| Author |
Message |
    
lauren
Citizen
Username: Laurengeri
Post Number: 1
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 3:52 pm: | 
|
I'm having quite a tough time with nausea during my first pregnancy, and it seems that I've tried everything (at least I think everything)...gingerale, ginger snaps, ginger root tea, sea band bracelets, B-6, saltines, etc. Does anyone have any other remedies they may want to offer up? Any help is appreciated! |
mjc
Citizen
Username: Mjc
Post Number: 1185
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 4:16 pm: |
|
lauren, sorry about this, I hope you'll be feeling better soon!
What worked for me was my niece's extra simple advice: never let your stomach get really empty. This can mean keeping snacks with you during the day, also crackers (or whatever) on your bedside table for overnight/morning. I hope it will help you.
Of course, assuming you've contacted your doctor or other practitioner, too.
With any luck it will be MUCH BETTER in a few weeks anyhow, after your first trimester.
Congratulations, blessings, and best wishes!
MC
peppermint (tea, candy, whatever) is also worth a try, if ginger isn't working |
lauren
Citizen
Username: Laurengeri
Post Number: 2
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 4:20 pm: |
|
Thanks MJC. Its funny, I have def. noticed when my stomach is empty it definitely bothers me a lot more. I'll try the peppermint too - haven't tried that yet!
|
Debby
Citizen
Username: Debby
Post Number: 2336
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 4:40 pm: |
|
Also, maybe discuss stopping prenatal vitamins with your practitioner. This made an ENORMOUS difference for me. If you have a healthy diet, they're not really necessary, and you can take a folate supplement if you're not sure you get enough.
Good luck |
greenthumb
Citizen
Username: Green_thumb
Post Number: 13
Registered: 5-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 4:42 pm: |
|
The only thing I could keep down when I was pregnant with my daughter was a lovely apple pastry from a local french bakery.........go figure! So sorry to hear you are having a difficult time. It is miserable but it will pass. |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 974
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 4:59 pm: |
|
Congrats..
I had terrible morning sickness, and as someone has already said, try not to let your stomach get too empty. Try and have a milky drink such as horlicks and a digestive/sweet cookie before going to bed, and BEFORE you step foot out of bed in the morning, have someone bring you a drink (tea/coffee/hot chocolate/milk - whatever you can stomach!) and a piece of dry toast, this will give your system something to work on through the night, and get something back in your stomach first thing.
Also try ginger tablets..
Good luck, I hope something posted is of help to you.
|
lauren
Citizen
Username: Laurengeri
Post Number: 3
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 5:41 pm: |
|
Thank you everyone for your help. I know it will pass soon enough but I'll try whatever I can do get through the next few weeks. Thanks again - I'll be sure to try everyone's advice (maybe the apple pastries too greenthumb!) |
juju's petals
Citizen
Username: Jujus_petals
Post Number: 268
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 5:47 pm: |
|
I was in the same boat with my first pregnancy, especially. Good news is that baby #2, if you can even fathom that now, is a little easier as far as morning sickness goes. In addition to all of the above, I got desperate and would just peel and chew on ginger root. Pretty hot though, so I'd just just bite it and tuck it between my cheek and gum. Kind of like a Prenatal Redman Chew.
I know, it isn't funny.
After whining to my mother about my pathetic natural solution, she sent me a can of the William Sonoma crystallized ginger. Yummy and pretty effective, for about 10 mintues.
Good luck, mama! You will get through it.
|
lauren
Citizen
Username: Laurengeri
Post Number: 4
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 5:55 pm: |
|
Wow - thanks Juju...funny enough (or not)I thought about doing that when I was cutting up the ginger to put in my hot water. Who knows, I may have to! |
Me2
Citizen
Username: Me2
Post Number: 249
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 6:02 pm: |
|
I had terrible nauseau during pregnancy. This is going to sound crazy, but... milkshakes helped me a lot. And, for some strange reason, foot massages also helped; certain pressure points in the feet really lessened the nausea. Good luck  |
ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 2220
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 6:18 pm: |
|
Congrats, Lauren!
