No one told me morning sickness would be like this. Or maybe they did and I didn’t listen. Maybe I was too hopeful it wouldn’t happen to me.
Or maybe not enough women share how it really is.
My intention with this post is not to scare anyone. Many women sail through the first trimester. Some have a few bad mornings, some a couple of bad weeks.
But for some of us the first trimester (and onwards) is a 24-hour challenge where we sleep, vomit, cry, sleep, vomit and repeat.
I’m writing this post for women like me.
Because many of us suffer in silence during those anxious first weeks. We tell no one how bad our pregnancy sickness is because most people don’t even know we’re pregnant.
We struggle with the guilt of not being grateful enough that we’ve been blessed with a baby. We spend our days simultaneously wishing for the little one to be fine and praying this torture will end.
It’s a lonely and isolating experience for these women and I was one of them.
I wanted to share how I struggled with morning sickness so others know they are not alone. I want to say it does pass (for some sooner rather than later) and we’ve got this. But let’s get real about how gross it really is.
(Update February 2020: This post is about pregnancy sickness – not HG – as I was very lucky that the symptoms mentioned below didn’t last my full pregnancy. I wrote this post in 2018 at 15 weeks pregnant when I was just starting to feel more normal. By 17 weeks I felt well enough to fly to a conference in Vegas. All your comments and support for each other on this post have been amazing. I hope the morning sickness passes for you as quickly as it did for me. I’ve got everything crossed for you.)
My Experience Of The First Trimester – Morning, Noon and Night Sickness
Whoever decided to call these symptoms morning sickness must be some kind of joker.
For me, morning sickness begun in week 6 with a little nausea in the morning. Great, I thought confidently, I can handle this. Then came the vomiting in week 7, the 24-hr sickness in week 8 and eventually a non-stop yuckiness that lasted well into week 14.
I barely left the house for 7 weeks. I had to cancel work, social plans and a trip to Bali as most days I was too flat or nauseous to move further than the sofa.
If this all sounds a little dramatic let me share with you the one photo I have from this period. It was taken on the day of the latest royal wedding when – almost 8 weeks pregnant – I tried to ambitiously conquer the dual tasks of washing my hair and changing the bed sheets. (Just for Meghan and Harry!)
At 3pm I managed 1 out of 2 things. By 3.45pm my husband found me here. I remained in this position for a further 2 hours.
Weeks 7 to 9 of the pregnancy is when morning sickness was the worst for me. During these weeks, I was lucky if I could swallow a rice cracker by 7pm and wash myself by 10pm.
I spent a lot of that time staring at a blank wall or sleeping as this was the only relief. Looking at a screen gave me motion sickness, climbing the stairs made me retch, and watching the TV was fraught with issues such as adverts for KFC that had me spewing into the sink. (The same advert got me twice in 1 week!) In all honesty, I was incredibly miserable and didn’t know what to do with myself apart from hide away and wallow in it.
By week 10 I started to leave the house but only to go to the supermarket in the hope of finding something I hadn’t already vomited. Just walking around the aisles though was a precarious mission, often involving dry retching and not always ending with me coming home with shopping.
One particularly memorable morning I dragged myself to a nearby Kmart for some maternity leggings and ended up bent over a drain on the high street dry heaving as people dodged around me. I was so dizzy I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get the tram home again. I stayed crouched in a back street eating dry crackers for what felt like ages and then eventually began the nauseous journey home empty-handed. After that I only went out for doctor’s appointments and even then I often puked in my mouth or burped so loudly in the street that old ladies gave me evils.
Not exactly the glowing pregnancy I’d dreamed of!
For those of you who aren’t self-employed I honestly don’t know how you do it. I felt like a vile monster for weeks and couldn’t trust my body in public. I burped so frequently I didn’t even bother apologising. And don’t get me started on constipation….
Photo by Vítor de Matos on Unsplash
Food, Smell and House Aversions
The smell of my house still makes me feel sick. I think I spent so long in it puking that the once comforting smell of our home now brings on a bout of nausea. The open plan living/kitchen area is the worst offender, I cannot step in it without retching.
My poor patient husband is also on the aversion list – one time trying to comfort me with a hug only to be told, “I don’t like the smell of your head.” My sense of smell was so supersonic I could tell him what he ate for lunch as soon as he entered the room and when he had the audacity to eat garlic mayo with his chips one lunchtime I had to request he sleep in the spare room that evening. (He declined, quite fairly, but we slept facing opposite directions as the lingering odour made me heave.)
