A Newfound Respect

Wed, Jul 29, 2009

All Posts, Everyday Life, Pregnancy Life, Pregnant

I was filled with so many emotions when I first learned I was pregnant: joy, excitement, happiness, fear. We found out when I was about 4 1/2 weeks along and for those first several days, life just seemed better somehow. Colors were more brilliant and smells were more fragrant. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face thinking about the secret that I carried inside, in more ways than one.

It wasn’t until the end of the fifth week that I started to feel a little strange. The changes were subtle at first: lunch and then dinner would come and I wouldn’t eat much, due to a lack of appetite. I wasn’t really worried, but after a few days of this, my desire to eat had decreased until almost nothing sounded appealing.

By the sixth week, not only was I losing my appetite, but the thoughts of certain foods began to repulse me. The rice crackers and sweet pickles that I used to eat with such regularity suddenly made my stomach churn. No longer could I eat salmon and turkey and other things that were good for me. The smells of them made me want to swear off food altogether.

It wasn’t until a few days later, however, that I realized what direction this was headed. It began with a slight nausea that hit at the strangest times of the day. Before dinner, first thing in the morning, even right after lunch. There was no apparent rhyme or reason; it just happened and the only way to combat it was to remain completely flat on my back. And since sleeping or lying on the couch was my only respite, I spent many hours over the next few weeks doing just that.

This has continued over the past two months and if anything, has gotten worse. For the most part, though, I’ve gotten into a routine. Get up, eat breakfast, get sick. Get ready for work, get sick. Get ready to leave for work and get sick one more time, just for good measure. Once I’m at work, I’m remarkably able to keep keep food down. Not always, but usually. But as soon as the dinner hour hits, so does the nausea.

I tell you all of this not as a cry for sympathy or even to complain (I’m really not complaining, honest). But instead to say how much I now respect pregnant women. I really had no idea how hard this whole “morning sickness” thing was going to be. I always thought that I would somehow embrace it and just “go with it” because after all, it means a little one is in there growing and doing its thing. I never realized just how challenging it would be to function like a normal person and continue about your day as if nothing were wrong.

So gone are the early days of looking at the world through rose colored glasses while stopping to smell the flowers. In fact, I try not to smell anything at all, as it doesn’t usually end pleasantly. Instead, I concentrate on making it through each day at a time. Because I know that eventually this will go away.

Until then, you can find me lying on the couch.

Did you have morning sickness? Did you find anything that helped?

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Tags: morning sickness, Pregnancy Life

37 Comments For This Post

Eryn Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 4:52 am

My morning sickness could have been worse but it still was no fun. You should be just about done with it though, so chin up!

Joanna Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 4:54 am

I had a Tupperware filled with Cheerios on my nightstand. I would usually wake up in the wee hours of the morning so I would go ahead and eat some then. That would help a little with the early morning stuff. I also just kept a bag of Goldfish with me at all times and would eat a few quite often during the day. I couldn’t eat big meals, but if I kept myself from getting super hungry, it helped. I still ended up lying down quite a bit. That and Emetrol (over-the-counter nausea medicine that is basically super-concentrated sugar water) helped me make it through my days.

When pregnant with Dax, I had a seven-month-old baby to care for so I had to throw myself on the mercy of my OB and he prescribed some medicine to help. I hated to do that, but it was the only way I could get through the day.

I really hope you start to feel better soon. I just remember how frustrating and discouraging it was because it starts to feel like you will never, ever feel like eating again. And, unlike a stomach flu, it’s not gone in a day or two. It really wears on you. I’ll be praying that this passes soon so you can concentrate on the fun part of growing a little one!! (Also, don’t worry about the baby. You’ve got the minerals and vitamins and all the things the baby needs to grow already stored in your body and that persistent little one will pull it out of you. It helped me to know that just because I couldn’t keep to a healthy diet, it didn’t mean I was harming my baby.)

(originally, I had my little story first, but then I thought that if the thought of certain smells causes a gag reflex, you might not want to read it just at the moment … )

I will never forget the time I was pregnant with Dax and my BIL and his wife invited us over for dinner. We had just been talking the day before about how bad my “morning” sickness was, but they haven’t ever been pregnant so it didn’t really have the same … meaning that it did for us. Anyway, we walked down the hallway to their apartment and I said it smells a little like a shrimp boat. Right as he opened the door to their apartment, my BIL said, “Yeah, that’s us. We made salmon.” And I came very close to throwing up in their entryway. Ended up, I left with Julia to go home and Dave stayed for dinner.

Kristy Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 5:25 am

Hoping it’s over soon!

Mom of 5 Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 5:57 am

Hang in there!! It will get better and the you will once again find joy in food, smells and enjoying those roses again.

Mindee Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 6:00 am

Okay, I know this sounds weird but . . .