Instead of stopping the prenatal vitamins, maybe you should take them before bed, or else with food. I know that the vitamins made me super-nauseated.
Crackers definitely helped, also chocolate-covered pretzels (though that may have been in my mind). Ginger ale is also really good. However, the best advice has already been given: don't let your stomach get too empty.
During my second pregnancy, I staved off all sorts of nausea by snacking on raisins and mixed nuts (the gourmet mix, without peanuts) all day.
Good luck, feel good, and hope the nausea passes soon! It's all worth it. |
MeAndTheBoys
Citizen
Username: Meandtheboys
Post Number: 3976
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 7:23 pm: |
|
Congratulations Lauren.
I hate to do this, but you might also have to be prepared to feel mildly (or more) crappy throughout your entire pregnancy--for every pregnancy. That was where I was at, and I did it three times. Sorry to be the voice of doom, but you might just need to prepare yourself to be miserable for most of the pregnancy. Certainly, I agree that you should try to always have something salty and dry (crackers, pretzels) on hand all the time, but for me all it meant was that I was always eating something, and never really feeling any better. Yeah, after the first trimester it subsided, but it was always kind of there most of the time.
Some women love being pregnant and feel great through the whole thing. Some don't. This idea that it's supposed to be the most wonderful time of your life is not true for every woman (as a matter of fact, a recent issue of Newsweek had a cover and a series of stories on just that subject). It's just a fact, but not one you hear a lot about, until you've been down that road a few times.
Another interesting tidbit of information you may never hear: Breastfeeding is not easy and natural for all women. Doesn't mean you won't have success, but you should prepare yourself for every eventuality, so as to avoid extra, un-needed stress.
Sorry. I'm only telling you these things because I wish someone had told me. Ultimately, it's all good because you end up with an amazingly beautiful little baby in the end. And, FYI, I had no problems birthing or post-partum in terms of coping with the round the clock feedings, etc. Once the baby was out, I was totally fine. My consolation prize, I guess. |
NYC to Maplewood
Citizen
Username: Nyctomwood
Post Number: 39
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 8:28 pm: |
|
Congrats! I agree with ess on the before bed vitamin. That's when I took mine and they never really bothered me. Also, as far as the ginger goes, I think it's only really helpful in it's rawest, most intense form - ginger ale and ginger snaps don't have enough ginger in them to do anything for you. Try doing the raw root like someone suggested or some of those chewy candies they give you in some japenese restaurants (I think they have a decent amount of ginger in them). I found that it did subside considerably after the first trimester - hope that's true for you too! If it's really really bad and includes vomitting, you could talk to your doctor, I think there's something you can take for it. |
Carol Anne
Citizen
Username: Carol_anne
Post Number: 23
Registered: 5-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 8:56 pm: |
|
I changed prenatal vitamins and that helped. I noticed the prenate ultra plus (or something like that) made me REALLY sick. The worst mornings were always after I had taken that the night before.
The other thing that helps me that no one here has mentioned is lemon. I would make lemonade with real lemon juice and a little sugar and it really helped me get through the day. I have even heard of just sniffing lemon as helping.
good luck and may you feel better soon! |
greenthumb
Citizen
Username: Green_thumb
Post Number: 14
Registered: 5-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:10 pm: |
|
Honestly for me, when it was a girl I was horribly sick for the first 4 months (she was worth it, now a teen)and I craved sweets when I could eat and with the boys I didn't even notice I was pregnant (except for the belly growing). My Mom was the same. Anyone else notice anything like this? |
bookgal
Citizen
Username: Bookgal
Post Number: 723
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:12 pm: |
|
Are you actually throwing up? I had hyperemesis. I'd have a tiny breakfast, then throw it back up, snack..throw it up, lunch etc..You basically just throw up constantly all day, every day for many months. I think my record was 20 times in one day. Have they suggested IV supplementation yet? That keeps you hydrated at least and gets some vitamins into you. I couldn't swallow the prenatal vitamins at all or the calcium.I couldn't keep much down until about 5 months. Out of the fruit group - I recommend mangoes:lots of vitamins and not too acidic. Really small portions throughout the day. Ginger snaps helped a bit. Ginger twist herbal tea. Plain toast.Dairy posed a lot of problems. I was able to eat a little Morbier (french creamy cheese). Sorry, it really is a tough time |
CJH
Citizen
Username: Christel
Post Number: 38
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 9:23 pm: |
|
greenthumb, I thought for sure I'd be having a boy the first time because the pretty much the only people I knew who had bad morning sickness had girls and I was blessed not to go through like that. But, it turned out I had a girl.