In all fairness, Justin has kindly stepped up in all sorts of ways, even when I made it less than easy. The ‘bread incident’ will forever more be a shining example of how much this man loves me. It’s a long story but in short, he was sent out for a loaf, came home with the one that wasn’t in my head and was greeted with an avalanche of tears and sobs that went something like ”I don’t want to be this person but it’s the wrong bread and now I can’t eat my sandwich.” Realising there was no sense to be seen by me, the legend went back out to the supermarket and Facetimed me from the bread aisle so I could choose the loaf I had imagined. How romantic.
Exceedingly British Cravings
I don’t know why I had cravings in the 1st trimester as the enjoyment receptors between my mouth and brain didn’t seem to be working – what little food I managed wasn’t enjoyable.
For some reason though that didn’t stop me craving things and unfortunately all I wanted was my favourite foods as a kid growing up in England. Items that aren’t so easy to come by in Melbourne!
Suddenly, I wanted beans on toast, ham and cheese toasties and egg mayo sandwiches – but only how my mum makes them – hence the aforementioned sobbing. I dreamt of Pret, daydreamed about Angel Delight and at one desperate moment went onto the British Corner Shop website and put $150 worth of crisps in a basket. (I would have ordered them had it not occurred to me I risk puking it all up and putting my favourite foods on the aversion list.)
I think most husbands accept that they may have to make late night dashes for pregnant wives wanting ice-cream. I wanted my poor partner to fly to the other side of the world and buy everything I ate between 1990 and 2013!
What Helped My Morning Sickness – Drugs & Time
I appreciate I am lucky I was never hospitalised with pregnancy sickness. I did become quite dehydrated during the worst of it but managed to keep just enough liquids down in order to not need medical intervention.
My doctor did prescribe me anti-nausea meds called Maxolon but they only worked on the days I didn’t puke them. Puking them was a spectacularly vile experience, not sure what’s in them but it tastes like pure acid coming back up, plus keeping them down caused me drowsiness. So I took them sparingly. Most days I just tried to grit my teeth and not have my husband divorce me.
(I’ve read more positive reviews of Zofran wafers so ask your doctor for help – repeatedly – if you’re struggling. I should have gone back and asked for something other than Maxolon but I didn’t have family nearby and never had the energy to drag myself back to the doctors.)
I write this now – at just over 15 weeks pregnant – and would say on a scale of 1 to vom I’m hovering at a 6. Yesterday was an 8 so there is improvement. Eating is still a struggle but not eating makes things uglier. I’m taking little trips out of the house – coz it stinks! – and survived a whole hour in a café working on this. That, my friends, is pure progress.
What Didn’t Work – ALL Other Things
Over the last few weeks I’ve googled the sh*t out of morning sickness remedies and I’m sorry guys but I can’t say any of them helped me.
Every woman is different but I promise you I tried everything I read and still I remained vomiting sloth monster.
Seasickness bands, ginger tablets, ginger teas, ALL ginger things, vitamins, fresh air, eating dry crackers/biscuits first thing, eating small meals regularly… you get the drift.
Time really is the best medicine and, as each day I get a little less exhausted and the retching is a little less frequent, I see remnants of the old me and feel more positive about the whole thing.
I Know It Could Be Worse
I hope my whining does not offend those who would kill to be in this position – my intention is certainly not to hurt anyone by sharing my experience. I understand and acknowledge that as someone who has not suffered serious complications that I am one of the lucky ones in the grand scheme of things.
I also want to salute, as I did in my last post, all the women who suffer from severe morning sickness known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). I cannot imagine what a mammoth feat getting through 9 months of sickness must be for these women. I hope they are getting the support and care they need.
If you are or have been suffering from non-stop morning sickness lets wallow with each other and celebrate the moment when it eases. Remember that ‘this too will pass’ and soon you’ll be a mama!
Further reading:
HER Foundation for HG education and research
The book I’m reading in the first pic is How To Grow A Baby & Push It Out!
And this post by Not Another Mummy Blog, which gave me the courage to share my experience. “Let’s start being more honest about how tough it can be. It’s possible to admit to feeling rancid, low, knackered and washed out but still be 100% grateful to be pregnant.”
