Morning Sickness: The Sudden Attack

Assuming it is your first pregnancy, you have probably noticed a few things that have made you suspect you're carrying a little extra cargo below your belt-line. One of the biggest signs of pregnancy is that hideous four-letter word we all hate called morning sickness. Morning sickness is annoying, inconvenient, and incorrect. It can, and probably will, last all morning, afternoon, evening, and night. Whoever came up with the name "morning sickness" has been seriously mislead. Usually morning sickness will end around the start of your second trimester, but some women, myself included, are unlucky enough to be cursed with this madness throughout the whole miserable nine months. Get ready girls, it will get worse before it gets better.

One of the most annoying parts of morning sickness is the suddenness.  If you're a working woman, you have probably experienced that moment behind your desk where you feel just fine, and all of a sudden you're up and running as quickly as your high heels will let you to the bathroom to release your lunch for that day.  We can all agree it doesn't look or taste so good the second time around, and we would all prefer that it just stay right where it's at, and digest just like nature intended.  How convenient, right?

For stay-at-home mothers, it is a little easier to cope with, in that, you're not embarrassed from having to knock over the oncoming mail tray for someone else to clean up, and you're not having to worry about tumbling into your boss's coffee because that pesky high heel suddenly slipped out from under you.  On top of that, you would have to regurgitate precisely when your body wants you to, and since it is difficult to control where it ends up, your boss just might need to go get a new cup of coffee along with a new suit.  When staying at home, at least you can run safely (depending on the cleanliness of your home) to the restroom and hope that you make it to the toilet, with your husband or boyfriend right behind you with a wet washcloth and a ponytail holder at the ready.

It is pretty fun for moms who are in school, too.  Imagine having to jump up in the middle of lecture and run down the hall to the nearest restroom, which is almost too far away, and then coming back and finding dumbfounded looks on all of the faces in the classroom.  Some try to be nice about it and wish you to feel better, while others just stare and judge, because that is just what some people do.  Of course the professor is either going to ask if you're alright, or he is just going to continue on with his lecture as if he never noticed you were gone.

Keep in mind that what works for some may not work for others. It is best to try different things, and find out what is best for you.

• Have some crackers ready. Every night before you go to sleep, get some crackers or chips, just something bland, and set them on your nightstand. In the morning, before you even get out of bed (unless you have to pee of course), eat a few of those crackers or chips, and then lay there for approximately fifteen minutes to let them settle. When you feel you are ready, get up and go eat something for breakfast, but make sure it is bland. And drink some sprite or something similar. Eat in small bites. Too much at once can trigger regurgitation.
• Consistence is key.  Throughout the day, make sure you have something in your stomach at all times.  Keep snacks in your purse.  The less you eat, the more likely you are to throw up.  The second you begin to feel nauseated, head for the snack machine (or pantry if you're at home).
• Prenatal vitamins could be the problem.  Sometimes sickness due to prenatal vitamins can be mistaken for morning sickness if you're having it well into your second and third trimester.  Flintstones vitamins work just as well as regular prenatals.  If that doesn't work, then it is probably still just morning sickness, in which case you can take whichever brand of vitamins you prefer.
• Sleep it off.  Taking naps works wonders for me.  When I wake up, I'm not hungry and nauseated.  Instead I'm just hungry.  Although I have had the occasional night where needing to go throw up actually woke me up from a nice sleep, so don't get your hopes up too high.
• Ginger ale.  I personally have not tried this method, but I have read that it works for some women.  Drink ginger ale or ginger tea, or light some ginger candles or something.
• When all else fails, ask the doc.  At the end of the day, we are just plain sick of being sick, and we want something done about it.  Talking to your doctor about medication options is a great idea if no other method has worked for you.  I finally got fed up with it and my doctor prescribed me Zofran.  There are probably other medications as well, but that is the one I take.  It is wonderful.  I definitely recommend it.