Controlling morning sickness

[Ash]

My partner is in her fourth pregnancy, and this is by far the worst she's had morning sickness. While not actually sick to her stomach she's feeling horrible for about 21 to 22 hours a day. She's at 7 weeks currently.

 

She doesn't want to take the anti-nausea drugs. The doctor suggested Tums Ultra which may help but don't actually address nausea directly. She's trying that starting last night.

 

Any helpful tips or pointers?

 

She doesn't work .. but is likely busier at home and with our super active 16 month old, running the other kids to school, hockey, clas trips, dentist, doing groceries etc (I DO help when I'm home BTW!!) so she can't really sit back and do nothing.

 

I think chocolates are our for Valentine's this year ... she can't stand the thought at present. Tums don't quite have the same appeal ... I wonder if I should cut them into heart shapes ...

[Mythical_Suicide]

Poor girl, I suffered severe Morning Sickness with my pregnancy and I know how bad it sucks. The only things that didnt necessarily ease the morning sickness but helped was eating many small meals throughout the day instead of big meals even though food may be completely appaling to her and eat plenty of saltine crackers. If that doesnt help subside it she may she need to speak with her doctor and see what they suggest. I really hope it doesnt get to it but she may have to take some form of anti-nausea medication, it was the only thing to help me get through the day my entire pregnancy. Hope it ends soon for her and she finds some relief.

[Jetta]

Have eat ginger snaps or add fresh ginger to tea. Ginger calms the stomach down.

[Ash]

Yes, she keeps a box of crackers and some ginger ale beside the bed at night. It doesn't seem to be getting any worse, it's just dragging her down all the time. I've sort of tailed off suggesting things I can get for her to eat as even the thought of many of them turn her stomach. Some of those things were the foods she ate at this point in her last pregnancy.

 

Thanks.

[Ash]

Yes, I should get some ginger tea. She's tried a couple of different types of ginger snaps (some don't actually have much ginger in at all) but is finding crackers work better at the moment.

 

Thanks.

[vandgsmom]

Oh! Sea-Bands were my miracle all 3 times!

 

You can order them online or sometimes at drug stores. They are little braclets that press on the acupressure points on the inner wrist and dispel nausea.

They are called sea-bands because they were made for sailors...

 

I worked with an acupuncturist the last go-round and wore press needles (mini versions of acupuncture needles on a strip of band-aid for long wear) on the same points and it was even more effective, but Sea-Bands are GREAT!

 

link removed

[Ash]

Oh! Sea-Bands were my miracle all 3 times!

 

Thanks, I'll check it out. I haven't heard of them before, but her and I had wondered where the pressure points for helping with nausea might be. I can't even really give her a back/neck/shoulder/hip massage at the moment because it's a bit unsettling to her to be in certain positions.

[rocio]

Having an empty stomach is the worst (which is why it's often worse in the morning). Even if she doesn't feel like eating, she should always have something in her stomach. Citrus smells can help too. Buy her grapefruit-smelling dishsoap and candles. Keep a bowl of citrus fruits on the kitchen counter. She might also like to try visualization (imagining citrus fruits works remarkably).

[rocio]

Oh, and give her lots of hugs. I hope it passes soon!

[annie24]

yeah, try those tips that the ladies here gave you. maybe you shouldn't give her a chocolates for v-day this year. How about something inedible?

[Ash]

Having an empty stomach is the worst (which is why it's often worse in the morning). Even if she doesn't feel like eating, she should always have something in her stomach. Citrus smells can help too. Buy her grapefruit-smelling dishsoap and candles. Keep a bowl of citrus fruits on the kitchen counter. She might also like to try visualization (imagining citrus fruits works remarkably).

 

Actually ... good call. She does like thought of a lemon / honey drink we sometimes have but heartburn is an issue with that. Now that she has the Tums though it may be different. I'll get some citrus fruit (though last night the thought of tropical fruit made her scrunch her nose up, but it's a different mix to some degree).

 

Oh, and give her lots of hugs. I hope it passes soon!

 

I do ... carefully. And cuddles in bed being careful not to put any weight on her tummy. In fact last night I had trouble getting back to sleep before I curled up around her. (Then I think I might have kept her awake a bit as I appear to be catching a cold so that's perhaps not great but she likes the cuddles too).

 

yeah, try those tips that the ladies here gave you. maybe you shouldn't give her a chocolates for v-day this year. How about something inedible?

 

Yeah, I've got something. I sure HOPE she doesn't decide she'd like to chow down on the roses! Thorns could be tricky.

 

Thanks ladies.

[Dilly]

Having an empty stomach is the worst (which is why it's often worse in the morning). Even if she doesn't feel like eating, she should always have something in her stomach. Citrus smells can help too. Buy her grapefruit-smelling dishsoap and candles. Keep a bowl of citrus fruits on the kitchen counter. She might also like to try visualization (imagining citrus fruits works remarkably).

