1st Trimester - How are you Coping?

[FireWithin]

I learned a couple of things the first time I was pregnant. Some of those ideas are helping, others are not. I thought it might be nice to share ideas.

Sea-bands I love them. They seem to work well. Or, maybe it is all in my mind, but as long as they help a bit, I am in support of them. They help reduce my m/s a notch. It is not a miracle, but it helps. It makes average m/s pretty easy. Mild nausea feel almost non-existant. Extreme m/s - well maybe you won't feel like you will keel over in 5 minutes. I have begun wearing them 24/7.

Any other ideas?

Ideas for exhaustion?

[merrick]

I wore the sea bands all through my last pregnancy. They seemed to help a bit.

This time I wore them for one day and slept in them. When I woke up one of my hands was swollen! Not sure if I slept on it wrong and cut off the circulation or not, but anyway I'm not wearing them now. I might try them again though.

As far as everything else goes, nothing has really helped except eating very often and staying away from fatty foods.

[ChattyCat]

I have to eat all the time, otherwise I gag and dry-heave. Yuck! But, hopefully this pregnancy will be like the last with no actual puke, just almost.

I'm also prepared to not fit into my clothes quickly. Last time I was about 7 weeks when I had to wear maternity pants and my larger shirts were clinging to my lower abdomen. By 10 weeks, I was obviously pg to people who didn't know me. Ack!

[merrick]

Yeah, I'm not expecting to be in my reg clothes for long. I've already been reduced to my drawstring skirts and "fat" pants as my only clothing options! I'm getting a few more of the hippy patchwork drawstring skirts to wear. I figure they will be good during hte pregnancy and after.

[Naughty Dingo]

I have a freezer full of meals that I can wave when I feel incapable of doing anything. I have one of those electric stimulator bands for my wrist. I have severe nausea and vomiting for the first half of my pregnancies and this helped.... a little. At least I am not working this PG. I had to medicate a few of the times I worked last time and I regret that.

I plan on going to an acupuncturist for nausea this time. I hope that will help a bit.

I have some nice maternity clothing that I am looking forward to busting out.

I am going to try to not gain too much in the first trimester as I am already 10 pounds more than I usually start out as. But when the sickness starts, I am sure those plans will be out of the window.

The most important thing for me is that with this pregnancy I am going to do all I can to reduce stress. There was an enormous amount of stress during my last pregnancy and I think it made it much harder on my body. My focus this time is on wellness and prevention of worry.

[Sydnee]

Ugh, I haven't really felt alot of m/s yet. Which on one hand is great, I do daycare, and cannot imagine getting as sick as I usually do, and having to take care of 5-6 kids. But ont he other hand, I worry that the m/s isn't so bad this time. With both girls I was having the all day m/s at this point. But, I am not going to stress over it, I do have some m/s, just not as bad as what I usually get.

[~*max*~]

Sydnee, maybe you are having less m/s bc you are having a boy this time? W/my son I was never sick. W/both daughters I was vomiting for over 5 months. I usually do not get m/s for another couple weks, but I am : that I won't this time.

Naughty Dingo, I did accupuncture last pregnancy for nausea & migraines & it really did help. They can do this moxa treatment for "easy birth" which I swear made a big difference too.

This pregnancy, which will most likely be my last, I am going to really try to take good care of myself, and enjoy the pregnancy. My last two I was quite sick, had migraines & a lot of stress. I am hoping to do the best I can to nurture myself & baby, stay calm and centered. I also feel that this is important since I am getting older, and my last pregnancy was pretty tough on my body.

[FireWithin]

Originally Posted by Naughty Dingo

The most important thing for me is that with this pregnancy I am going to do all I can to reduce stress. There was an enormous amount of stress during my last pregnancy and I think it made it much harder on my body. My focus this time is on wellness and prevention of worry.

I agree with this. My preg with ds was hard. Ithink part of it was the stress I felt as a teacher in a messed up school. I am hoping that SAHMing will help.