Breastfeeding. Seriously the hardest thing I have ever done. After your body pops out a baby, it then has to deal with nip pain. Like serious nip pain. I had mastitis twice this time round. (It’s like the worst case of flu along with feeling like someone has kicked your boob REALLY hard). Turned out my little one was lip and tongue tied. After 🦊 had a little op, the feeding was SO much easier. Just please no one mention #latch the word still brings me out in a cold sweat!
Well done Danielle!!!
Take some time to look through the other competition entries. Some are laugh out loud funny, some are really quite emotional and tear jerking. I wish I could give a bag to all of the entries as they are all first class!
They don’t tell you that those smiles are beautiful, precious and SUPER cute…but somehow they just aren’t as cute at 3am when they’re refusing to sleep because fighting the sleep to smile and ‘gooing’ at you is clearly more important 🤣 @thebumptobabychapter #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal I’d love to win this changing bag, it’d be perfect for when I’m babywearing Aurora 😍
Snuzpods are great for those stressful times when you’re watching their teeny chests go up and down. Not so great when you realise that baby can see OUT and watch your every move! You’ll need to level up your stealth mode for that sneaky cup of tea…or hilariously when you wake up to a pair of beady eyes watching you! 👀
I have 3 children. The one thing that I would definitely say I wish mum’s would hear in antenatal classes is: Your house is a mess, you haven’t showered in days and you have only had take away for a week…it doesn’t matter! No one cares, everyone understands and as long as you are enjoying time together and relaxing with baby all this can wait. You will have a routine and a clean house eventually but now is the time to just go with the flow and enjoy every minute with your baby…its so true what they say, they do grow up fast!
#whattheydonttellyouatantenatal is that however hard to try to have a clean baby, sleepsuit and bedding the reality is you will be changing yourself and your baby a LOT during the day!!! Not only do you pack a change bag for yourself, pack one for you! This was when Maisy was a few days old and I have about 162849372 chins 👌🏻
#whattheydonttellyouatantenatal is that you’ll never need to use an alarm ever again, as they creep in and tap you endlessly like a dog to tell you to their awake! No shit. And that waking up gently is out the question too… for instance this morning was bunny hops against my head board! Lovely and relaxing as I drink my morning cuppa….
What they don’t tell you at antenatal classes: a trip to the hairdressers takes the term balancing act to a new level! Three mummies juggling me time and baby girls!!!Fitness isn’t all about the physical sweat it’s about the mental wellness and a bit of yooooou time- so today after a rocky week of teething and poorly baby a blowdry and eve out with the girls our little colour gang was in order! 😍😘👌
they don’t tell you that from the moment your baby is born all they want is you, whether it’s cuddles, laying on your chest, holding your hand, being carried everywhere. They never told me that babywearing would be my best friend, that I could actually go out without having my baby screaming in the pram making a scene because she wants mummy cuddles, how babywearing would help me bond after my perfectly planned home birth went ‘tits up’ and left me with PND and PTSD, from a birth, I didn’t even know you could get it from giving birth! They didn’t tell me how much of a lonely hard time it would be, and that you have a baby clinging to you 24/7 just to stop the crying and whining, that your friends simply don’t have time for you when you have a baby. They never told me it would be so hard to go from one to two kids, having a 2 year old that wants mummy’s attention and misses that quality time together and a baby that wants CONSTANT attention, feeding, changing, cuddling. But they also never told me how rewarding it is, how beautiful it is to see my baby growing, to see her big sister so loving and caring towards the baby, to see those cheeky smiles and getting tight hugs and sloppy kisses. No one ever told me any of this, No one told me of the emotional, hard, raw side of having babies that breaks you then builds you up again and that it’s the hardest but most rewarding thing I’d ever do in my life 💖
The cloud of fog that encompasses your being making basic human function a no #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal the post partum tum that looks 9 months pregnant and then sort of settles like a half empty water balloon #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal the worry. Oh the worry. That fear that penetrates your very being around day 3 when you realise just how much you love this homosapian with your full sized aortic pump (everythings a Friends quote!) 🤣 #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal the ‘tired but wired’ sensation. ‘Sleep when the baby sleeps’ is the most useless piece of advice you’ll ever get. Be prepared to waste sleep staring, at your baby…. into space 🤣 generally staring and thinking wtf 🤣 #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal that you will crave a break but then miss your baby the whole time you’re away l#whattheydonttellyouatantenatal that ‘plans’ are a waste of time. Babies aren’t planners. They are spontaneous adventurers, fearless and demanding about their needs. They do not give a sh*t about your plans #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal that popping out for milk with feel like going on a spa break #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal (ok, I’m about to get real with you now to stop reading if you’re fainted hearted) that the best thing you can do post labour is grab yourself a mirror and check out the flap damage! It feels a lot worse than it looks! #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal that breast feeding is REALLY bloody hard, and that cluster feeding is how it goes down in the first month. Be prepared to be milked like a cow if breast feeding’s your bag! #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal piles!!! Oh Christ, just as you think your getting your sexy back, you wash your ass in the shower and find a friend! #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal that no matter how sh*t you feel, look, believe you are, your baby thinks you are the best thing in the whole world and every time they smile the world will be ok again. could write a whole blog on this! What would you add?