I would start the shower and get it to a good temp and then turn off all the lights, get in and sit on the floor with my eyes closed.

Sitting in the dark with the water pouring over me would ease that horrible nausea-pain. I think it works like sensory deprivation. The noise of the shower blocks out other sound. It’s dark. The warm water relaxes and best of all . . . no smells in the shower!

Probably it wasn’t good for the water bill but it worked. Actually it still works. When I got food poisoning last winter, crawling into the shower is what finally helped.

Jes Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 6:58 am

I have servere acid reflux and I suffer from naseau almost every day (and have no little secret of a bundle of joy to help me through it). One thing that helps is mint (gum or peppermints). Also B12. You can get it at a GNC in liquid form and drop it in your water. You may want to check with your physician first for either of those.

Jenna @ Newlyweds Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 6:58 am

Oh man!! I do remember that feeling, and totally feel for you. It passes but until it does I took a daily ginger extract pill, they say ginger (in any form) eases the stomach. I also always had a small snack with me, crackers, yogurt, what ever you can stomach, I also eat something the second I woke up in the morning. Oh and I avoided triggers like dirty dishes, litter box, trash cans, anything that smelled disgusting. But just remember they say that means the baby is doing really well, and it will pass in a few weeks.

Angela Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 7:06 am

I’ve not yet been pregnant, but I can see how exhausting it can be when you have morning sickness. When my sister was pregnant with her first baby, the morning sickness never stopped. I talked among some of my friends to see if there was anything that would help. One of them mentioned Preggie Pops by Three Lollies, and I sent two orders to my sister. She said they helped alot with the morning sickness and nausea although she didn’t care for the taste of some of the flavors. Might be something to look into — http://www.threelollies.com. I’ve heard good things about the Pops and the Preggie Pop Drops. Now that my sister is pregnant with her second baby, it’s time to order some more for her!

joy Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 7:17 am

I’ve been pretty lucky during both of my pregnancies. With my first, I had no morning sickness. I only experienced loss of appetite but no nausea, throwing up, etc. With my current pregnancy, I again had very little morning sickness. I did lost my appetite like the first time but this time I did have a little nausea here and there. But I was lucky not to throw up. This time around I had some bad days of heartburn (yuck).

Just take good care of yourself! Soon, there will be the second trimester honeymoon and your appetite will return. I am finding at 24 weeks, it is coming around finally. I am so excited and happy for you! BTW, do you plan to find out the gender?

Patty Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 8:00 am

30+ years ago………sipping lemonade!!

Congratulations -

erin Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 8:42 am

I didn’t really have morning sickness… just queasiness sometimes. I was lucky. I just took it easy and moved a little more slowly when I felt nauseous. For a while coffee was completely unappetizing to me and I wasn’t hugely hungry. (I was exhausted though!)

My mom told me around 9-10 weeks that morning sickness means the baby is “taking hold” so there won’t be a miscarriage. I know this is just an old wives’ tale, like which direction your ring spins means girl or boy, but it still made me feel better when I felt like having a pity party about not feeling well.

The Wife of Odie Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 8:46 am

wow. i am SO not looking forward to ever getting morning sickness when i’m pregnant. good luck

Jana Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 9:12 am

Try peppermint lifesavers. They have been good to me this time around. Also, my dr suggested sucking on a lemon slice.

Terra Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 9:21 am

I ate smaller and more frequent meals, mostly of crackers. And 7up or ginger ale helped a little bit. Like someone else said, you should be about done with it, so hopefully it passes and you are able to stop and smell the flowers again.

Natasha Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 10:13 am

I don’t have any experience with this, but I’ve heard that chomping ice and rubbing lemon rind on your upper lip can help to alleviate nausea. I’ve also heard that keeping saltine crackers by your bed and eating them even before you get up can help…just to have something in your stomach.
If you’re already in your second trimester you should be almost done with it. Hope something helps soon!

Sara Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 10:47 am

Oh my gosh! Congratulations (on the baby, not the morning sickness). I hope it tapers off soon and you feel better and can look at life through your rose-coloured glasses

Janet Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 10:51 am

I had morning sickness. And, like yours, it showed up any time of the day it wanted. However, I never threw up – just had the queezies off and on. My Oma told me, “the sicker the mom, the healthier the baby”, an old, German wive’s tale. So I never minded it.

In terms of what I did to ease it, you’re already doing it. Rest, rest, and more rest. Close your eyes, lie still and rest. Rest as much as you can now because soon, you won’t have the opportunity!

I hate to say this, but Enjoy this time! It gets better… promise!

Nicole Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 12:31 pm

Oh, I remember the days of 24/7 morning sickness….I’m queasy just thinking about it! I had to have IV’s with Colton, a PICC line put in with Asher….fortunately God let someone else have Kyler for me! I can’t wait for you to feel better. It does happen.