You may also like:
2nd trimester pregnancy diary – Scans, flights & a move overseas
Thoughts on becoming a first-time mum
Newborn baby shopping list: Essentials for the first few months
More post like this should exisit. I suffered HG for both of my pregnancies for the full 9 months. I lost friends cause i couldn’t live the house and I dragged my ass to work each day to make sure we got paid.
Pregnancy sucks but I love my girls. I asked my husband if we could have a third the other week and he looked at me the other day and so are you stupid.
Oh Bree! I’ve only had a taster the last few months of what you must have been through and can’t believe you’ve been champion enough to do it twice already! I actually started feeling guilty on my worse days as I didn’t think I would be strong enough to give this baby a sibling – which is pretty dark and getting way ahead of myself. I also think enough isn’t said about how hard partners struggle with feeling unable to help. I saw this beautiful photo on facebook the other day of a husband beaming at his wife after the birth of their son and him explaining that it had been 9 months since he saw his wife smile and that was what made the moment so special.
Honestly what sucks is when all of this makes you bae your eyes out and even that makes the nausea worse so you can’t even find comfort in crying. There are many times I just want to give up and really feel like I can’t go on. I don’t know how I’ve made it this far I’m almost 12 weeks. I know I’m going to love my baby but in terms of pregnancy itself, I hate it.
Going through the same. I have the craziest aversions, but the worst one right now is the smell of the house (my bedroom being the smelliest), to the point where I want to leave, but where would I go?
I 100% don’t think I could do this again, and my partner wants a 2-3 kids… I’m struggling with being grateful and happy because I’m in such agony. I’m only at the start of my 10th week and I hope I’m lucky and it stops soon because I can’t imagine doing this for even one more day.
Loved this! Made me laugh out loud in-between my lovely waves of nausea… thankfully I don’t have actual sickness just a feeling of being super hungover all day and night long but without any of the fun Xx
There’s nothing less fun than nausea! So sorry you are going through this! You’re so right about the super smell, though – I busted out laughing at your “the smell of your head” comment. Right now I can’t stand the smell of my house slippers. My husband insists he doesn’t smell anything and I’m convinced that the smell of them should have everyone running from the room.
Hahaha I am super sensitive to everything from my slippers to the sink so I completely understand how you feel. Hope this super power wears off soon!
I’m feeling like I can’t cope anymore. I’m so weak and drained from not eating . I’m in bed 24/7 . I’m 11 weeks and it just seems to be getting harder . I don’t spend time with my 5 year old anymore because I just can’t. I don’t have the strength. I’m totally lost and I feel I can’t do this anymore.
I’m 16weeks and still struggling with morning sickness, smells and throwing up.. It’s really hard
Hi Julie, I know how you feel. I’m 11 weeks & 1 day (not counting)! I have severe morning sickness at the moment too. I have a 3 year old son and I know exactly where you’re at. Everything is a complete struggle.
I feel like I can’t do this anymore either and I’m almost 12 weeks! It’s so hard. I miss myself!!
I remember that sentiment so clearly – you forget what it’s like to feel normal! Hope you wake up one day soon and discover the old you x
I’m sorry you’re going through this too. I’m selfishly crying reading these comments, because you’re all further along than I am and still sick and that really scares me. I don’t know how I can make it through the next day. I’ve lost muscle and can’t even go for a walk because I’m so nauseous. I hope it eases for everyone on here soon.
Today going outside made me throw up. (the only reason i went outside was because i had to take my 5yr old to school.
All i could smell was dog poo everywhere, i couldnt see it but i could smell it!! I was heaving in the gutters. Lucky i bought a water bottle.
I have put all hubbies shoes in a box and sealed them. No onion is to be chopped in the house.
I am living off hot chips, and dry crackers.
8weeks along 4th pregnancy.
Morning sickness struck at 5wks.
My first pregnancy i could move off the couch, i couldnt go into my favourite grocery store at it would trigger me. I remember at 19weeks along coming home from my first day back at work and eating a delicious chicken soup. Only to throw it all back up in the sink. 🙁
I feel your pain that’s what I’m dealing with does it ever end ??
It does – the minute the baby comes out haha. In all honesty I felt much better by week 17 but not entirely quease-free until I gave birth. I’ve been making up for it with a voracious appetite ever since!
