Something every woman with morning sickness should know...
So...this past week, we found out what the sex of our newest addition is going to be...but before I go into what it was and the results I concluded from that, let me tell you a little bit about my previous 3 pregnancies...
#1 - Our eldest is a girl. With her, my morning sickness began right around Week 7...and I pretty well vomited on a daily basis...and often multiple times per day until my sweet husband called the ob-gyn and got a prescription for Promethazine for me (though, even then, I still vomited occasionally). With her, my morning sickness also pretty well last the entire pregnancy. As I recall, I even vomited during the labor/delivery. (I know...pleasant, right?) I was also very limited with what I could eat (mostly I could keep down crackers and breads/sweets...chicken was a BIG no...as were eggs and most other meats). I pretty well lived on tostadas, Subway sandwiches (which I know you're not supposed to have deli meat due to possible listeriosis, but I didn't care), hot sauce, honeybuns, and cereal. I know I also had issues with the smells of pretty much everything (everything smelled absolutely disgusting).
#2 - This one is a boy...and I got pregnant when #1 was only 5 months old. With him, my morning sickness started around Week 7-8...and although I was fairly nauseated the entire first trimester, I don't think I ever actually vomited (though I'm willing to say maybe once/twice...as I might not remember correctly) and don't remember if I took any medication or not (I might have done the half of a unisom with a B6 at night the whole pregnancy...but I don't think I took any of the prescription meds). Again, this time around eggs and chicken smells were disgusting...and I couldn't really stomach them. I lived mainly on Ramen noodles, Spaghetti-O's, Pasta Roni, and cereal for the first trimester. After about Week 16 of the pregnancy, the morning sickness finally started to wear off and I was able to pretty well eat anything I wanted (minus eggs...that was never something I could stomach).
#3 - Another girl. Morning sickness started around Week 7-ish...and was REALLY bad around Week 8. I remember that so vividly because it was Halloween weekend and I literally could NOT answer the door because I was stuck wrapped around the toilet. I want to say that night alone, I probably vomited close to (if not more than) 10 times. Needless to say, Monday morning my husband called in another prescription...this time around, it was Zofran. The Zofran seemed to work for the most part...letting me eat somewhat of a variety of foods...though I generally stuck with my childhood (and not so healthy) favorites (cereal, cheese dip, hot sauce, crackers, Subway, Taco Bell, etc.). As with the others, I wasn't able to eat eggs...and though I was able to wean myself from the prescription meds sometime during the middle/end of the second trimester, I had to continue with the 1/2 unisom and B6 during the entire pregnancy or else I'd get super nauseated and things would start coming back up again.
...and now...#4...
I should remind those who have visited my page (and mention for those who haven't) that between having #3 and becoming pregnant with #4, I learned that my older 2 children have Celiac's disease and, slightly before that, had decided on my own to try out a Paleo diet in order to lose the remaining pregnancy weight I never lost from after having my first (which was about 15 lbs...mainly in the form of the dreaded mommy muffin top). I, as far as I know, do NOT have Celiac's disease. I've never been tested for it...but also have never had any of the symptoms associated with it (diarrhea, stomach pain, constipation, vomiting, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal problems, infertility, skin rashes, etc.). I had decided to go paleo solely to lose the weight...and then stuck with it because it made me feel better (no headaches, no menstrual cramps, better sleep, etc.) and because my children were diagnosed as Celiac about 2 months after I started eating paleo. Anyway...I decided this pregnancy that I'd try to do it at least gluten free if not 100% paleo...1-because I hated the way I'd felt before when I was eating wheat and didn't want to have to re-wean myself again in the future if I could help it, and 2-to see if it would make any sort of a difference in whether or not the child would eventually develop Celiac's disease (basically, I wanted to do everything in my power to prevent/avoid them getting it...though I know they'll still have the genetic predisposition to develop it).
So...back to the subject at hand...about week 8-9, morning sickness finally set in. I was nauseated...but wasn't really having anything come up (like with my son)...and wasn't nauseated ALL day like with all my previous pregnancies. Most of the time, I wasn't nauseated at all...then it would suddenly hit me and, generally, passed within 30 minutes or so. I think I vomited a total of 2 or 3 times during the first trimester (generally after eating bananas)...usually with it being a sudden onset of nausea preceding that, with the whole ordeal ending within the hour. As far as food went, I was able to continue eating eggs and pretty well anything I wanted (which I was totally shocked at)...with the exception that bananas and most fruits smelled sickening to me. I was also able to avoid taking prescriptions...and able to get by with just the 1/2 a Unisom/B6 combo...which I was able to stop taking around Week 16. Cravings were mainly salty/sour...and I was thinking it was a boy due to that, the similarity with the morning sickness to my son, and the fact that things (eggs being the biggest one) stayed down.