Sam Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 1:58 pm

My “all day” sickness started at about 8 weeks and lasted until about week 15. I absolutely could not stand the sight or smell of chicken, especially while it is cooking. I am now at week 21 (can you believe it?) and I still can’t stand chicken.

It’s different for everybody, but here’s what worked for me…
-FRUIT! It was my lifesaver. There were many times when I thought there was nothing I could eat and a few bites of cold, crisp fruit would make me feel a little better. peaches, apples, pineapple, pears, etc.
-I would eat a very small bowl of cereal right before bed and found that I wouldn’t wake up sick.
-If I ate yogurt, cheese, a glass of soy milk or something substantial around 3:00 in the afternoon, then I wouldn’t be as bad off at night. My nausea was way worse in the evenings than it ever was in the morning.
-I ate whatever I thought I could keep down even if it was weird or required a special trip to the grocery store like macaroni and cheese for 4 nights in a row or a certain kind of cereal.
-I preferred oyster crackers over saltines because they were smaller and didn’t leave as many crumbs in my bed or on the couch.
-Minty gum
-I did not like the ginger teas. They all tasted yucky to me, but flat gingerale was ok.

I came to a stressful time at work with an event where I had to be “on” and lead meetings and whatnot during the middle of it all. I asked my doctor if there was anything safe to take for nausea and she prescribed Zofran. I took it only a handful of times when I felt I absolutely needed it to function around other human beings.

Rest! The couch is your friend. Gestating is hard work!

Kim Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 2:07 pm

I am right there with you. It’s not fun.

I don’t know if you have had your 1st trimester screening yet, but I had it yesterday and was happy to see that although I have eatten very little in weeks BabyB was bouncing around in my tummy and I heard the heartbeat for the first time. Today I feel much better knowing the little one is ok. Hopefully you will hear the heartbeat soon too!

Best of luck!
KB

Erin Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 3:23 pm

I have/had morning sickness. It is no fun. No fun at all. I haven’t really found anything to combat it other then making it through the first trimester then things usually let up for me. I hope you’re able to find relief soon, too.

Best of luck and congratulations!!

Ambulance Mommy Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 3:30 pm

wow, you got a lot of good advice on here!!

my morning sickness went…how shall i say this…down instead of up? it was awful!!!!!!!!! i was a police dispatcher at the time, and while you can throw up and still not run away from the phone lines, morning sickness in the other direction was definetly a challenge!!

i found that lemonaide helped..or sucking on a bit of lemon, maybe lemon drops? the other thing that did help is almost constant eating. literally…the second you feel bad, force yourself to eat one saltine cracker, and see if it helps. when i was nauseous and not hitting the toilet, that did help.

just keep telling yourself this WILL go away eventually!!!!!

Stephanie Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 6:53 pm

OH MY GOSH!!!! I can’t believe I missed this!! I’m so so so happy for you guys! I’m sorry I missed it, I have been SO busy with Jasper. Wow, I’m excited to follow this journey!

Heather Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 10:28 pm

Hi there. Congrats on your pregnancy! I haven’t been pregnant, but am a nurse, and I have known a few people who have dealt w/ very severe morning sickness.

The number one rule with morning sickness (or all-day sickness) is NEVER let your stomach get empty. Several years ago I had a boss who was in a similar situation as you are in, and it took her a long time to learn and accept this lesson, but she was much happier once she did. She was beautiful, and she ate very healthy and at very strict meal times. It was so hard for her to have her eating schedule (and also what felt like her hard-earned figure) thrown out the window. She did what one of the commenters listed above- she kept saltine crackers with her constantly, and tried to munch on them at all times, especially as soon as she started to feel uneasy. I think the biggest part for her was not the change of routine and developing the new habit, but the emotional work that went with it, letting go of the fear of weight gain & other fears, and accepting her body as good enough, if not so amazing that it is capable of carrying this new life!
If your nausea & vomiting are getting to the point where you cannot function, you can go back to your doctor- there are medicines they can give you. Also, if you are having severe morning sickness you need to be very closely monitored by your doctor (if you are not already) to make sure that you are getting all of the nutrients you need, and that you do not become anemic. Your doctor will also monitor you to see if you have a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum, which causes pregnant women to be so sick so constantly that they sometimes have to be hospitalized and receive IV vitamins, electrolytes, nutrients, and lipids through a large type of IV access.
I hope you feel better soon, or at least find a way to keep this under control until your 2nd trimester. Keep us posted on how you are doing.
In the mean time, Congrats again!

