Things no one told me about having a baby

I just got an email in my inbox about post-partum hair loss. Really? I had two babies and now you are telling me that I can lose my hair? Let me tell you, there is a whole list of things that they forget to tell you before you have a baby.

• Labor hurts. And then you forget about it.
• You go home from the hospital wearing pads for a reason.
• Everything the nurses said made sense until you are home alone and you are trying to remember what they told you.
• Your breasts will hurt when your baby cries.
• You will regularly call your breasts "boobs" even though you insisted you wouldn't.
• You will have entire discussions about pooping that don't make you laugh.
• Breastfeeding sucks.
• Breastfeeding gets better.
• Breastfeeding is awesome (there was progression there... read more tomorrow).
• You will be grateful for the opportunity to hand off your baby for a small break, but be dying to get her back moments later.
• Your instincts matter.
• Your instincts often matter more than the instructions given by your doctor.
• Even when you lose all the baby weight, your clothes don't fit the same anymore. All your weight is now in different places.
• You forget that all your clothes don't have elastic waistbands and you forget to unzip them before trying to take them off.
• Suddenly all the cliches are not cliches anymore. A baby really does change everything and they do grow up fast.
• It is okay to accept meals and offers for help.
• The word "blowout" makes sense.
• The poop of breastfed babies doesn't smell bad.
• Formula smells terrible.
• Babies make a lot of noise when they sleep.
• It is hard to get the baby out of your room once you let her sleep in there.
• You will wonder if everything your baby does is normal.
• It is okay to call the advice nurse.
• You suddenly understand why your parents did many of the things they did.
• Every time you think you can't love your baby anymore than you already do, she does something to make you fall in love again.

I wish someone had told me that I was made to be a mother. In the first few weeks I asked everyone what I should be doing before my mom finally told me that I could do what I wanted. I continue (and will always) to learn from other moms by asking questions, seeking advice and learning from their experience, but in the end I am the one who knows my children and can make the best decisions for them (this includes Brandon, too). I am grateful to all my family and friends who have let me ask them questions and then respect whatever decision I make.

Moms-what other things did "they" forget to tell you?