#motherhoodunplugged
That once they can walk YOU END UP BEING SLOWER EVERYWHERE!!!
He needs to smell the flower, he needs to wave to every dog, he needs to stop awhile and contemplate Einstein’s theory of relativity…
When I was pregnant with Elsa we did the standard NCT class – which focused heavily on the specifics of pregnancy and birth, on the benefits of a so-called ‘natural birth’ and their approved menu of pain relief. For what it covered, it was very informative – but for what it left out, it was rather remiss. What they didn’t tell me at the antenatal course was absolutely anything about dealing with babies…. #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal is how your baby’s cry is specifically designed to drill into your brain, and soul, making it impossible to ignore; #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal is that you actually can’t do it all alone and will need help, lots of help; #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal is that, at some point, you will watch your other half walk out of the door to work and it will take all you have not to run after them and beg them to swap places with you; #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal is that despite all the crying and the steep learning curve and the pain and loneliness and boredom and uncertainty, becoming a mother is also about opening yourself up to an unbridled, passionate, life-changing joy, the wonder of which will grab your poor, tired heart in its vice-like grip and change you forever…. @thebumptobabychapter @tibaandmarl motherhood #thingsididntknow #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal (image @chuikingli)
The lovely Beth from @thebumptobabychapter is running a fabulous competition to win a @tibaandmarl bag (Swooon 🤩😍) so I thought I would participate and share my thoughts on #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal 🤰🏻🤱🏼👶🏼 1. The washing machine will CONSTANTLY be on when you have children…. it multiplies in the basket overnight, I’m sure of it. 2. You will always find hidden treasures in your handbag… fire engine, half a biscuit, ALWAYS some raisins. 3. If you’re breastfeeding, you won’t be wearing your favourite dresses for another 9 months 😂 (unless your favourite dresses have boob access of course!) 4. Going away on holiday is like moving house 🎒🚚 5. Despite all the self doubt, wobbles and anxiety it can bring, motherhood teaches you just how bloody strong you are as a woman 💪🏻👊🏼✨ (Beautiful 📷 by: @lunapalmphoto )
Some days it’s all you can do just to get out of the house and if you can do it without baby poop or spit-up on your face then you deserve a medal. Seriously though, a change of scenery can do a world of good. My #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal entry for the lovely Beth @thebumptobabychapter and the @tibaandmarl competition. Join in if you’d like to be in with a chance of winning one of their gorgeous bags!
#whattheydonttellyouatantenatal is that you WILL end up with one huge bicep from continuous swing pushing. Even those guns out by swapping arms occasionally!
This is my entry for @thebumptobabychapter’s fab competition to win a fab @tibaandmarl backpack changing bag! Head over to their page to enter too!
#flashbackfriday to what feels like the last time we were all asleep at the same time!
@thebumptobabychapter hope this isn’t too late for #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal We also weren’t told:
– we will regularly reuse old tissues found in the depths of pockets, bags, etc
– you become a lifelong pack horse
– kids’ tv theme tunes will haunt your dreams
I meant to post this yesterday but the last two days have been really tough for lots of reasons and I literally haven’t had the time so it’s just been sitting here in my drafts. Very last minute so it may not count but here is what they don’t tell you at antenatal:
1. Baby boys are born with a pretty extreme talent. They can time their need to pee with the exact moment you undo their nappy and unleash a stream of wee which just occasionally might end up in their own mouth… bad mum alert.
