"Morning" Sickness -- when does/did it begin & how do you treat it?

[songtothemoon]

Hi Feb DDC!
I'm due Feb 19th (or thereabouts), 2010, and this is our first pregnancy!
I was a bit nauseous last week, better this week, until last night -- then a bit nauseous last night and more so today...
When did/does m/s hit you?
What are your favorite coping methods?

This new mama-to-be needs all the help she can get!

Thanks!

[HappiLeigh]

I'm going to be following this thread. With my DD, morning sickness started at 6 weeks on the dot, which I think is pretty common. So I've got a couple weeks now to figure out how to avoid it. I've heard a lot of discussion of different vitamins, but I'm a bit skeptical of that in my particular case. I've been taking prenatals for months and I feel fine, which was also true when I was expecting DD. I have a friend who swears by protein-loading at the beginning of the day--she worried down two eggs every morning at breakfast when pregnant with her third, and felt like that really helped mitigate it. However, I remember being so sick with DD that I can't imagine eating eggs and not immediately puking would have been an option. But each pregnancy is different, so I hear, so I'm mostly going to hope it passes me by this time!

[chai]

Nausea hit at 7 weeks last pregnancy, and 6 weeks this one. So far it's not too bad, but I'm just generally a little uncomfortable (no actual puking). It seems that my vitamins upset my stomach, and eating food actually helps in my case. I've been sipping juice all day, which also seems to keep it in check.

[NicoleS]

Mine comes and goes. I found having sour candies to suck on helps some. Also, a glass of coke helps me, but I know some people say it makes it worse from them.

[Tellera]

With my first, I threw up like clockwork about 45 minutes after waking in the morning from about 6 to 14 weeks. During the day I would keep the nausea at bay with lemon slices, bubbly lemonade, and sour skittles if it got really bad.

With my second, I didn't ever actually throw up, but just had general nausea and food aversions to just about everything. I found I was able to eat more variety in the morning and would try to pack in as much protein as possible.

With this one, I've just today started feeling not all that hot. Sparkling water and fruit is helping, though. I have a feeling I've eaten the last chicken I'll have for 8 months. I couldn't eat it in either of my previous pregnancies either. *barf*

[chai]

Originally Posted by Tellera

I have a feeling I've eaten the last chicken I'll have for 8 months. I couldn't eat it in either of my previous pregnancies either. *barf*

Oh! I hated chicken in my last pregnancy too. I never really got to where I like it again, but I can eat it at least.

Chewing gum has really been helping me this time - I forgot to mention that before.

[CountryMommy]

Congrats HappiLeigh, we are close to being due date buddies-I'm due on the 20th!

With my first, I didn't actually get sick but I felt pretty nauseas most of the time from around 6 weeks-11 weeks. I also had some serious food aversions, couldn't stand the smell of my normally FAV foods. I found having something light to eat AS SOON as I got up in the morning seemed to help. I kept pretzels, soda crackers and gingesnap cookies on my bedstand. Mint gum helped during the day if I felt suddenly queezy too.

[songtothemoon]

Originally Posted by CountryMommy

Congrats HappiLeigh, we are close to being due date buddies-I'm due on the 20th!

I found having something light to eat AS SOON as I got up in the morning seemed to help. I kept pretzels, soda crackers and gingesnap cookies on my bedstand. Mint gum helped during the day if I felt suddenly queezy too.

Hi CountryMommy,
Pretzels and ginger snaps sound like really good options! Somehow pretzels sound better to me than soda crackers...
I just stocked up on crackers and crystallized ginger.
I'll have to try mint gum, too.
Thanks for the recommendations!

[HappiLeigh]

Originally Posted by chai

Oh! I hated chicken in my last pregnancy too. I never really got to where I like it again, but I can eat it at least.

I had nightmares during my last pregnancy about being force-fed chicken!

Originally Posted by CountryMommy

Congrats HappiLeigh, we are close to being due date buddies-I'm due on the 20th!

Thank you! I think my "due date" will be the 28th, so I'm squeezing in right at the very end. One calculator I used actually said March 1, but I'd rather be at the end of a due date club and see what's coming next than at the beginning of one and be the trailblazer.

[annettemarie]

As someone who has puked her way through 4 1/2 pregnancies (one ended in miscarriage) and is showing signs of puking her way through this one as well, I hate when people make it sound like "If you just do A, B, and C, your morning sickness will magicallly disappear!". So I won't do that.

I will say that sipping Earth Mama Angel Baby Morning Wellness Tea helps a lot. I drink it cold and hot. Sometimes I make ice cubes out of it and suck those.

Congrats, HappiLeigh!

[HappiLeigh]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

I will say that sipping Earth Mama Angel Baby Morning Wellness Tea helps a lot. I drink it cold and hot. Sometimes I make ice cubes out of it and suck those.

Congrats, HappiLeigh!

Thanks Annette! I didn't realize at first that you were also in this DDC. Hooray! Congrats!