Tabitha Blue Says:
July 30th, 2009 at 8:00 am

Oh!! First I have to say how excited I am for you that you are pregnant!!!!! Yay!! And second, I’m sorry about the sickness. Ugh. I never really went through that before with my little girl… and now with this pregnancy, I understand COMPLETELY. There were some days where NO food stayed down. It is not a fun feeling at all. Hope you get better soon. Mine is finally starting to subside, and I’m hoping it stays that way. Not too much helped.. except for lemon. Just the smell would help, it didn’t last long but it helped, and lemon water made me feel a little better. Of course, when you’re in the thick of it nothing seems to work… but maybe this will help, it’s different for everyone.

Good luck!!!!

~Tabitha

Kate Says:
July 30th, 2009 at 1:05 pm

Ugh, that sounds very uncomfortable. I know it sounds cliche, but at least you know that you have a healthy pregnancy! Think of the sickness as a little reminder

Good luck! Hope it eases up soon.

Sandy Says:
July 30th, 2009 at 3:14 pm

I am not a good one to ask because I didn’t have too much trouble with any of my 5 pregnancies. But if I did, then it would only be soda crackers and a real coke. That was it. Hang in there girl! It will all be so worth it with you get that little one in your arms! I am so excited for you and your moma. It’s the bomb being a Grandma!!

Heidi Says:
July 30th, 2009 at 7:44 pm

TABITHA!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! AHHHHHH!!!! Morning sickness! This is fantastic news. Well. Not entirely, but you know what I mean. I’ve been waiting to hear what the big surprise was. And to think I thought you just got a new job.

Awesome news. I hope the nausea passes.

My god. Sarah pops out a baby girl. You get preggars. I get married. All within months. I love the simultaneous milestones.

Kristen Bieber Says:
July 31st, 2009 at 6:59 am

My doc told me to keep saltines by my bed and each one or two before I even lifted my head in the morning. It worked for me. Also, ginger help nausea for me. I tried those strong ginger chews, they worked ok but were very strong. Ginger snap cookies (the crunchy) worked well for me too! Hope this helps!

Shanee Says:
July 31st, 2009 at 8:57 am

I know you feel like you’ve heard it all. And I’ve been there and maybe a bit further then you as I have had HG-http://hyperemesis.org/
but I wanted to share that for me, nibbling watermelon helped me a lot. And mainly I had to be very still a lot to help me focus on keeping things down.

And this last pregnancy I had to do a nasal wash in the morning to help with my morning puke. It made it less severe because it would wash away some of the gunk that would slowly go down my throat when I woke up. Normal stuff you don’t realize is there till you get pregnant.

Anyways both of my pregnancies ended me me about 15-20 lbs UNDER my pre-pregnancy weight. But my babies were healthy.

Good luck dealing with all of the “fun” pregnancy comes with.

Robynn's Ravings Says:
July 31st, 2009 at 12:45 pm

There is an old saying, “Adults don’t make kids; kids make adults.” The morning sickness is one of the first things that make you realize you’re not in Oz anymore. But the WONDERFUL things they will teach you are innumerable, and fulfilling, and completing.

I did have morning sickness. And daytime sickness. And night sickness. It did pass around four months. I just lived with retching. But it ain’t fun. Sympathies poor dearie. You can be happy and still not love the yucky part!

Jane Says:
August 1st, 2009 at 12:16 pm

Congratulations Tabitha, parenthood is a wild but worthwhile ride.
With my first, the morning sickness was 24/7 and lasted until the sixth month. I could only eat watermelon and scrambled eggs with Pace piquante sauce. Fast food commercials on TV would make me heave, I couldn’t step into a grocery store and I sat on the patio while by DH cooked his dinner. The doctor lectured me on pregnancy not being the time to diet and how I would have to be hospitalized for a “feeding program”, the dweeb. My son was born just fine by the way, a whooping 9lbs 15ozs. Since then I have discovered a great homemade ginger ale. It has helped my kids when they have stomach flu and it has helped a couple of folks through chemo. Get someone to make this for you.

1 1/2 C fresh ginger — sliced thin
1 1/2 C sugar
1 1/2 C water
1/2 C lemon juice
club soda or plain seltzer — chilled

No need to peel ginger, just slice it very thin. You will need a strainer after cooking ginger.
Combine ginger, sugar and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stir often. Maintain gentle boil until it reaches consistency of pancake syrup, approx 20 minutes.
Strain ginger syrup into a container and allow to cool.
When cool stir in lemon juice.
Store in refrigerator.
Add two tablespoons of ginger syrup to for each 6 ounces of chilled club soda or seltzer, stir gently. Add ice if desired.

Good luck!

LoveLetterstoanAmericanSoldier Says:
August 1st, 2009 at 9:07 pm

First off, Congratulations!! I have some catching up to do, but I am so happy to hear that you are expecting.
It is so nice to see two such wonderful people get what they hope for.

