Alright, so you’re a first-time mom and you’re about to give birth any day now. How exciting!

But as your due date gets closer you start thinking more and more about labor. Are you prepared? Hospital bag packed? Your family, sisters, doctors have all given you some insight on what to expect during labor, right? That’s what I thought too, but I was so wrong.

It seems that when everyone is telling you what to expect during labor,  they keep it full of sunshine and rainbows. Apparently they think they are doing you a favour by not freaking you out before you go into labor. 

As if that’s really doing you any favours… You just end up just cursing everyone that ever gave you any advice.

That’s why I created this no bullshit guide to give you straight up advice on what to expect during childbirth.

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What You Need To Know Before Giving Birth

1.  And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire. 

I really wish I would have had a heads up about this, instead of hearing about it right as I am about to push my child’s gigantic head out of my lady bits.

It feels exactly how it sounds (a burning ring of fire). This happens right when you start pushing out your baby’s head. The only good news to this fiery sensation is that it means you are almost done! And you are that much closer to meeting your little bean.

2. Delivering the placenta

You just birthed a human, your lady bits are screaming at you, and now they tell you “hey in the next little while something else is going to come popping out of your vagina”… Great.

Don’t worry this is no where near as painful as giving birth. For the most part it just slides right out, kinda feels like you’re pushing out a jellyfish.

Related: Labor and Delivery Tips and Advice

3. There is a chance you will poop

I know, you’ve heard it over and over that you really are not going to care what happens when you are in action. You will just want that baby out. The first time I heard that I was thinking how can I not care? I’m pooping in a room full of people! Awkward.

Guess what? You probably really won’t care what happens.

My first push I let out a little butt sneeze, I was so mortified!  I started crying to my midwife, telling her not to let my husband back in the room (he had stepped out for a brief moment, PHEW) because I just couldn’t let him see me poop. But after a few more pushes, I needed my husbands support in that room. So, I said screw it I don’t care who sees me poop lets just get this over with!

SIDE NOTE: To this day, I still don’t know whether I pooped or not. The midwives, nurses, and doctors are very good at keeping you clean and being discrete about it. So, really TRY not to worry too much about this!

4. Uterine massages

30 minutes to an hour after birth your doctors/midwives will have to massage your uterus to make sure it is shrinking back down to size. This is not a pleasant feeling by any means, but totally necessary to make sure there are no complications during recovery.

5. Labour is exhausting

They tell you in the early stages of labor to get some sleep to prepare for the final stages. I don’t know how sleep is possible. I couldn’t do it, I was too excited. But if you can find a way to sleep do it!

Otherwise you will not have as much energy during active labor and you risk the chance of falling asleep while pushing.

6. Nipple stimulation might become your best friend

If your contractions start to slow down, stimulating your nipples by hand or with a breast pump can help start them back up again. So if you don’t take my advice from point #5 and you become exhausted your contractions could start to slow down or even stop for a brief period of time.

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There you have the 6 things you need to know before going into labor. If you have any more ideas to add to the list leave them in a comment below!

If you are planning to breastfeed, check out my post Ultimate List of Breastfeeding Supplies!