Since then I've asked around and seen more of a link between what sort of pregnancy your mother had and how yours will go. My mother and grandmother never had morning sickness (my grandmother actually didn't realize she was pregnant for quite a while), and my sister and I were the same way. Though I guess you being sick for one and not sick for the others sort of pokes holes in that theory... |
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 1544
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 10:03 pm: |
|
Pen & Jen's tea salon at the maplewood train stations sells crystallized ginger. |
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 1545
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 10:05 pm: |
|
oops - they also sell Red Rasberry Leaf/Nettle tea - won't help with nausea (that I know of), but it's great to during pregnancy & postpartum (really, all women can benefit) - lots of good vitamins & minerals & yummy too (especially iced)!
Feel better!
DoulaMomma |
akb
Citizen
Username: Akb
Post Number: 430
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 10:21 pm: |
|
I also had hyperemesis throughout each pregnancy. I was hospitalised, had walking IV fluids and meds, phenergan, zofran ... every option for the first 16 weeks pf pregnancy #1. What worked for me was the "bendectin cocktail". Unisom + 50mg B6 twice a day. Google it and talk to your OB but know that it is a real last resort option as it will make you tired and groggy. Once I found it, I didn't deviate for the remainder of that or my successive pregnancies.
If you do have hyperemesis, most of the remedies suggested will not work the way they do for regular "morning" sickness. Keeping something in your tummy, and following a very bland diet helps. Also, bland food hurts less coming up. ;-(
Good luck and do talk to your OB soon. |
mjh
Supporter
Username: Mjh
Post Number: 599
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 7:16 am: |
|
lauren,
Congratulations from me too!
I am so sympathetic, because I remember all too well the 24/7 nausea of the first trimester. I remember a colleague being soooooooooo relieved when I announced that I was pregnant.......She said I looked so ill she thought something was seriously wrong with me!
Sorry to say that nothing really helped, but that magical 12th-14th week was exactly as they kept telling me. All better, felt fine the rest of the pregnancy.
My advice: sleep as much as you can until the first trimester is over. Since you don't have other children, maybe it will be possible for you to be a 12 hr/night sleeper for awhile. That's the only relief I ever had, and I highly recommend it. Also helps in giving you the strength to carry on. |
lauren
Citizen
Username: Laurengeri
Post Number: 5
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 10:08 am: |
|
Thanks everyone for all of your advice. I am not throwing up (which I am thankful for), its just that constant nausea. I've started taking my vitamins at night, that doesn't seem to be helping yet, but I may talk to my dr. and switch to another brand. It seems like a lot of people say that helps. I bought some ginger chews (candy) this morning before work so i'll give those a try too. Really thanks to everyone for all of your information and help - hopefully one of these will work...if not, 4 more weeks until the 2nd trimester so hopefully I'll stop feeling so bad soon! |
Lucy
Supporter
Username: Lucy
Post Number: 4120
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 10:35 am: |
|
Peppermint candy or any hard candy helps with the nausea. Try to take little sips of water with the candy. |
Bklyngirl
Citizen
Username: Bklyngirl
Post Number: 129
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 11:05 am: |
|
Congrats, Lauren!
I had constant morning sickness for the first 3 months with my daughter and until recently with my second pregnancy. It's awful! Like you, I didn't throw up, but the urge was there 24/7. I hit my 12-week mark and it all disappeared. I'm sure this will be the case for you, too.
What aleviated my symptoms were the following:
1. Eating constantly. Avoid going through the day with an empty stomach;
2. Taking my prenatal vitamins at night, right before bed; and
3. Eating stawberries, cherries and/or mango at night.
I don't know why the latter worked, but it did.