Thank you so much for writing this. I’m currently 9 weeks and have been struggling since week 5. I have a couple of good days followed by a couple of bad days but the bad days are getting worse every time. Yesterday I didn’t get out of bed, eat or drink until 7pm. Fortunately I’m not being physically sick but the 24/7 nausea is really wearing me down, especially as only 2 people know we’re pregnant and I don’t want to just moan to them all the time. I am so grateful to have conceived easily, but I didn’t expect this to be so hard. Currently feel like a husk of my self…all my personality, enjoyment and motivation has gone and all that’s left is extreme nausea and fatigue. And agree with the self-employed part…I used to teach and I have no idea how I would do that job now, my husband has been amazing as we work together he’s picking up the slack, but I feel even he is starting to lose sympathy…the absence of vomit seems to make it much harder to empathise with. And don’t get me started on the smells of his cooking, almost enough to make me ask for a divorce while trying to nibble a dry jacobs cracker!! Counting down to second trimester, but like so many other comments I’m so scared this is going to last so much longer than the “average 12-14 weeks”.
Hello,
It was nice to read your experience and the replies from all the women that are or have been through this. It’s the 23 week for me and I still suffer from vomiting and feeling nauseated all day long. The good part is that since last week the vomiting is now coming every 2 days. Hopefully, this will eventually go, although I have been preparing mentally for having to endure this for the next 9 months.
For me the worst part is that the nausea often comes with involuntary peeing. And that means that I had accidents in public bathrooms that I had to manage somehow and, gladly, have a husband that helps me through and takes me quickly back home to change.
I completely understand the feeling of wanting this to end. It really can affect you to the point that there are days you feel so down, you really don’t know what to do. Nothing works for stopping it. I had Izofran, but my gynecologist told me that I should only have it on the worst days, which meant more than 3 times vomiting. It worked, but it is not something you could take every day.
My husband and I wanted this baby for a long time. We even had to do an in vitro treatment for our baby to happen, so we are really happy. For that reason I can truly understand that loving your baby and enduring this symptoms are two completely separate set of feelings.
For all the women our there that experience this and more (some of us get candida during the second trimester, so it could get really challenging to do anything if it means that you have to leave the house), I hope you get to read all the experiences you can and know that you are not alone, that pregnancy can be really shitty and that in spite of all that, you can not wait to have your baby in your arms and to look back at this experience and, hopefully, be able to share it so that we can help women that are going through this and give them strength on the days that emotionally and physically gets the worse of you.
Oh my God, I hear ya!
First off, congratulations… and just remember, at least there’s an end to it.
Your account sounds just like my experience, although I had the joy of it all coming back at 24 weeks and had the voms till the end (along with every other bloody preggo ailment in the book). And even though I was self-employed I had a few clients and had to struggle through working until 36 weeks. After the second baby (yes, I thought it wouldn’t be so bad second time around… it was) I vowed never again!
Oh no that does not sound like fun – that surprise return of the voms at 24 weeks would have done me in! Well done you for going back for round two 😀
Thank you for this article. It makes me feel that im not alone & what im going through is normal. Im 8 weeks into my pregnancy & every point that you mentioned was spot on. Looking at food adverts on TV, even the smell of my favourite blanket, room/house turns me off. Im hyper sensitive to any kind of smell/scent right now, struggling with my diet daily. Couldn’t get myself out to work nor out of my house door. Hope everything will pass soon for me. And i wish you all the best with your newborn.
Hi Hazel, I totally feel for you as those early weeks can be a real struggle! In my case the worst of the sickness did eventually pass and I hope it does real soon for you too. It all becomes a distant memory when you have a baby to cuddle. Best of the luck with the rest of your pregnancy. Take care of yourself x
I’m so glad I read this. Although it may sound sadistic to find joy knowing others have suffered… I am 9 weeks pregnant after years of miscarriages and I know I should be overjoyed beyond belief but morning sickness has made it impossible.
I have tried every thing under the sun. I am taking Zofran but it only works sometimes. When I’m not hugging the toilet I am crying, when I am not crying I am dispising the smell of everything and everyone!
Thank you for your encouragement. I will remind myself that THIS WILL PASS!
Aw Alina, I wrote this precisely because I was looking for people in the same boat when I was struggling. I remember so well the tears, the toilet hugging, the way the smell of literally everything is repulsive. I hope it provides some comfort to you to know I feel your pain and that it does go away. Hold on in there and take it easy on yourself. Sending lots of nausea-free vibes xx
I’m 6 weeks and have been feeling awful since 5 weeks. Helps a bit to know I am not alone. I just want to live in bed but I can’t….so hard. I want to feel like myself again.
