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Life Lessons

Did I miss something in sex-ed class?

Thanks to Emily Tucker

I always thought I was a pretty good student, but now I'm starting to wonder. 'Cause either I wasn't paying attention or there are some pretty important details about pregnancy that my high school health teacher forgot to mention.

I remember learning about zygotes, watching the movie The Miracle of Life and even putting condoms on bananas. For the life of me though, I don't remember learning about stretch marks or leaking breasts. No one mentioned queasy mornings or bulging hips or impossible-to-wear maternity clothes. Just imagine the number of teen pregnancies that could simply be prevented with honest education about body changes.

Now, I've been enrolled in the crash course called pregnancy. My first big lesson came at my very first pre-natal appointment. When the doctor mentioned that she was going to do an ultrasound to see the pregnancy, I pictured the kind of ultrasound you see on TV with the goo and device that go outside the belly. I had no idea that a transvaginal ultrasound even existed until one was, well, inserted in me.

Another discovery for me was those mandatory pre-natal vitamins, which bring great nails and hair...everywhere. The razor companies must be in on those vitamins!

What my health teacher neglected to teach me, I'm learning hands-on. I've learned that I need to be aware of my own body, both when I'm pregnant and not pregnant, and if that means taking vitamins that make me look like a gorilla and going to doctor appointments that make me lose all semblance of modesty, then so be it. I'll do it for myself, and for the growing zygote or whatever it's called growing inside me.

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brandibell
brandibell
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10/7/2009 - 12:39PM
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you ladies are soo cute and funny.  You all are right, they didnt teach us nothing about pregnancy in sex ed just what to wear to not get preggers.  Well like you all, the vaginal ultrasound was horrible for me.  I'm very sensitive down there, i hate paps...I'm 31 y/o and have been getting paps since 15 and i still hate them...they are the worse and that vaginal joystick they use for ultrasounds is way to freaking hard and thick to insert and then maneuver around looking for a baby.  With my firs, the doctor was moving that thing around so hard that at one point i grabbed her hand and pulled it out of me because it was so uncomfortable.  With my second, the lady knew exactly what she was doing and she got in and out within 3-5 minutes it was over.  But thats only the beginning...as you've stated there is nausea, constipation, leaky breast, breast tenderness, sleepless nights (yes sleepless nights...I havent had a good nights sleep since 27 wks and im 32 now), constant peeing and headaches, aching backs and legs, constant hunger although you ant eat alot of anything as you either throw it up or as you get bigger baby is pushing up against stomach and food just sits there and occasionally comes back up causing the worst heart burn and acid indigestion.  I have been the gassiess person with this pregnancy...not farting but burping all day everyday like a man that has had one too many beers.  i burp first thing in the morning every morning and all night long no matter what i've eaten or drank.  But wait until the end ladies when they do the Group B Strep test and you think they are going to do your throat and they actually swab a huge QTip on the rim of your butt...yes your butt...if you felt violated at the vaginal US, this will make that seem like a cake walk.  Yes there are several things with pregnancy that makes you wonder why you ever got pregnant but within years you forget about all that and end up doing it again.  I had such terrible morning sickness with this pregnancy that I dont think I'll ever get pregnant again yet and still, i want 3 children so i guess i better "man" up and do it again in another 3 or so years.

 
beckyduck
beckyduck
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9/16/2009 - 6:04PM
Report Abuse 		WHAT!!!!! I was not informed about this "vaginal ultrasound"! I was excitied to hear/see it, but with my first appt. in 1 week, Im cancelling it! LOL I'll be a hermit for the next 6 months and have a SELF homebirth!
mcmollybox
mcmollybox
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6/29/2009 - 5:47PM
Report Abuse 		I found the vaginal scan violating. Was worse as I'd never heard of it and to lie there with my boyfriend at my side whilst a nurse fiddles about with me was embarrassing for him and intrusive for me. She said it wasn't as bad as a smear but I found it a lot worse. I suppose it was because she told me she wouldn't show me the screen til she knew what was going on and I could feel everything for about 10 minutes til she finally said she could see the baby. Not sure if i would have found it so bad had my other half not been sat there. I find smears quite violating too but even the fact there was a heartbeat it didn't make me feel any better about the situation. I can honestly say I was not bothered about the baby by that point I just wanted my knickers back on!
MissKatie86
MissKatie86
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6/22/2009 - 11:08PM
Report Abuse 		I actually went in for an ultrasound to check for cysts and such and was totally weirded out when the tech told me to strip from the waist down. Fortunately, I lost all of my modesty while I was in basic training. Trust me, not much bothers you after you've showered with 49 other women in a 15 x 15 foot community shower...
MaryMoo
MaryMoo
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5/31/2009 - 3:14PM
Report Abuse 		oh i've had vaginal ultrasounds to look for cysts. It doesn't even phase me anymore.
geenerbean
geenerbean
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5/26/2009 - 6:23PM
Report Abuse 		oh my goodness. what an eye-opening story. i have my first appointment next week (wk 12) and appreciate everyone's honesty on here. is it some sort of girl conspiracy that no one knows these things until they happen to you?! eesh. i am going to buy the "girlfriends" book for sure. thx!
alienfroggy
alienfroggy
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4/2/2009 - 12:16AM
Report Abuse 		We didn't even learn about zygotes or watch the miracle of life. They taught us about using condoms, different kinds of birth control, and STDs...And the vaginal ultrasound? Yeah, that caught me off guard...
chris3183
chris3183
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1/20/2009 - 7:10PM
Report Abuse 		I have an AWESOME MOM & 4 older sister that all have kids, i thought i had everything covered, until my first appointment, that vaginal ultrasound caught me by surprise... it was so creepy, my next appointment I had to bring my hubby with me, having him with me put me at ease.
mommy2leilani09
mommy2leilani09
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10/21/2008 - 3:42AM
Report Abuse 		thnx 4 the heads up my first appt is this coming friday and i was kinda scared but this helped a little
cmsmommy
cmsmommy
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10/9/2008 - 9:02AM
Report Abuse 		haha, i was 4 months pregnant, 17 yrs old, and in sex ed in high school, they were teaching us about condoms. As my teacher opened up a trojan condom and stuck it to the white board, looked around the room and said "this is a condom, some of you have heard about them," he looked at me and winked, "and some of you havent been let in on this little secret" he was a nice man, and it made me laugh... there wasnt much to the class other than that... and soda bottles, and learning how to put them on, when i stood up in class and said, Mister B, i didnt use a condom, cause his penis wasn't shaped like this. the whole class rolled, including him!
Gothelittle
Gothelittle
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9/13/2008 - 8:02AM
Report Abuse 		I've been lucky to maintain a close relationship with my wonderful mother. She's had five, the most recent being 12 years ago (and my first was born five years ago) and she already knew the drill and let me know ahead of time. If you don't have a relationship like that with your mother, I recommend a book called "The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy". It tells you the whole deal, or pretty near.
Erin
Erin
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9/9/2008 - 10:14PM
Report Abuse 		I was so shocked about SO many parts of pregnancy (um, hello, vaginal ultrasounds, pitocin, glucose tests, morning sickness).
MichelleLovesAdam
MichelleLovesAdam
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6/23/2008 - 8:47AM
Report Abuse 		I didn't learn anything in school. I was my own teacher and eveything I know I fund out for myself. If I hadn't I would of had two babys by now, Age 17.
mamamia
mamamia
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6/9/2008 - 5:19PM
Report Abuse 		Want to write a book with me? The things that no one told you about pregnancy in sex ed? Cause we can both agree that there's a lot.


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