 hours before she finally came out.
With my second one, I was frightened cause I knew how much it hurt and how scared I was to be pushing on hours no end. He was also breached and switched back the morning I was brought into the hospital for my scheduled ECV. He was born after only 8 hours of labor.
I thought I would be super happy and healthy during pregnancies, I was terrified and stressed and my poor body barely made it.
Taught me the real meaning of loving something that you can't see but only feel inside.

I was 21 in my first pregnancy............all of that was a surprise.

I was 27 in my second pregnancy, i had round ligament pain that would bring me to my knees and a delivery that took less than 20 minutes.............both big shockers.

now im 30 and on my 3rd pregnancy.......i have very bad fatigue, with both my other pregnancies i was super hyper and nesty. This is not the case right now, but i think its because i work out every day. This is causing me to have less pain this time around and i look better and eat better, but the fatigue, oh goodness!

So far my pregnancies have held many surprises. My least favorite one of all is the discovery in which you can feel the baby scratching the inside of your uterus, yikes!!. My favorite surprise was how much love you have when they are born. Ive always been bad at showing my feelings but this was not so on my delivery days.

That over the course of my 3 pregnancies my right foot would grow a full shoe size :(

Other than that, I LOVED being pregnant and giving birth.

If anyone had told me that when I got home after working all day and was exhausted, that when I took my bra off it would feel like someone set my nipples on fire - I would have thought twice about getting pregnant. :) Those first few months are the pits. But my precious girl was worth it.

I was thrown the loop of severe hyperemesis! Living off of IV fluids and vomiting over 15 times a day is NOT fun! And after two great pregnancies it was definately something unexpected!

wake-up call each time....for all 4. 1 miscarriage, the other 3 almost miscarried.

Rear-end collisions with both of the last 2. Bed rest to avoid miscarrying. How bizarre is that statistic?

1st delivery was vaginal w/ epidural. 2nd was c-section. 3rd was all natural!

all 3 were pit drips....hated it!

my final pregnancy was the 1st time I was allowed to hold my just-born baby......& he was the only baby to come home when I was released. Totally sucked to have to wait 9 years for that experience.

Good question!

I was surprised at all my pregnancy dreams. I once dreamt I birthed a black baby rat (with long nails) and didn't even mind and went ahead and breastfed anyways!

I was surprised the first time around how hard breastfeeding was (she didn't latch well). Second time it worked instantly!

I was surprised at how fearful I was of all the testing that was not required but recommended.

I was surprised (the 2nd time around) how fast it went and SUPER SUPRISED that I was so dilated that I could no longer recieve ANY meds. Even more surprising was how fast that intense pain went away (immediately) and how I didn't even notice/care about the stinging of the needle when they sewed me up. I also recovered super fast!

I was totally thrown off with my first. I was told that with triplets I may have extreme morning sickness. I had none. Then I was told I would gain about 40-50 pounds. I expected to be huge. I gained 8. My appetite was almost nonexistent and we thought maybe because the babies were pressing on my stomach. Not so much because with my next and current, I have no appetite again--this time it is even more so. But oh the heartburn. One thing I will NOT miss. And this time around all I want to do is stay in bed.