Thank you so so so much for writing this article. To talking to friends and reading the stuff online made feel weak, like maybe i am over reacting and mostly disappointed in myself for not being able to cope as well as what (till now) felt like every women on the planet.
I am 6.5 weeks and the last 8-10days have been a quick evolution of what you speak about. I am not vomiting but nausea to the nines, blood hounds smell reflexes and that quick heart beat and sweats simular that before throwing up but instead i do a number two:( … i am truly happy i am baking this lil nugget of joy. But, like you i am self employed and have stopped operations till I’m feeling better. Sending a massive hug to all you lovely ladies out there.
Xx
I completely understand where you are coming from! I was so surprised at how bad I felt as I didn’t know anyone else who had a similar experience. Hope you feel better soon. Sending lots of hugs and sick-free vibes 😀
I was so happy to find this post! Thank you for writing this. I’m really in the exact same situation as you with all that you’ve been feeling plus I am self employed and work from home. I’m currently ten weeks and just struggling hard. And I feel so guilty because I think of those women who have to go into work each day or even worse as you say, the poor women who suffer through with HG. While, I’m able to stay at home and work if I can, but mostly I’m too sick to move. I barely keep up with the house work. My husband is being so patient but I can’t help feeling useless and pathetic as I’m in a good situation to be dealing with this but I hate it and feel downright miserable. I was so excited to be pregnant, and can’t wait to meet my little one, but really did not expect this. It has been the longest 10 weeks of my life! Anyway reading this made me feel not alone, and has reminded me that this is not forever. I hope all is going well with your pregnancy, best of luck for your families future! For now I am just counting down the days till the second trimester!
Hang on in there Zoe! I felt so rough until about 16 weeks and at the time they felt like the longest 16 weeks of my life. Now I have a 9 week old son and can honestly say it was all totally worth if, even if certain foods still turn my stomach. I totally tested my husband’s patience too but perhaps we can call it training to be a parent haha. I hope you wake up sickness free soon 😀
I actually cried reading this article because a) hormones and b) that picture of you on the bed is EXACTLY me every time I try to wash my hair lol. I thought I was honestly going crazy or just being a super wimp with how awful I feel. People do pregnancies all the time and survive it and I don’t hear from them, right?! So thanks for being open and honest with how you felt, I really needed to hear it. Week 10 now and praying it doesn’t last much longer… Much love and I hope you’re enjoying all your time with your little one now!
Thanks so much for your comment Janey. It’s nice to hear from people who feel the same as I did as at the time I knew no one else who got it so bad. It’s funny how time seems so slow when you’re struggling with morning sickness and yet seems to fly by so fast when the little one arrives. Go easy on yourself and keep reminding yourself it will end (through the tears – I had many of them too!).
UGH! The relevance in all these including my poor husband’s odor! I think there’s something about our house too that makes my nausea worse. I remember going to visit my family and not experiencing any of these morning sickness at all. Now I’m asking my husband if I could go back and stay there for a while but he can’t bear the thought of me leaving, even when I told him being beside him also makes me sick (no offense babe). Besides all this, it’s a three-hour drive away. He feels it’s his responsibility to take care and watch over me and that’s all right BUT I JUST WANT TO FEEL OKAY! I am so sick and over being so sick. I haven’t done a pregnancy test yet but I’m already experiencing everything and I just know I’m pregnant because I missed my period last month…so I’m probably around 5 weeks now. I’m praying it doesn’t get worse and the thought of going through this for another 8 weeks (56 days) is already driving me nuts.
I can’t hold any food down and everything that goes in eventually comes out the next 5 minute. I’m hoping to test those sea bands and vitamin supplements to see if it works…and I HOPE IT WORKS ON ME. I can already feel I’ve lost a considerable amount of weight.
This is my second pregnancy, the first having resulted in a miscarriage at 3 months, and I’m already missing classes in uni for a degree I’m pursuing and all of this including assignments I haven’t done and those I’ve missed is making things even more worse, especially when it’s my final year.