I have been able to be gluten free this pregnancy...with a few exceptions that I didn't find out about until (and paid the price for with some unexpected nausea) afterward. I had an ice cream at a restaurant where I went with friends that ended up having a sauce on it that wasn't gluten free (and was severely nauseated and thirsty all that night as a result) as well as some crab meat that, unbeknownst to me, was imitation crab (and had added wheat as a thickener) and, again, I experienced some extreme nausea that night as well. Since those two episodes, I've checked and re-checked everything thoroughly to make sure it's indeed gluten free (I've always done this for my children...but have, in the past, been less strict about it when it came things I was ingesting myself).
Anyway, lo and behold, this one is another girl. I'm excited about another girl. Girls are sweet and awesome and super cute...but I was furious to find out that the simple change of eating a Gluten Free diet could so drastically change how pregnancy/morning sickness affected my body. With this one being another girl, the diet is the ONLY change that could explain how completely different things were this time around. In addition to not being nearly as nauseated as I was with my other girls, I've also slept better, not been as hungry all the time (though I do still get hungry quite a bit, which is absolutely normal), have had better energy levels (though, again, I do still have slumps...which are normal; with my others, I had trouble moving AT ALL), been able to eat what I want when I want, had less weight gain (though not abnormally low weight gain or anything...I eat when I'm hungry and am not actively trying to keep from gaining weight), etc. ...and then for me to think of the hell that I endured during my other girls' pregnancies makes me absolutely livid. I wish I could go back in time and tell my past self that it could've all been avoided by a simple dietary change...and then slap my past self if she refused to listen.
I know I was weak back then. I was one of those people that thought she'd NEVER be able to give up her beloved bread. The thought of even limiting the amount consumed was daunting to me. But, I tell you all now...it would've been worth it if I'd only known about it. So...since I can't go back in time and tell my past self, I'm trying to spread the news by telling the rest of you. Pregnancy (at least the morning sickness aspect) doesn't have to be unpleasant. It doesn't have to mean that you'll be stuck in the bathroom hugging the toilet for the entire night and day because you're too nauseous to move...and can't even get a glass of water or package of crackers on your own. You don't have to lie on the couch wallowing with self pity in between the nausea and/or bathroom trips (which is what I pretty well did with both my first and second). Things can be (relatively) normal and (even) pleasant.
So...if you're pregnant and are one of the 3/4 of women who get morning sickness, know that you're not alone...and that a simple dietary change could save you from months of pain and frustration...not to mention the lack of sleep (if you're one that vomits at night like I did), grumpiness (from feeling horrible...plus the lack of sleep), hate towards your spouse or the baby (let's face it, we've all been there), etc. Even though I know it would be a difficult thing for many of you, it's better to let go of your beloved wheat for a while than to feel like you've got a stomach bug for 3-9 months. Believe me...I've been there.
Wishing you all the best,
Genevieve
#1 - Our eldest is a girl. With her, my morning sickness began right around Week 7...and I pretty well vomited on a daily basis...and often multiple times per day until my sweet husband called the ob-gyn and got a prescription for Promethazine for me (though, even then, I still vomited occasionally). With her, my morning sickness also pretty well last the entire pregnancy. As I recall, I even vomited during the labor/delivery. (I know...pleasant, right?) I was also very limited with what I could eat (mostly I could keep down crackers and breads/sweets...chicken was a BIG no...as were eggs and most other meats). I pretty well lived on tostadas, Subway sandwiches (which I know you're not supposed to have deli meat due to possible listeriosis, but I didn't care), hot sauce, honeybuns, and cereal. I know I also had issues with the smells of pretty much everything (everything smelled absolutely disgusting).
#2 - This one is a boy...and I got pregnant when #1 was only 5 months old. With him, my morning sickness started around Week 7-8...and although I was fairly nauseated the entire first trimester, I don't think I ever actually vomited (though I'm willing to say maybe once/twice...as I might not remember correctly) and don't remember if I took any medication or not (I might have done the half of a unisom with a B6 at night the whole pregnancy...but I don't think I took any of the prescription meds). Again, this time around eggs and chicken smells were disgusting...and I couldn't really stomach them. I lived mainly on Ramen noodles, Spaghetti-O's, Pasta Roni, and cereal for the first trimester. After about Week 16 of the pregnancy, the morning sickness finally started to wear off and I was able to pretty well eat anything I wanted (minus eggs...that was never something I could stomach).
#3 - Another girl. Morning sickness started around Week 7-ish...and was REALLY bad around Week 8. I remember that so vividly because it was Halloween weekend and I literally could NOT answer the door because I was stuck wrapped around the toilet. I want to say that night alone, I probably vomited close to (if not more than) 10 times. Needless to say, Monday morning my husband called in another prescription...this time around, it was Zofran. The Zofran seemed to work for the most part...letting me eat somewhat of a variety of foods...though I generally stuck with my childhood (and not so healthy) favorites (cereal, cheese dip, hot sauce, crackers, Subway, Taco Bell, etc.). As with the others, I wasn't able to eat eggs...and though I was able to wean myself from the prescription meds sometime during the middle/end of the second trimester, I had to continue with the 1/2 unisom and B6 during the entire pregnancy or else I'd get super nauseated and things would start coming back up again.
...and now...#4...
