I'm so happy I'm pregnant but...

[sol]

It feels sooooooooooo good as if I'm the only pregnant woman in the world..
but I think It also keeps you busy thinking all the time about so many things, and having a baseline of tension, is it only me?
I am a doctor and I know alot about so many things related to pregnancy, physiology, changes, sex after delivary..... all of these things. but I never find relief in this knowledge.
I would prefer chating about this with real moms rather than reading books and articles!
Since I got pregnant, I'm always concerned about my body changing with pregnancy. Gaining weight wasn't the main obsession, but stretch marks for example, I always think about this, I bought something called bio-oil, I'm not that compliant but does anyone know wether it really works or not?
I also hate this hyperpigmentation in my nipples, under my armpits and between my thighs, does it really fade away after giving birth??
And most important, I'm so concerned about the delivary itself, I'm almost taking the decision that I want an elective c/s, I'm afraid of the tears and the episiotomy and all of these things, and the overstretching of the genital muscles rendering me so wide!! will it really change much in you, the normal delivary???
And is it true that my body will take much longer time to get back to its norm after the c/s, and it's not the case in normal deliv.???
does breastfeeding changes my boobs??
This is my first pregnancy, I'm so happy about it, but I'm also concerned about all of these issues. I want to still be beautiful with a beautiful body.
I love my husband and I want to please him always.
can someone please give me some advice on this?

[Amberdite]

Hi Sol,

So many questions, I can't answer them all but will help on the ones that I can
stretch marks- You are either prone to them or not, simple as that and no creams will really help - however I think that anything that makes you feel good during pregnancy should be used and bio-oil is as good as any. I didn't get any stretch marks and used Clarins - Tonic body treatment oil.

Can't answer about hyperpigmentation as I didn't get this.

The delivary itself - I ended up in Emergency CS - and yes it takes time to heal after the birth which I found hard to deal with, many off the other mums where running around the next day and it took me nearly nine weeks to recovery fully. A selected CS is apparently much easier to recover from.
Does breastfeeding changes your boobs - for me 'yes' mine are less perky now and maybe slightly smaller - but I think pregnancy does that anyway and not just necessarily BF. Everyone is different and you may find that they don't change or even get bigger.

Anyway good luck and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy and try not to worry too much as when the baby comes your priories certainly change. Try a website called 'baby centre' there is one in the UK and USA and there will be forums that you can ask these questions on - also one for your due month.

[Juicy Lucy]

wow! lot's of questions!

stretch marks are something you get from your mom, if your mom has them, then you might is the general rule of thumb. like amberdite said the creams won't do any harm, and might help with the itchiness you can get in later pregnancy.

yeah i got darker pigmentation with my pregnancies (3) and it got a little worse with each of them but yes it does fade away after the birth. and skin tags, if you get those, those go too.

as far as having an elective cesarean, i'd advise against it. now i think i can safely say i've had a wide variety when it came to delivering my babies, so speak at least a little from experience, my first was delivered with ventouse, but no epesiotomy, with the help of pethadine and gas and air. second time around, drug free, but i did have an epesitomy. the scar is juuuuuuuuuuust about visible if you know where to look. it healed very quickly with no probs what-so-ever (lavender oil in the bath helped alot, tea tree i've heard is good too). as for being worried about being over stretched by a natural birth, as long as you do your pelvic floors you'll be just fine. i did mine so often after my second i'm sure i was in better shape than before i had children lol. i just had my third by emergency c-section after trying to have him at home. the labour itself was lovely, in my birth pool, all very natural and very nice, but he was a big boy and he got stuck. i'm finding it hard to recover from, and hate the way it's slowed me down and hindered me looking after my children, and my new little man. it's far, far easier to get back to normal after a normal birth.

breast feeding did change my bust, it made it bigger. and they didn't sag any. i'm breast feeding again and it's a lovely experience i'd recommend to everyone.

i totally understand about being worried about the changes pregnancy can have on your body. i'm only 27 and tho i've finished my family, most of my friends are just starting or haven't got to that stage yet, and i want to look as good as my peers.... as good as i did before babies. and i have been known to utter those immortal words to my hubby "will you still love me even if my body changes forever?" i really think our men folk see past a few flaws (after all don't we?) and with a little effort there's no reason why you won't look the same after your pregnancy (a bit of a diet, a few visits to the gym if needs must). and really, if your husband loves you, he'll love you regardless of a few changes, he got you in this condition in the first place. i once heard a woman describe her stretch marks as the battle scars of her pregnancies, and something she was proud of as they were a symbol of what her body had gone thru to get her children. i thought that was lovely and try to look at some of the changes in my body the same way.

[Fun & Sweet]

Congratulations sol,

Enjoy your pregnancy, take care of yourself, take your prenatal vitamins and don't worry about all of that stuff. Its normal to gain weight and get stretch marks but some women don't. Weight comes off after baby is born and breastfeeding also helps with losing the weight.

A lot of things change when we have babies, you're life style will change. Your priorities will change. You need to take care of yourself, your partner and things come natually. Don't get too caught up in thinking about things ahead of time. You don't know if you're going to have C-section.

No big deal if our bodies change a little. We become Moms and the changes are not damaging or anything.

It's the most rewarding best thing that could happen to anyone. cherish the time and enjoy your pregnancy.

Good luck.