All in all I can only salute mothers who’ve gone through this situation and still went on to have more children. I think I’m drawing my line with this one. No more! (But then hey, husband might have other plans. He’s told me he wanted to be like Abraham in the Bible who fathers a nation. Poor me. I can barely hold myself together for one. That is just a big NO, NO)
I really appreciate this post! I’m in my second pregnancy and after having no morning sickness the first time, the severity and duration of morning sickness with this pregnancy has been very unexpected. Other than knowing of HG, I didn’t realize it could be so difficult! I agree that not enough people talk about the experience (and none of those traditional remedies help). I can relate to a lot of what you wrote, down to the smell of my house putting me off and craving foods I haven’t had since I was a kid. I’ll be in my 16th week tomorrow and while the nausea has been less severe since the 12th week, it’s still a 24/7 struggle. I feel guilty for being too sick to be very excited about the pregnancy and for my lack of productivity. I keep thinking that any week now I’ll feel better and it’s discouraging when it doesn’t come and worries me that it will last the whole 9 months. Anyway, misery loves company, so thanks for your post!
Love your last line! ‘Misery loves company’ is exactly why I wrote this post, it def helps to have others to wallow with! It must have been quite a surprise to feel so ill second time around when you were ok with your first – perhaps it is better this way though as I’m quite apprehensive about going for a second round when I struggled so much first time! Hang in there though, week 17 was definitely the game changer for me and by week 20 the sickness was bearable enough for us to move house – from Australia to the UK. I can also tell you the satisfaction of having your first meal after giving birth – and actually enjoying it – is off the scale!
Thank you for this article! I’m 12 weeks into my first pregnancy and I never expected the mental struggle of severe nausea. Losing weight and having people give advice like ‘you’ve just got to try and eat’ like I’ve been purposefully starving myself or ‘have you tried toast?’. I have spent weeks scrolling online trying to find anything to help me feel even mild nausea so food and water wasn’t a constant battle. I don’t know what I would do without my amazing husband who is so patient as I struggle each day to leave bed or do any menial tasks for myself. It’s comforting at least to know I am not a failure, someone who is weak or just sooky compared to other pregnant mums who manage.
How are you now Adriana?
Thanks so much for this article. I read it in a public place and wish to God I hadn’t as I was bawling throughout thinking “she knows, thank God someone knows…” The term morning sickness is so trivialising to what is an all day and all night experience of nausea, vomiting and general hideousness. I’ve developed an aversion to certain streets and hotels where I have stayed for work and can’t walk by them without retching in the street; the other day I had to jump out of a taxi mid-retch to avoid getting myself a fine! You really hit the nail on the head when you said how alone you felt. A baby is something made by two people and yet only one of you is going through the sickness, the bloating and the other distressing symptoms. It can be so isolating for the person carrying the baby and their helpless partner who has no idea what to do to get you feeling right again bar buying your favourite bread (white sourdough for me please) and doing crazy hunts for travel sickness bands! I have found a swimmers nose clip around the house to be very helpful in addition to the usual things plus medication.
This has given me life. 8 weeks – nothing helps. I am living on zooper doopers. Was so glad to read that someone else craved all the foods they ate as a child. For me the nausea started about a month ago and the vomiting ramped up about two weeks ago. I feel so emotionally exhausted that I’m not sure how I will find the energy to do another month and there are no guarantees it will start to ease up. Nevertheless, I guess I just have to persist. Thanks for the post, it was far more helpful than anything else I have read on the internet.
Hi Elyse, I too am reading this quite recently and have all the struggles. I just want to say with tears in my eyes, you have got this!!
This is exactly how I am feeling right now, I am 9 weeks 5 days now . Have been experiencing nausea and vomiting since week 6 . Everyone tells me it will ease once I reach the 3 month mark , but I feel like it won’t . Some days I wish I had at least 1 hr where I didn’t feel like what I am feeling right now . One hour to be in someone else’s shoes so that I can eat something solid finally , or look at the world differently.
I know exactly how that feels, the days are so long and the weeks even longer. I know some people feel a lot better around week 12, for me it was about week 17 that I just woke up one day and felt more like the old me. Hold on, you’ll get there too!
How are you feeling now?
It is such a relief to read this! I’m finally feeling understood. It’s funny and ironic really (as I’m a psychotherapist) to think that I’d have plenty of people around me who are empathetic – erm, no! I think the prospect of seeing me so helpless, exhausted, fed up and out of control is so shocking to my friends, family (and clients!), that no one really knows what to do with me!