I should remind those who have visited my page (and mention for those who haven't) that between having #3 and becoming pregnant with #4, I learned that my older 2 children have Celiac's disease and, slightly before that, had decided on my own to try out a Paleo diet in order to lose the remaining pregnancy weight I never lost from after having my first (which was about 15 lbs...mainly in the form of the dreaded mommy muffin top). I, as far as I know, do NOT have Celiac's disease. I've never been tested for it...but also have never had any of the symptoms associated with it (diarrhea, stomach pain, constipation, vomiting, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal problems, infertility, skin rashes, etc.). I had decided to go paleo solely to lose the weight...and then stuck with it because it made me feel better (no headaches, no menstrual cramps, better sleep, etc.) and because my children were diagnosed as Celiac about 2 months after I started eating paleo. Anyway...I decided this pregnancy that I'd try to do it at least gluten free if not 100% paleo...1-because I hated the way I'd felt before when I was eating wheat and didn't want to have to re-wean myself again in the future if I could help it, and 2-to see if it would make any sort of a difference in whether or not the child would eventually develop Celiac's disease (basically, I wanted to do everything in my power to prevent/avoid them getting it...though I know they'll still have the genetic predisposition to develop it).
So...back to the subject at hand...about week 8-9, morning sickness finally set in. I was nauseated...but wasn't really having anything come up (like with my son)...and wasn't nauseated ALL day like with all my previous pregnancies. Most of the time, I wasn't nauseated at all...then it would suddenly hit me and, generally, passed within 30 minutes or so. I think I vomited a total of 2 or 3 times during the first trimester (generally after eating bananas)...usually with it being a sudden onset of nausea preceding that, with the whole ordeal ending within the hour. As far as food went, I was able to continue eating eggs and pretty well anything I wanted (which I was totally shocked at)...with the exception that bananas and most fruits smelled sickening to me. I was also able to avoid taking prescriptions...and able to get by with just the 1/2 a Unisom/B6 combo...which I was able to stop taking around Week 16. Cravings were mainly salty/sour...and I was thinking it was a boy due to that, the similarity with the morning sickness to my son, and the fact that things (eggs being the biggest one) stayed down.
I have been able to be gluten free this pregnancy...with a few exceptions that I didn't find out about until (and paid the price for with some unexpected nausea) afterward. I had an ice cream at a restaurant where I went with friends that ended up having a sauce on it that wasn't gluten free (and was severely nauseated and thirsty all that night as a result) as well as some crab meat that, unbeknownst to me, was imitation crab (and had added wheat as a thickener) and, again, I experienced some extreme nausea that night as well. Since those two episodes, I've checked and re-checked everything thoroughly to make sure it's indeed gluten free (I've always done this for my children...but have, in the past, been less strict about it when it came things I was ingesting myself).
Anyway, lo and behold, this one is another girl. I'm excited about another girl. Girls are sweet and awesome and super cute...but I was furious to find out that the simple change of eating a Gluten Free diet could so drastically change how pregnancy/morning sickness affected my body. With this one being another girl, the diet is the ONLY change that could explain how completely different things were this time around. In addition to not being nearly as nauseated as I was with my other girls, I've also slept better, not been as hungry all the time (though I do still get hungry quite a bit, which is absolutely normal), have had better energy levels (though, again, I do still have slumps...which are normal; with my others, I had trouble moving AT ALL), been able to eat what I want when I want, had less weight gain (though not abnormally low weight gain or anything...I eat when I'm hungry and am not actively trying to keep from gaining weight), etc. ...and then for me to think of the hell that I endured during my other girls' pregnancies makes me absolutely livid. I wish I could go back in time and tell my past self that it could've all been avoided by a simple dietary change...and then slap my past self if she refused to listen.
I know I was weak back then. I was one of those people that thought she'd NEVER be able to give up her beloved bread. The thought of even limiting the amount consumed was daunting to me. But, I tell you all now...it would've been worth it if I'd only known about it. So...since I can't go back in time and tell my past self, I'm trying to spread the news by telling the rest of you. Pregnancy (at least the morning sickness aspect) doesn't have to be unpleasant. It doesn't have to mean that you'll be stuck in the bathroom hugging the toilet for the entire night and day because you're too nauseous to move...and can't even get a glass of water or package of crackers on your own. You don't have to lie on the couch wallowing with self pity in between the nausea and/or bathroom trips (which is what I pretty well did with both my first and second). Things can be (relatively) normal and (even) pleasant.
So...if you're pregnant and are one of the 3/4 of women who get morning sickness, know that you're not alone...and that a simple dietary change could save you from months of pain and frustration...not to mention the lack of sleep (if you're one that vomits at night like I did), grumpiness (from feeling horrible...plus the lack of sleep), hate towards your spouse or the baby (let's face it, we've all been there), etc. Even though I know it would be a difficult thing for many of you, it's better to let go of your beloved wheat for a while than to feel like you've got a stomach bug for 3-9 months. Believe me...I've been there.
Wishing you all the best,
Genevieve
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