I think being with someone who is in the Military is keeping me busy/worried enough so I am nowhere even near this point, but I just wanted to tell you if I ever am someday, it’s nice for me to know that I will have this wonderful blog to come back to for reference and advice, etc.
For now, I will just keep praying for you and your (new) family.
Take Care Tabitha

xxxx

Serene Says:
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:43 am

LOL, sorry, but this was cute. I am sorry you are so sick.
I had it for 9 solid months with my first. Pure torture. My second, about seven months. By the time I was having my third, I discovered that wheat and dairy really, really make me sick. So, it is now somewhat bearable if I can avoid those two categories.
Good luck! I hope you feel better soon!

Sarah @ BecomingSarah.com Says:
August 3rd, 2009 at 2:26 pm

I didn’t really have morning sickness and I am so so sorry that you do =( I have so much respect for women who survive morning sickness because I got so tired the first trimester that I felt like I couldn’t possibly do anything more than lay around and sleep, much less fight off nausea.

My SIL had some pretty nasty morning sickness too. She said that what helped her was eating some wheat crackers and cheese in the dead of the night, always making sure her stomach had a little in it but not too much. I also remember her downing ginger ale like nobody’s business. But yeah, that’s all I’ve got. Good luck! I hope it subsides soon and lets you enjoy all the wonder of the last two trimesters =)

william Says:
November 3rd, 2009 at 6:59 pm

Useful info, nice blog, thanks.

ilar Says:
November 13th, 2009 at 5:06 pm

Hey! Nice job here! I’ll be dropping by from time to time

Eryn Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 4:52 am
My morning sickness could have been worse but it still was no fun. You should be just about done with it though, so chin up!
Joanna Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 4:54 am
I had a Tupperware filled with Cheerios on my nightstand. I would usually wake up in the wee hours of the morning so I would go ahead and eat some then. That would help a little with the early morning stuff. I also just kept a bag of Goldfish with me at all times and would eat a few quite often during the day. I couldn’t eat big meals, but if I kept myself from getting super hungry, it helped. I still ended up lying down quite a bit. That and Emetrol (over-the-counter nausea medicine that is basically super-concentrated sugar water) helped me make it through my days.

When pregnant with Dax, I had a seven-month-old baby to care for so I had to throw myself on the mercy of my OB and he prescribed some medicine to help. I hated to do that, but it was the only way I could get through the day.

I really hope you start to feel better soon. I just remember how frustrating and discouraging it was because it starts to feel like you will never, ever feel like eating again. And, unlike a stomach flu, it’s not gone in a day or two. It really wears on you. I’ll be praying that this passes soon so you can concentrate on the fun part of growing a little one!! (Also, don’t worry about the baby. You’ve got the minerals and vitamins and all the things the baby needs to grow already stored in your body and that persistent little one will pull it out of you. It helped me to know that just because I couldn’t keep to a healthy diet, it didn’t mean I was harming my baby.)

(originally, I had my little story first, but then I thought that if the thought of certain smells causes a gag reflex, you might not want to read it just at the moment … )

I will never forget the time I was pregnant with Dax and my BIL and his wife invited us over for dinner. We had just been talking the day before about how bad my “morning” sickness was, but they haven’t ever been pregnant so it didn’t really have the same … meaning that it did for us. Anyway, we walked down the hallway to their apartment and I said it smells a little like a shrimp boat. Right as he opened the door to their apartment, my BIL said, “Yeah, that’s us. We made salmon.” And I came very close to throwing up in their entryway. Ended up, I left with Julia to go home and Dave stayed for dinner.
Kristy Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 5:25 am
Hoping it’s over soon!
Mom of 5 Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 5:57 am
Hang in there!! It will get better and the you will once again find joy in food, smells and enjoying those roses again.
Mindee Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 6:00 am
Okay, I know this sounds weird but . . .

I would start the shower and get it to a good temp and then turn off all the lights, get in and sit on the floor with my eyes closed.

Sitting in the dark with the water pouring over me would ease that horrible nausea-pain. I think it works like sensory deprivation. The noise of the shower blocks out other sound. It’s dark. The warm water relaxes and best of all . . . no smells in the shower!

