Nausea, crumbs in bed, and free advice

Nausea, crumbs in bed, and free advice

Of course, you are happy...

to be pregnant. In my case, overjoyed. That pregnancy and childbirth are not all sunshine and roses is something you have been prepared for by now. Those subjects are becoming more open and genuine, and taboos are being broken, even by the so-called mother mafia.

I must admit, however, that I secretly assumed that it would not be so bad for me. I thought that happiness would overshadow everything if you want it so badly. A bit sick in the morning? Then I would give myself an extra hour to get going. Tired? I would take a nap, and then it would all look rosy again. All I could think was: it will only be a few weeks. It will surely pass. 

The funny thing is that I really wished I was getting nauseous initially. My midwife asked me if I had any nausea or fatigue when I first called for an appointment. Tiredness, yes, but no nausea at all. Nervously, I waited for the sickness to set in as a kind of confirmation of the pregnancy. A good sign.

Lesson 1: be careful what you wish for. Because when the nausea sets in and you vomit for the first time, it's not long before you've had enough confirmation. And what a bummer it is then to be suddenly surprised by the fact that the first trimester is really not all that rosy and seems to be crawling by.

Be prepared for many different experiences that other mothers will share with you. Where one encourages you that it will be better after 3 months, the other wants to share her own honest experience with you - 9 months of being sick, weak, and nauseous. At first, you cling to every positive story; after 3 months, it will be a lot better. But after hearing many different experiences, you find out that it is personal and, most of all, unpredictable. 

In addition to experiences, you will be inundated with advice. Ginger in tea, biscuits, or smoothie form. Vanilla custard, paprika chips, or oatmeal. Or perhaps a freshly cut lemon slice and chamomile tea. As desperate as you can be, I've started to test out all the advice. And I'm listing the best ones here for you, free and clear. Because you don't get enough advice during pregnancy. ;-)

  • Okugest VSM tablets. This homeopathic medicine is a tip from the midwife - and perhaps the only one that really changed things. You may be a little critical and have your doubts, but try it anyway. Apart from nausea, it also helps against bloating, diarrhea and improves your digestion (because 'hello pregnancy constipation). My number one piece of advice is really Okugest.
  • Put some snacks and drinks next to your bed for the night. At first, I didn't want to give in to it, eating and drinking at night. But it is such a better start in the morning if you have something in your stomach. My favourites: blueberries, grapes or banana and rice cakes or crackers (be prepared to find crumbs everywhere).

  • The tip that everyone gives you is so vital and valid: make sure your stomach is full. Put something in your mouth every two hours. But make sure it is not too much; otherwise, you will get nauseous again. And don't forget to take food with you, because it can sometimes take you by surprise.
  • Dare to say no, take it easy, and don't be ashamed. So cliché, but true. You tell your pregnant friends to take it easy, but you feel like the laziest person on the planet when you just can't get out of bed and want to watch Netflix. But remind yourself; in this case, it's really better to be lazy than tired. If you are tired, nausea will only get worse. So just rest and play the pregnancy card. You only have nine months; you are busy taking care of the baby after that.

  • And my last piece of advice: don't forget your bucket to avoid accidents. Next to my bed, sofa and in the car is a bucket, and it will stay there for a while. Just to be sure.

Do you have any advice for me? Drop them in the comments; who knows, maybe you will come up with the golden tip! Until then, I'll be walking around with my bucket and 7 different crackers.


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