I'm twenty weeks along now and starting to feel better most of the time, so I was really surprised this morning when I got a case of the dry heaves--again and again and . . . well, you know where that led. I have to admit that morning sickness took me by surprise much more than labor did when I started this whole childbearing thing. In fact, I'd give birth five or six times per baby if only to be spared months of debilitating nausea.
(Is there a word stronger than nausea? Because if so, that's what I have. Times 11.)
Right after Ellie was born, I read a book that mentioned the midwife Ina May Gaskin and her study of morning sickness. Imagine that--studying morning sickness because it's different for every woman instead of giving them B Vitamins (didn't help), accupressure bands (didn't help, made my carpal tunnel flare up) sleeping pills (didn't help, plus left my 2 year old unsupervised), or cancer drugs (didn't help, would have cost a fortune if not for Heather's graciousness) and then shrugging your shoulders and saying it's just a pregnancy symptom.
Unfortunately, I can't find her study anywhere.
So I'd like to conduct an informal survey here on my blog. Feel free to answer for yourself, your mom, your sister, any one who you've talked to about morning sickness. I want to know what your experience was like and how you survived.
1. Did you have morning sickness? (yes/no)
2. How long did it last?
Less than first trimester
First trimester
Half of second trimester
Through the second trimester
Halfway through third trimester
Left and then returned at the end of pregnancy
The whole pregnancy
3. When were you the most nauseous?
Morning
Afternoon
Night
All day
4. Did smells trigger your nausea? (yes/no)
5. What helped your nausea?
Eating small, frequent meals
Exercise
Vitamin B6
Accupressure/Sea Bands
Unisom
Phenegrin
Zofran
Not much
6. Was your sickness affected by the sex of your baby?
yes, more sick with a girl
yes, more sick with a boy
not really
7. Does the fear of morning sickness keep you from having more children? (yes/no)
I'm going to add some polls to my sidebar as well. Are there any other questions I forgot to ask?
11 comments:
Sorry you feel so lousy. You are brave to put this poll up, because if I were you, I would just want the names of all the people who never experience morning sickness and then send them lots of hate mail :)
I have to say that morning sickness is just weird - mine was so bad with Grant, I barely had it with Audrey and it has been pretty awful, but shorter than with Grant, this time around. I find juice helps my morning sickness a lot - I have gone through gallons of cranberry juice this time around. Something about the sweet, bitter taste. But really, it is so individual. Just hang in there - I wish there was a magic cure.
Sorry to hear about the recurrence of nausea. Wow...birth 5-6 times vs. nausea? It must be crazy bad because I've never once thought I would trade in the nausea for 6 births.
Anyways, I hope you get to feeling better ALL THE TIME soon!
I'm with you--I'd trade giving birth a couple of times if I could have zero months of sickness. And my morning sickness isn't as bad as many MANY good women who deal with it all the time.
I have found that nothing will take it away (except time). There are a lot of things that make it bearable (seabands, eating in bed before I've moved a muscle, avoiding opening the fridge at all costs), but nothing takes it away. I'm lucky, I only suffer for about 13 weeks, but it seems like an eternity while it's occurring.
Go ahead and remind me why I want to do it again? Good luck, hope you feel better soon!
Morning sickness sucks!! I'm sorry you have it but glad it's starting to get better. One more quesion -- is it different with each prenancy? Hoping that I might have a pregnancy without morning sickness is one thing that helps me get pregnant again. I've known a few people who were sick sometimes and not other pregnancies.
I seriously could not brush my teeth for months. Of course I did, it just always ended in throwing up so it seemed useless. Things were so bad I had to drive to work with a ziplock bag in my lap and throw up as I was driving on the freeway. And no one likes walking in to work with a bag full of barf!
For me it lasted until about 5 1/2 months and I still had bouts after that, but I just kept telling myself it would be worth it!
I'm totally feeling for you! And I miss you!
I've often wished to trade extra labor for no morning sickness.
Smells are especially horrible. I count it as a victory if the children are fed during the day, it's so hard to face the food smells.
Zofran helps some, but doesn't take it all away.
I think this will be our last baby. I can't handle this again.
Here's hoping you have no more "morning" sickness.
i would totally give birth to multiples than have morning sickness.
one thing that totally helped with the nausea was taking peppermint oil in capsules. it eased the nausea, and when i did throw up it came with a minty after taste. even burping was more enjoyable.
good luck sweetie.
xoxo
Sorry you've been so sick. I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum - I don't get sick at all. However, I got a flu bug just before Christmas that stuck around for a whole week. It was my first taste of what morning sickness might be like - the nauseousness that won't go away, puking after eating anything, weak from not eating anything. IT IS AWFUL. And I have new awe and amazement for you and all those who go through it. Heavenly Father knew I wasn't strong enough to deal with that and have more than one kid. Hang in there!
1. yes 2. 1/2 of 2nd trimester 3. All day, but worst at night with the boys 4. yes, like ALL smells 5. sea bands, phenergan, but mostly sleep 6. mostly sick with Emily 7. no, but I do plan it based on when I feel I can afford to be sick
1. Did you have morning sickness? YES
2. How long did it last?
til Half of second trimester (17-20 wks)
3. When were you the most nauseous?
Afternoon/Night
4. Did smells trigger your nausea? yes
5. What helped your nausea?
Not much except sleep (cause you can't sleep and vomit at the same time)
6. Was your sickness affected by the sex of your baby?
don't know
7. Does the fear of morning sickness keep you from having more children? YES
Hey! I would love any CURE because Yes-I am hesitant to have anymore because I was soo sick. I was part of a research study for Hyperemesis Gravidum (severe morning sickness) and they asked some of the same questions and had me spit in a vial to study my DNA. I can't think of the websie off the top of my head but google hyperemesis education and research or HER It is very informative for the mom but also for family. so to answer your questions not only smells triggered my nausea but light or loud sounds ( I kinda felt like it was having a stomach migraine). Nothing relieved the nausea and vomiting but I have heard if you did a cocktail of Reglan and Zofran that it alleviates it alot more than just taking them singularly. I feel like my preg with my boy was worse than my girl. so let me know anything helpful you find out so myabe I can possibly attempt another preg.
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