[angelxxrose]

I have another question to add - where can I find all of the ginger products? I have never bought them before. Do I have to go to the health food store or can they be found at a regular supermarket?

Thank you!

[Perdita_in_Ontario]

I can find regular old ginger tea at my grocery store. I can also get ginger snap cookies there too. Otherwise, I have to go to a health food store.

I was planning on using ginger a lot this time, but at the moment the thought is grossing me out! I might try some ginger ale later.

I use sour candies too, and for some reason both this pregnancy and last, crackers and cream cheese always appeal. I get good days and bad days; today is a bad day.

I hope mine stops at 12 weeks like last time!

I couldn't eat pork at all last pregnancy - I hope I don't gross out on chicken too!

[chai]

This morning was really hard. I finally went out to a fast food place and had some food that I happened to be craving. I also had Dr. Pepper, which I haven't drunk in years, but it really seemed to help. Is there a good natural alternative?

BTW, I'm finding that I feel much better after I eat, for maybe an hour. I have a feeling I should be eating pretty much non-stop, but I have no appetite!

[beccabus]

Originally Posted by chai

This morning was really hard. I finally went out to a fast food place and had some food that I happened to be craving. I also had Dr. Pepper, which I haven't drunk in years, but it really seemed to help. Is there a good natural alternative?

BTW, I'm finding that I feel much better after I eat, for maybe an hour. I have a feeling I should be eating pretty much non-stop, but I have no appetite!

I feel the same way! I feel sick, have no appetite, and have a hard time finding something I want to eat. BUT, when I do, I feel better for a very brief time and then sick again.... blood sugar? food soaking up acid? I don't know, but I was telling my DH the same thing...I should just munch all day... if only I could find good healthy stuff I wanted to eat all day....

[aramat]

I definitely had morning sickness with my first pregnancy, which I now attribute to my not really having the money to eat well back then.

This pregnancy and the last, I try (TRY) to eat a LOT of protein -- like, 80-100 grams per day. At the least, I am trying to eat more protein than carbs. I will tend to feel nauseous in the morning or after I haven't eaten in a few hours, and I will feel as if I can't stand to eat, but if I actually get down a few eggs or a good amount of cheese, beef, chicken, beans, etc., I start to feel more normal. If I eat a lot of carbs with the protein, though, I sometimes get into that in-between area of wanting to throw up but can't!

Fruits and veggies with the protein work best for me. Especially spinach leaves, with anything.

That SAID, I am really lazy about cooking, and I am still spending about the first half of the day feeling nauseated because I haven't bothered to figure out what to eat yet!

[Chamsia]

Congrats everyone!

My friend who is pregnant with twins (=wicked morning sickness) received all sorts of advice. She said the one thing that really seemed to help was drinking a tablespoon or so of apple cider vinegar in some warm honey water every morning. Check with your midwife first, of course.

Best wishes everyone!

[Perdita_in_Ontario]

Originally Posted by beccabus

I feel the same way! I feel sick, have no appetite, and have a hard time finding something I want to eat. BUT, when I do, I feel better for a very brief time and then sick again.... blood sugar? food soaking up acid? I don't know, but I was telling my DH the same thing...I should just munch all day... if only I could find good healthy stuff I wanted to eat all day....

I think blood sugar has a lot to do with it for me.

Sorry for the grossness of the following... but here goes. I am NOT a puker at any time. I'd rather sit around feeling like crap for hours than puke, unless my body forces me. I usually only puke if I've got some mild food poisoning. When that happens, of course the stomach is getting rid of its contents. However, when I've puked during this pregnancy, there seem to be little to no, um, stomach contents. Even if I only ate 30-60 minutes before. So I think my stomach is digesting food really, really fast - much faster than normal. Which explains the hunger pangs so soon after I've eaten - I thought it was just a squidgy tummy, but I'm realizing now I'm genuinely HUNGRY, even though I just ate.

Today I'm going to try to graze all day and see if it makes a difference, because to be honest, the thought of Diclectin is really, really appealing right now - I had to leave my DD alone perched on the toilet this morning while I went to retch in the ensuite... fun for both!

I also wish I could figure out what in the kitchen smells so incredibly bad... I'm going to be scrubbing everything down this evening!

[AustinKate]

My nausea started in earnest this week, Week 6...I think I'm figuring out a pattern. It seems to be bad when I wake up, fade in mid-morning, then back around lunchtime and at its worst in the evening. Anyone else noticing that it comes and goes at regular intervals?

Crackers have really helped me. People have recommended anything ginger, but just thinking about that flavor makes my stomach turn.

[Keeta]

Originally Posted by chai

I also had Dr. Pepper, which I haven't drunk in years, but it really seemed to help. Is there a good natural alternative?

Yes! Dr. Becker is made by Blue Sky Sodas. They're caffeine free, but still contain HFCS. They'd be sold at any whole foods or co-op/health food store.