14 Truths No One Tells You About Giving Birth

Don’t get tied to a birth plan

Preparing a birth plan—do you want to have a natural birth, the type of music playing, who will cut the umbilical cord—can be helpful in structuring the birth hypothetically, but labor and delivery (L&D) nurses caution being too attached to it. “We always joke, the longer the birth plan, the more likely you are to get all these interventions,” says Suzanne Ketchem, an obstetrician nurse and regional director of Women’s, Infants,’ and Pediatric Services for Northern Colorado at Banner Health. What actually happens during the birthing process can be unpredictable, and it’s better to go with the flow than get hung up on what hasn’t gone as expected. “It really doesn’t matter in the scheme of things,” says Ketchem. “You’re going to get a healthy baby. You’ll be an awesome mom.” Read up on what really happens to your body after childbirth.

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