 

I think this might help also! The empty stomach killed me. I usually go for hours on end without eating, but from week 6-15 or so, I had (and still occasionally have) a sense of queeziness.

 

I like the idea of keeping her belly full with anything that she's able to keep down. I did some research on Tums and found that it may cause issues with other electrolytes/ions in the body. i want to say Magnesium.

 

But don't go with my memory, ask the doc.

[Dilly]

You're so sweet to be thinking about V-day tomorrow. Maybe you could make her a card or something instead of all the chocolates. I however was quite able to indulge in my favorate pastime (chocolate) all throughout my pregnancy, just not as crazy about it.

[Ash]

Thanks Dilly. She does try not to get too hungry. She went without eating a little too long a couple of times and really struggled so she does eat crackers quite a bit. We got info from the doctor that she shouldn't take the Tums while on anti-nausea medication (which she isn't at the moment). We'll look into the issue of electrolytes etc.

 

She's actually the scrapbooker, so when I do things like that (make cards etc) I have to be extra sneaky which isn't always easy! Sometimes I just say when I'm doing things the "Now's not the appropriate time of year to be asking that sort of question" which is code for "I'm doing something for you which is a secret". That works. She likes teddy bears so I have one of those for her but I'm also going to try and make up something else as you suggest.

 

Thanks!

[BellaDonna]

For me the only thing that works is Saltine crackers, caffiene free ginger ale with the bubbles stirred out, and ginger decaf tea.

 

If my stomach is too empty I will feel worse, so I try to eat frequent smaller meals. In the beginning I took my prenatals at night before bed because I could not even get them down in the morning. I would keep the crackers near my bedside in case I woke up in the middle of the night nauseous. I would pop a few crackers before I even got out of bed in the morning.

 

Even though my doc said it's Ok" to take Tums or Mylanta. I am avoiding all drugs/chemicals as much as possible. I too have seen some warning against tums on various sites online. I'm sure a couple here and there won't hurt- but taking them in excess can potentially cause problems.

 

It helps to eat really bland foods and not smell anything that is disturbing. For example, my husband knows not to make seafood in the house or I will lose it.

 

BellaDonna

[Ash]

Thanks BellaDonna. That's pretty much what she's like although luckily is not sick to her stomach. She has some sort of crackers she finds agreeable by the bed, and gingerale, but I do want to pick up some ginger tea. We'll also be researching the Tums after what I've read in this thread.

 

That, and see if I can find some of the wrist bands Van mentioned. If the work they sound handy for other things too like motion sickness.

 

Thanks.

[Mythical_Suicide]

Also another she could try that was a lifesaver for me was sour candy. Good Luck to her I hope it doesn't last too long.

[vandgsmom]

Oh, I forgot! One more thing.

 

I got peppermint oil from the Whole Foods store and dabbed a little on my wrists and neck. The smell combined with the effect that the essential oil has always calmed my turbulent tum.

[Ash]

Again, thanks all.

 

We got a pair of the wristbands. They didn't appear to work at first, but she's going to try them some more and see if the position she had them in was off.

 

The citrus and sour candy is something she can't bear the thought of at the moment. I did ask her!

 

Crackers and ginger ale still seems to be the thing. I tried looking for ginger tea and wound up with green tea with ginger (not so great because the green tea has caffeine) and Ginger Aide (also a problem because it has a disclaimer on the box saying that pregnant women shouldn't use it). I'm still looking for another one, I'm sure it's out there.

 

I'll look for peppermint oil.

 

She did say yesterday she's going to try and get on with things despite the ill feeling because she feels bad that it's totally stopped her in her tracks. I sympathize but keep telling her to take things easy. I'm in a bit of a quandry too because I have a bad cold and don't really want her to get it ... but living in the same house it's very hard to not transfer it at some point.

[Mythical_Suicide]

Sour Candy will never be appealing to her as long as shes having morning sickness, i about puked worse when I would taste or smell it at first but as soon as I would suck on like a warhead or something it would ease my stomach.

Hope she gets over the morning sickness soon and you get over your cold oh and she doesnt get the cold.

[scarew]

Ask your doctor about diclectin (its a prescription drug designed for NVP). I still take it because my morning sickness never did pass. I was debilitated though but now its managable. Also, my doctor told me that if the diclectin was still not working I could take the occasional gravol. Other things I did to get through:

 

-Eating soda crackers BEFORE u get up (still lying down in bed)

-Small, frequent meals

-Lots of hubby support

-Loooooooooots of sleep

 

I dont know if ur woman is working or anything right now but I suggest she takes a medical leave of some sort. She needs rest and support! I needed it in my first trimester more than any other time in my pregnancy so far.