2. That the first time you try to put up your pram on your own in Tesco car park, you will end up a broken, snivelling mess frantically stuffing the uncollapsed frame into your tiny boot…
3. That contrary to those perfect Instagram images, babies just don’t fall asleep when they’re tired. Arm yourself with a swaddle, white noise and a large glass of wine.
4. That sleep deprivation won’t kill you though it might feel that way at times.
5. That a @nespresso machine will be the best investment you ever make (thank me later!).
6. That every month gets easier and the first few months are a bit like some kind of twisted endurance test.
7. That becoming a Mama makes you stronger, more aware and you see the world with completely fresh eyes. Which is scary and beautiful all at the same time.
Everything else @thebumptobabychapter did teach me, and although my birth was far from perfect, I came out of it feeling empowered still and I will always feel grateful for that. #rawmotherhood #motherhoodunplugged #honestmotherhood
Amazing competition from the lovely ladies at @thebumptobabychapter I have lusted after a @tibaandmarl bag for years!! So they’ve started a conversation about #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal You’re not told how lonely you can feel as a new Mum. It came as quite a surprise to me following the birth of my daughter. While I was pregnant I would always look enviously at the groups of mums pushing prams in the park or sat having a cuppa nursing their little ones together. But I didn’t have friends having babies at the same time and I didn’t do an antenatal class (chose private hypnobirthing classes instead) so I didn’t have a ready made group of Mum friends. I wasn’t lonely for long but it was a scary time. Now I’ve got two little ones, life is busy and I’m very rarely without plans for play dates and cake dates and I find this community on Instagram so supportive and full of amazing women all reaching out to one another. So you might feel lonely but you won’t BE alone in that, if you can reach out to another new Mum💕
Entering the @thebumptobabychapter competition with #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal Nobody mentioned that 2.5 years down the line your day might still be turned upside down by inconvenient naps and you might still never, ever get a full night’s sleep! Also that 2.5 years down the line you still need to carry a ‘baby changing’ bag for potty training! 💤 😴
I’ve spent my whole pregnancy avoiding wearing leggings, but these ‘pleather’ numbers from @asos have been a comfy and cool(ish) option that doesn’t make me feel like I’ve given up my former self!
is that you’ll solely rely on caffine for the rest of your life! #100percentcaffine
#whattheydonttellatantenatal although you guys did it on the last session! How your relationship changes after having a baby. Literally from one day to another it shifts. Your couple is not your everything anymore, the little crying poopy thing is. You have to adapt to this new unity and it cant be hard sometimes. Oh and also, they dont say to take a picture while you are fresh and rested. Because it wont happen anymore 🤣
#whattheydonttellyouatantenatal is that in the early days and even now 9 months later you will have moments where you have absolutely no idea what you are doing and your baby looks at you like this 😂 but somehow you bumble your way through with the help of great mum chums, chocolate and copious amounts of coffee 😂 ☕ 🍫
Tea and toast. Simple. Delicious. Comfort food @thebumptobabychapter #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal is that the #teaandtoast you eat #postbirth is hands down the best meal you will have eaten in your life thus far!!!!! ☕+🍞=✨ I cried when I ate mine because it tasted so wonderful (hormones maybe!?) & it became my safe food in the first few vulnerable weeks with a newborn 👶🏼♥ Your partner can make it in less than 3 minutes ⌚ You can eat it one-handed 🖐️ It gives you energy for night feeds 💤 & both parts still taste yummy when cold 🙌 It remains the food that Mummy friends & I will order when out & about because it is cheap, readily available & filling ✅ So, if you are a Mumma enjoying #teaandtoast for breakfast this morning, think back to your first taste of #teaandtoast after your little one was born & spare a thought too for the marvellous 🌟midwife🌟 who made it for you!