Probably it wasn’t good for the water bill but it worked. Actually it still works. When I got food poisoning last winter, crawling into the shower is what finally helped.
Jes Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 6:58 am
I have servere acid reflux and I suffer from naseau almost every day (and have no little secret of a bundle of joy to help me through it). One thing that helps is mint (gum or peppermints). Also B12. You can get it at a GNC in liquid form and drop it in your water. You may want to check with your physician first for either of those.
Jenna @ Newlyweds Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 6:58 am
Oh man!! I do remember that feeling, and totally feel for you. It passes but until it does I took a daily ginger extract pill, they say ginger (in any form) eases the stomach. I also always had a small snack with me, crackers, yogurt, what ever you can stomach, I also eat something the second I woke up in the morning. Oh and I avoided triggers like dirty dishes, litter box, trash cans, anything that smelled disgusting. But just remember they say that means the baby is doing really well, and it will pass in a few weeks.
Angela Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 7:06 am
I’ve not yet been pregnant, but I can see how exhausting it can be when you have morning sickness. When my sister was pregnant with her first baby, the morning sickness never stopped. I talked among some of my friends to see if there was anything that would help. One of them mentioned Preggie Pops by Three Lollies, and I sent two orders to my sister. She said they helped alot with the morning sickness and nausea although she didn’t care for the taste of some of the flavors. Might be something to look into — http://www.threelollies.com. I’ve heard good things about the Pops and the Preggie Pop Drops. Now that my sister is pregnant with her second baby, it’s time to order some more for her!
joy Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 7:17 am
I’ve been pretty lucky during both of my pregnancies. With my first, I had no morning sickness. I only experienced loss of appetite but no nausea, throwing up, etc. With my current pregnancy, I again had very little morning sickness. I did lost my appetite like the first time but this time I did have a little nausea here and there. But I was lucky not to throw up. This time around I had some bad days of heartburn (yuck).

Just take good care of yourself! Soon, there will be the second trimester honeymoon and your appetite will return. I am finding at 24 weeks, it is coming around finally. I am so excited and happy for you! BTW, do you plan to find out the gender?
Patty Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 8:00 am
30+ years ago………sipping lemonade!!

Congratulations -
erin Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 8:42 am
I didn’t really have morning sickness… just queasiness sometimes. I was lucky. I just took it easy and moved a little more slowly when I felt nauseous. For a while coffee was completely unappetizing to me and I wasn’t hugely hungry. (I was exhausted though!)

My mom told me around 9-10 weeks that morning sickness means the baby is “taking hold” so there won’t be a miscarriage. I know this is just an old wives’ tale, like which direction your ring spins means girl or boy, but it still made me feel better when I felt like having a pity party about not feeling well.
The Wife of Odie Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 8:46 am
wow. i am SO not looking forward to ever getting morning sickness when i’m pregnant. good luck
Jana Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 9:12 am
Try peppermint lifesavers. They have been good to me this time around. Also, my dr suggested sucking on a lemon slice.
Terra Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 9:21 am
I ate smaller and more frequent meals, mostly of crackers. And 7up or ginger ale helped a little bit. Like someone else said, you should be about done with it, so hopefully it passes and you are able to stop and smell the flowers again.
Natasha Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 10:13 am
I don’t have any experience with this, but I’ve heard that chomping ice and rubbing lemon rind on your upper lip can help to alleviate nausea. I’ve also heard that keeping saltine crackers by your bed and eating them even before you get up can help…just to have something in your stomach.
If you’re already in your second trimester you should be almost done with it. Hope something helps soon!
Sara Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Oh my gosh! Congratulations (on the baby, not the morning sickness). I hope it tapers off soon and you feel better and can look at life through your rose-coloured glasses
Janet Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 10:51 am
I had morning sickness. And, like yours, it showed up any time of the day it wanted. However, I never threw up – just had the queezies off and on. My Oma told me, “the sicker the mom, the healthier the baby”, an old, German wive’s tale. So I never minded it.

In terms of what I did to ease it, you’re already doing it. Rest, rest, and more rest. Close your eyes, lie still and rest. Rest as much as you can now because soon, you won’t have the opportunity!

I hate to say this, but Enjoy this time! It gets better… promise!
Nicole Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Oh, I remember the days of 24/7 morning sickness….I’m queasy just thinking about it! I had to have IV’s with Colton, a PICC line put in with Asher….fortunately God let someone else have Kyler for me! I can’t wait for you to feel better. It does happen.
Sam Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
My “all day” sickness started at about 8 weeks and lasted until about week 15. I absolutely could not stand the sight or smell of chicken, especially while it is cooking. I am now at week 21 (can you believe it?) and I still can’t stand chicken.

It’s different for everybody, but here’s what worked for me…
-FRUIT! It was my lifesaver. There were many times when I thought there was nothing I could eat and a few bites of cold, crisp fruit would make me feel a little better. peaches, apples, pineapple, pears, etc.
-I would eat a very small bowl of cereal right before bed and found that I wouldn’t wake up sick.
-If I ate yogurt, cheese, a glass of soy milk or something substantial around 3:00 in the afternoon, then I wouldn’t be as bad off at night. My nausea was way worse in the evenings than it ever was in the morning.
-I ate whatever I thought I could keep down even if it was weird or required a special trip to the grocery store like macaroni and cheese for 4 nights in a row or a certain kind of cereal.
-I preferred oyster crackers over saltines because they were smaller and didn’t leave as many crumbs in my bed or on the couch.
-Minty gum
-I did not like the ginger teas. They all tasted yucky to me, but flat gingerale was ok.