Good luck.
bklyngirl
|
Seagull
Citizen
Username: Seagull
Post Number: 114
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 12:10 pm: |
|
Congratulations!
A lot of the things that helped me through the morning sickness have already been listed above. But here's some others that seemed to help me:
- drinking Cranberry juice (I mixed 50/50 with water to keep my calories in check!)
- Vanilla shakes (normally I'm all about the chocolate- but the vanilla seemed to soothe my nausea)
My cousin also found that she couldn't get out of bed until she had one of those breakfast nutritional drinks (the ready-made kind in the can). Her husband would run down and get it out of the fridge for her before she woke up.
It's worth a try!
Don't worry- it'll all be worth it in the long run! |
melicious
Citizen
Username: Melicious
Post Number: 467
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 12:32 pm: |
|
Congrats!!!
Sorry about the nausea, that's the worst.
I had hyperemesis, too, with all three of mine. I lost 30-40 pounds in the first trimester with each - it was ungodly. For nausea, I did the following (hope they help):
1) pick a scent of potpourri or perfume that you can spray on your wrist and smell every once in a while - don't use your usual one, because you will HATE this scent once you return to "normal" It gets associated with nausea.
2) don't take prenatal vitamins, but take [I think its 3-4] Flintstone vitamins throughout the day with meals. Alternately, you can eat dry TOTAL cereal throughout the day - if you have 2-3 servings per day, I think I remember it equalling the prenatals, plus it is very palatable.
3) Cook in the microwave - fewer smells to make you nauseated
4) Ice pops [I did banana froze fruits for nutrition] can keep your blood sugar up and avoid issues.
5) Remember that eating JUST carbs can cause a sugar crash and that makes you feel worse. Try to eat peanut butter or someother tolerable protein with your carbs. That'll keep your blood sugar more constant.
6) Soups like broth with noodles can help too [don't use high-sodium ones, they will make it worse]. Above all, stay hydrated. If you can avoid AVOIDING stuff and stay hydrated, you will feel SOOOO much better.
7) Are you taking the iron supps? They made me so nauseated. Ask your doc if you can get them in another form (the TOTAL has it, I am sure)
I understand Raspberry Leaf tea to be a stimulant of contractions - am I wrong? I was told to avoid it.
Good luck, take care, get rest!!! |
lauren
Citizen
Username: Laurengeri
Post Number: 6
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 1:26 pm: |
|
Wow Melicious - I can't believe how terrible you had it - with all 3 of your children! Now I hate that i'm even complaining!
I had not heard about the Flinstone vitamins - I didnt realize they were Ok to take. I'm not taking the iron supplements either, just my prenatal vitamins.
I have also heard the same thing about Raspberry tea.
Thank you for all of your tips - hopefully one of them will work! |
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 1549
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 2:09 pm: |
|
Hi,
Re. Red raspberry tea:
Certainly we should all do what feels right & safe to us and seek guidance from our care providers, but for your own research, a good source of info to check out is "Wise Woman Herbal For The Childbearing Year" by Susun Weed (no joke - that's her name!), considered a great & reliable go-to text by many midwives & those who work with herbs...specifically p. 9 (list of herbs to avoid) & p.18 red raspberry & other herbs to seek out during pregnancy. The book (small & pinkish) is often available at Whole Foods.
Rasberry tea is not known to stimulate contrax...just the opposite, it is an old-world method of stopping miscarriage (for the small chance that it can be stopped) & is considered a valuable uterine tonic (help improve overall health & tone of uterus) & provides easily usable forms of calcium & iron and many other vit. & minerals. Maybe you're thinking of cohosh or other herbs considered oxytoxic? Also, because women often drink it during labor, it would be easy to interpret that it was being used to help labor along, but it's really just healthy hydration at that point.
