After the heady excitement of learning we were to be parents, I had the joy of trying to separate the wheat from the chaff... the Info Dump of the Internet and unsolicited advice from childless friends who are sudden experts in pregnancy.
'Oooh you have to avoid peanuts!' (not true) 'prawns' (not true), 'alcohol' (not true- 2 units a wk), 'eat liver' (WRONG! infact too much iron can result in damage), to quote a few. Of course I had no clue, resulting in a frenzy of research on NHS sites to make sure I wouldn't hurt The Baby. (It still feels strangely alien to write with these previously unused words! I still prefer my old word, 'sprog').
This is despite the fact I had sailed through the first 3 months blissfully unaware I was, 'up the duff', and had been drinking, smoking and infact had been to an Orbital gig and danced my tits off all night. It's amazing how well-meaning friends can render a normally balanced and rational woman into a panic-stricken blob of ARRGGGHHHHHH.
Sod this. I've bought a Bloke's pregnancy book and new a First Time Mum book for me. Full of up to date science stuff.
Well meaning friends and total strangers beware.
I shall tell you to frack off.
Quite right Celia. Things change so fast that, no metter how well meaning we are, you'll be told something different by the ante-natal clinic, midwife, nurse and whoever else you see. Everyone's experience is different and even each child you have (if you dare to have more than one!). You'll learn to trust your instinct . Not many things are life and death decisions. Take the opportunity to go to ante-natal and make friends with your health visitor when you have the baby - they can be a fantastic help. Take care of yourself - eat weird things if you like and rest when you're knackered. Let your friends help, tell them when you don't want to be bothered with them and scream when you need to! Most of all enjoy xxxxx
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