I came to a stressful time at work with an event where I had to be “on” and lead meetings and whatnot during the middle of it all. I asked my doctor if there was anything safe to take for nausea and she prescribed Zofran. I took it only a handful of times when I felt I absolutely needed it to function around other human beings.

Rest! The couch is your friend. Gestating is hard work!
Kim Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
I am right there with you. It’s not fun.

I don’t know if you have had your 1st trimester screening yet, but I had it yesterday and was happy to see that although I have eatten very little in weeks BabyB was bouncing around in my tummy and I heard the heartbeat for the first time. Today I feel much better knowing the little one is ok. Hopefully you will hear the heartbeat soon too!

Best of luck!
KB
Erin Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I have/had morning sickness. It is no fun. No fun at all. I haven’t really found anything to combat it other then making it through the first trimester then things usually let up for me. I hope you’re able to find relief soon, too.

Best of luck and congratulations!!
Ambulance Mommy Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
wow, you got a lot of good advice on here!!

my morning sickness went…how shall i say this…down instead of up? it was awful!!!!!!!!! i was a police dispatcher at the time, and while you can throw up and still not run away from the phone lines, morning sickness in the other direction was definetly a challenge!!

i found that lemonaide helped..or sucking on a bit of lemon, maybe lemon drops? the other thing that did help is almost constant eating. literally…the second you feel bad, force yourself to eat one saltine cracker, and see if it helps. when i was nauseous and not hitting the toilet, that did help.

just keep telling yourself this WILL go away eventually!!!!!
Stephanie Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
OH MY GOSH!!!! I can’t believe I missed this!! I’m so so so happy for you guys! I’m sorry I missed it, I have been SO busy with Jasper. Wow, I’m excited to follow this journey!
Heather Says:
July 29th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Hi there. Congrats on your pregnancy! I haven’t been pregnant, but am a nurse, and I have known a few people who have dealt w/ very severe morning sickness.

The number one rule with morning sickness (or all-day sickness) is NEVER let your stomach get empty. Several years ago I had a boss who was in a similar situation as you are in, and it took her a long time to learn and accept this lesson, but she was much happier once she did. She was beautiful, and she ate very healthy and at very strict meal times. It was so hard for her to have her eating schedule (and also what felt like her hard-earned figure) thrown out the window. She did what one of the commenters listed above- she kept saltine crackers with her constantly, and tried to munch on them at all times, especially as soon as she started to feel uneasy. I think the biggest part for her was not the change of routine and developing the new habit, but the emotional work that went with it, letting go of the fear of weight gain & other fears, and accepting her body as good enough, if not so amazing that it is capable of carrying this new life!
If your nausea & vomiting are getting to the point where you cannot function, you can go back to your doctor- there are medicines they can give you. Also, if you are having severe morning sickness you need to be very closely monitored by your doctor (if you are not already) to make sure that you are getting all of the nutrients you need, and that you do not become anemic. Your doctor will also monitor you to see if you have a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum, which causes pregnant women to be so sick so constantly that they sometimes have to be hospitalized and receive IV vitamins, electrolytes, nutrients, and lipids through a large type of IV access.
I hope you feel better soon, or at least find a way to keep this under control until your 2nd trimester. Keep us posted on how you are doing.
In the mean time, Congrats again!
Tabitha Blue Says:
July 30th, 2009 at 8:00 am
Oh!! First I have to say how excited I am for you that you are pregnant!!!!! Yay!! And second, I’m sorry about the sickness. Ugh. I never really went through that before with my little girl… and now with this pregnancy, I understand COMPLETELY. There were some days where NO food stayed down. It is not a fun feeling at all. Hope you get better soon. Mine is finally starting to subside, and I’m hoping it stays that way. Not too much helped.. except for lemon. Just the smell would help, it didn’t last long but it helped, and lemon water made me feel a little better. Of course, when you’re in the thick of it nothing seems to work… but maybe this will help, it’s different for everyone.

Good luck!!!!

~Tabitha
Kate Says:
July 30th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Ugh, that sounds very uncomfortable. I know it sounds cliche, but at least you know that you have a healthy pregnancy! Think of the sickness as a little reminder

Good luck! Hope it eases up soon.
Sandy Says:
July 30th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
I am not a good one to ask because I didn’t have too much trouble with any of my 5 pregnancies. But if I did, then it would only be soda crackers and a real coke. That was it. Hang in there girl! It will all be so worth it with you get that little one in your arms! I am so excited for you and your moma. It’s the bomb being a Grandma!!
Heidi Says:
July 30th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
TABITHA!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! AHHHHHH!!!! Morning sickness! This is fantastic news. Well. Not entirely, but you know what I mean. I’ve been waiting to hear what the big surprise was. And to think I thought you just got a new job.