If interested in drinking it, the fresher bulk form (like at the tea shop) instead of boxed tea bags is more like getting fresh veggies as opposed to frozen. That said, it's sold at Whole Foods & Kings as "pregnancy tea" & is a bit easier to brew in the boxed form. |
msg
Citizen
Username: Msg
Post Number: 200
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 2:34 pm: |
|
I had luck with apricot nectar and pretzels worked for me. I couldn't stand the smell of fish or roasting meat. I kept peppermints in my pocket and those seemed to work too. Mostly I just sucked it up and said it will be over soon. |
CJH
Citizen
Username: Christel
Post Number: 40
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 2:47 pm: |
|
Just to be clear, isn't there a difference between "red raspberry tea" and "red raspberry LEAF tea"? |
lauren
Citizen
Username: Laurengeri
Post Number: 7
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 3:10 pm: |
|
Wow doulamomma, thanks for all that info. I'll have to check it out! |
doctoralissa
Citizen
Username: Doctoralissa
Post Number: 217
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 3:43 pm: |
|
I too had all day quease last year when pregnant with my son (my first too). I finally happened upon sugarless gum. I chewed it constantly and the quease went away. It really worked (I don't know if sugary would work, I just prefer the sugarless kind). I don't know if it is the chewing keeping saliva in your tum that may be the same as folks are saying about keeping something in your stomach. If you're like me and the quease lasted throughout the pregnancy, rest assured it goes away upon giving birth.
Good luck and ENJOY!
Alissa |
anotherkittie
Citizen
Username: Anotherkittie
Post Number: 53
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 3:51 pm: |
|
Just to add to this huge list of advice for you...
Altoids worked for me. I was queasy during the first trimester and it seemed to "take the edge off".
Congrats and good luck.
|
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 1554
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 4:27 pm: |
|
CJH,
yes - I imagine there is! thanks for straightening that out - I referred to it as RRL in my original post, but shortened in the later post...the tea does not taste like berries at all & is not even red! |
CJH
Citizen
Username: Christel
Post Number: 42
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 4:41 pm: |
|
That's what I was thinking -- I remember a woman I talked to when I was pregnant who had spent months religiously drinking celestial seasonings raspberry tea until her midwife finally explained that she wanted the whole foods type of raspberry leaf tea, since I think the celestial seasonings was the herbal equivalent of having a raspberry snapple (delicious and good for hydration, but I think the benefits just about end there). |
campbell29
Citizen
Username: Campbell29
Post Number: 482
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 8:43 pm: |
|
Salt and Vinegar potato chips - don't know why... Saw it on a website, tried it and it worked. Eat them slowly, one at a time. |
CJH
Citizen
Username: Christel
Post Number: 43
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 9:56 pm: |
|
Oh man, now totally I'm craving salt and vinegar potato chips in the worst way... it's like a Homer Simpson moment, my mouth is actually watering at the thought of them... |
missmelissa
Citizen
Username: Mlmelcher
Post Number: 31
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 9:56 pm: |
|
Congrats Lauren! It really is worth it in the end...I promise!
I was sick from Day 1 to the very end. In fact, I knew I was pregnant because one day I had NO appetite and unfortunately, I still haven't gotten it back and she's more than 1 year old!
I can't offer any new suggestions, but I will second those that helped for me:
1) I also had to give up my prenatal vitamins (with my Dr's counseling)...the iron content was simply too high and throwing up at work daily was not good for me or baby. I tried switching to one with lower iron, but i was still sick. Finally I took 2 flintstones chewables a day and gave birth to a vivacious 9 pound plus baby girl!
2) I HAD to keep a little something in my stomach all day long. For me, the saving grace was Captain's Crunch, but choose any cereal you like. For my fellow commuters, you may remember me as the pregnant lady with the plastic cup of cereal on the 7:02 every morning....otherwise I couldn't make it into the city! I didn't need much, but a 1/2 bowl really helped. I forced myself to eat a little something every 1.5 hours throughout the day...hungry or not. Cerals/grains were best.
As I said, the shocking thing is that after everything you'll be amazed that you'll want another before you know it!
And hopefully you'll be as lucky as me and have a "heavenly baby" to make up for your "hellish pregnancy"!
Good luck and feel better
Melissa (mama to Catie- 14 months)
|
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page