#whattheydonttellyouatantenatal is that recovery after birth is hard. Even after a relatively straightforward labour, those first two weeks are tough. For me recovery was harder than labour. Climbing stairs, getting up to the loo, sitting for too long were all exhausting tasks. #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal is just how long that walk from the ward to the car is. The walk to the car when we were discharged from hospital 36 hours after I’d given birth was the longest walk of my life. James had to do 3 trips to the car, as I could barely carry myself let alone anything else, then came back for me and the baby. We had to stop 4 times so I could sit down to catch my breath and that last stretch from the hospital doors to the actual car felt like a lifetime. I was so excited to finally take the baby home. #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal is how frustrated you are with your own body after giving birth. I remember being in awe of how incredible my body was growing and giving life to this brand new human. But after I couldn’t get my head around how it could let me down right when I needed it the most to look after this tiny human properly. #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal is looking after yourself post-partum is just as important as looking after yourself during pregnancy. It took me weeks to feel ready to even contemplate leaving the house on my own with the baby for any longer than half an hour. But that’s ok because those days at home with my baby, getting to know each other, learning to look after her and myself were pretty special and I made sure I took in every sweet moment.
breastfeeding. Seriously the hardest thing I have ever done. After your body pops out a baby, it then has to deal with nip pain. Like serious nip pain. I had mastitis twice this time round. (It’s like the worst case of flu along with feeling like someone has kicked your boob REALLY hard). Turned out my little one was lip and tongue tied. After 🦊 had a little op, the feeding was SO much easier. Just please no one mention #latch the word still brings me out in a cold sweat!
So over here at The Bump to Baby Chapter HQ we try really hard to give you all the info at antenatal class so you can be badass parents 🌟💎 but as one of the dads pointed out at last antenatal class you pick up so much as you go.. We would like to know#whattheydonttellyouatantenatal this can be from pregnancy hacks you’ve discovered from friends or new mum hacks like getting a bag in a rucksack style so your arms are always free 🙌🏼 (thank you for Tiba and Marl ). Or anything else you feel would have been worth knowing 👍🏼
This my dear friends is a photo comp so tag us The Bump to Baby Chapter with the hashtag #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal and we will pick the winner November 30th 2017. You can also email your entries to thebumptobabychapter@gmail.com. Prize will be an amazing Tiba and Marl changing bag worth £120 (full terms and conditions below.)
❤️So get yourself snapping and we look forward to seeing your pics ❤️
In the mean time check out the gallery of entries above, click on the images for captions and you never know what new top tips you may gain!! If you want to know what IS covered at antenatal class then why don’t you come along to one of ours, details here. For a limited time only we are offering a mini course consisting of 5 tips to a positive birth sent straight to your inbox. This will start on the 16th December so if you want in on this then you can sign up here.
Terms and Conditions
By entering to the competition you agree for The Bump to Baby Chapter to use the photos and captions across The Bump to Baby Chapter social media and on The Bump to Baby Chapter website. The photos will not be shared with any third parties. This competition is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Deadline for entry is midnight on November 30th. The winner will be messaged within 7 days of this date- if no response within a further 7 days then the prize will got to the runner up. The prize is a Tiba and Marl changing bag in Gold, although colour and style of Tiba and Marl bag is subject to change.
Winner of 🌟The Best Pregnancy Support Service in Gloucestershire 2017🌟, The Bump to Baby Chapter has something for everyone.
🌟For expectant couple wanting to know all you need to know about labour, baby and those early days we have midwife led antenatal courses.
🌟For a second or third time mother wanting to birth without fear after a negative birth experience. There’s hypnobirthing one day classes for the busy Mum.
🌟Free blogs with tips on birth and baby for all
🌟Buggy walks in Cheltenham for new mothers to bring the sisterhood in motherhood.
So whatever stage of pregnancy and whatever number baby have a look at the page, website and get involved 🌟
You know in the Chinese culture women are encouraged to rest for the whole month following birth and I mean seriously rest. No phones, TV, visitors, chores or other disctractions. Women in Chinese culture are traditionally encouraged to just eat, sleep, rest and feed their babies. This time around I’ve tried to take this way on board, limit visitors, accept help and reduce expectations. I have the next 18years and then some to be a crazy busy mother. Having this month to slow down has been necessary for survival. No one regrets doing too little during these early days. Always remember that when you’ve been through birth and are getting to know your baby, the rest of the world can wait.
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Delphi is celebrating her one month birthday by making the most of the all you can eat boob buffet this evening and I have a family size packet of mini eggs.
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💎 but as one of the dads pointed out at last antenatal class you pick up so much as you go.. We would like to know #whattheydonttellyouatantenatal this can be from pregnancy hacks you’ve discovered from friends or new mum hacks like getting a bag in a rucksack style so your arms are always free 
🙌🏼 (thank you for Tiba and Marl ). Or anything else you feel would have been worth knowing 
👍🏼