Awesome news. I hope the nausea passes.

My god. Sarah pops out a baby girl. You get preggars. I get married. All within months. I love the simultaneous milestones.
Kristen Bieber Says:
July 31st, 2009 at 6:59 am
My doc told me to keep saltines by my bed and each one or two before I even lifted my head in the morning. It worked for me. Also, ginger help nausea for me. I tried those strong ginger chews, they worked ok but were very strong. Ginger snap cookies (the crunchy) worked well for me too! Hope this helps!
Shanee Says:
July 31st, 2009 at 8:57 am
I know you feel like you’ve heard it all. And I’ve been there and maybe a bit further then you as I have had HG-http://hyperemesis.org/
but I wanted to share that for me, nibbling watermelon helped me a lot. And mainly I had to be very still a lot to help me focus on keeping things down.

And this last pregnancy I had to do a nasal wash in the morning to help with my morning puke. It made it less severe because it would wash away some of the gunk that would slowly go down my throat when I woke up. Normal stuff you don’t realize is there till you get pregnant.

Anyways both of my pregnancies ended me me about 15-20 lbs UNDER my pre-pregnancy weight. But my babies were healthy.

Good luck dealing with all of the “fun” pregnancy comes with.
Robynn's Ravings Says:
July 31st, 2009 at 12:45 pm
There is an old saying, “Adults don’t make kids; kids make adults.” The morning sickness is one of the first things that make you realize you’re not in Oz anymore. But the WONDERFUL things they will teach you are innumerable, and fulfilling, and completing.

I did have morning sickness. And daytime sickness. And night sickness. It did pass around four months. I just lived with retching. But it ain’t fun. Sympathies poor dearie. You can be happy and still not love the yucky part!
Jane Says:
August 1st, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Congratulations Tabitha, parenthood is a wild but worthwhile ride.
With my first, the morning sickness was 24/7 and lasted until the sixth month. I could only eat watermelon and scrambled eggs with Pace piquante sauce. Fast food commercials on TV would make me heave, I couldn’t step into a grocery store and I sat on the patio while by DH cooked his dinner. The doctor lectured me on pregnancy not being the time to diet and how I would have to be hospitalized for a “feeding program”, the dweeb. My son was born just fine by the way, a whooping 9lbs 15ozs. Since then I have discovered a great homemade ginger ale. It has helped my kids when they have stomach flu and it has helped a couple of folks through chemo. Get someone to make this for you.

1 1/2 C fresh ginger — sliced thin
1 1/2 C sugar
1 1/2 C water
1/2 C lemon juice
club soda or plain seltzer — chilled

No need to peel ginger, just slice it very thin. You will need a strainer after cooking ginger.
Combine ginger, sugar and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, stir often. Maintain gentle boil until it reaches consistency of pancake syrup, approx 20 minutes.
Strain ginger syrup into a container and allow to cool.
When cool stir in lemon juice.
Store in refrigerator.
Add two tablespoons of ginger syrup to for each 6 ounces of chilled club soda or seltzer, stir gently. Add ice if desired.

Good luck!
LoveLetterstoanAmericanSoldier Says:
August 1st, 2009 at 9:07 pm
First off, Congratulations!! I have some catching up to do, but I am so happy to hear that you are expecting.
It is so nice to see two such wonderful people get what they hope for.

I think being with someone who is in the Military is keeping me busy/worried enough so I am nowhere even near this point, but I just wanted to tell you if I ever am someday, it’s nice for me to know that I will have this wonderful blog to come back to for reference and advice, etc.
For now, I will just keep praying for you and your (new) family.
Take Care Tabitha

xxxx
Serene Says:
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:43 am
LOL, sorry, but this was cute. I am sorry you are so sick.
I had it for 9 solid months with my first. Pure torture. My second, about seven months. By the time I was having my third, I discovered that wheat and dairy really, really make me sick. So, it is now somewhat bearable if I can avoid those two categories.
Good luck! I hope you feel better soon!
Sarah @ BecomingSarah.com Says:
August 3rd, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I didn’t really have morning sickness and I am so so sorry that you do =( I have so much respect for women who survive morning sickness because I got so tired the first trimester that I felt like I couldn’t possibly do anything more than lay around and sleep, much less fight off nausea.

My SIL had some pretty nasty morning sickness too. She said that what helped her was eating some wheat crackers and cheese in the dead of the night, always making sure her stomach had a little in it but not too much. I also remember her downing ginger ale like nobody’s business. But yeah, that’s all I’ve got. Good luck! I hope it subsides soon and lets you enjoy all the wonder of the last two trimesters =)
william Says:
November 3rd, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Useful info, nice blog, thanks.
ilar Says:
November 13th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Hey! Nice job here! I’ll be dropping by from time to time

A Newfound Respect

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