So here is a term I picked up from Sex and the City. It’s definitely not morning sickness, but “mourning sickness.” You are mourning the life you used to have. I used to CrossFit 5 times a week, eat healthy, be super active and enjoy my life. I’ve kissed all that goodbye for now. I am 12 weeks pregnant and my symptoms don’t look like they are going away anytime soon. So I have had every pregnancy symptom known and apparently some new ones too! Apart from the nausea and throwing up 4 times a day, Food aversion, heartburn, metal mouth, supersonic smell and severe bloating – I developed symptoms where I would feel like I was running a high fever (but I didn’t and all my results were normal). I also knew it wasn’t psychological. My worst nightmare was when I had to run out in the middle of a session to throw up. My poor clients were so concerned! Another where I threw up before I could reach the bathroom, peed my pants as I was retching and attempted to stop my dog from licking all the vomit. I honestly sometimes feel like I have PTSD from the first trimester and I’m really hoping I will just be able to eat so I regain some energy.
Thank you for writing this. Your post shower picture on the sheets is me everyday. I can’t stand and shower anymore as I am so tired. And to torture myself more, I’ve started watching the current season of Masterchef Australia. Haha, this is just to tell myself that the next time I get to go outside and enjoy a beautiful plate of food – to relish it, not take it for granted and never ever complain about it!
Thanks so much for your honesty and believe me I totally feel your pain. If it makes you feel any better I had a cringe experience in a hotel in Vegas where I retched so hard I weed all over the bathroom floor! No mentions these might be the consequences of getting pregnant (I wonder why, ha!) but thankfully they do go away. You’re brave watching Masterchef 😛 On the upside I can promise you that the first meal you eat after giving birth – even if it’s horrible hospital food – will taste like the best things you’ve ever eaten!
Wow. This article is genuinely the best thing I’ve read about pregnancy in general and nausea and day sickness (I refuse to call it morning sickness, that’s just mean) specifically. I laughed out loud through it all, especially the husband comment and the inability to do anything. I’m 8 weeks pregnant with my first, thank G-d, deliriously happy, scared and very very nauseous. I felt mildly nauseous from week 4, it intensified by week 5 and I vomited for the first time in week 6. Oh, just twice a week, I can handle that, I thought. But by week 7 it was already more than that and I’ve vomited yesterday and today. The annoying thing is I ordered Preggy Pop Drops because I’d heard they help (after trying toast, crackers, pretzels, rice cakes, applesauce, ginger, ginger tea, mint tea, ginger lemon tea with real grated ginger, candied ginger, ginger ale real and fake, seltzer, mint chewing gum and throwing in the towel and eating real food, which surprisingly does NOT always get vomited!) so I excitedly ate a pretty pop sucking candy, then nibbled on some pretzels with peanut butter, then sucked on another preggy pop drop. About an hour later it’s all out of my body including preggy pop juices – so much for that- and I’m too scared to consume anything but water. Although that makes me vomit as well. The worst is vomiting up stomach acid. I also stopped taking my prenatal as it makes me sick- I ordered a new one but I’m afraid it will also nauseate me so haven’t taken it yet. I read that preggy pops don’t have research backed evidence that they work so I’m disappointed. I didn’t think of researching them before because they said doctor approved and I was so hopeful! Oh well. Disappointing waste of $5 for some candy. So now I have to just get through the day.
It’s so comforting to know there’s other women out there going through the same thing. My friend reminded me it’s not a disease (though it can feel like one!) and to focus and thank G-d because it is a beautiful miracle after all. And that helps give the suffering meaning.
I just find it amusing- I started a new work from home job the week after I discovered I was pregnant and I literally vomited before a staff meeting, but it’s a Skype call so I just joined a few minutes later and no one noticed. I did have to leave a meeting- we started and I said hey I may have to step outside for a moment…thirty seconds later I felt it coming and I said, can I actually call you back in five? Ran to vomit and came back to the call, all, “sorry about that”. So yeah, it’s pretty crazy. I just chopped all my hair off last night because it was almost down to my waist and I couldn’t keep up with washing and brushing it as showering makes me feel a bit queasy, and I’m mostly sitting in bed working and not taking care of myself. Well last night hubby was in the bathroom and I had to vomit so I ran to the trash can and did it there and the whole kitchen smells so and now even though he took the trash out and we sprayed it a million times. (Could also be from the dishes that haven’t been washed in a week!) then I went into our room and bawled my brains out and he came and held me and said what’s wrong, is it because you vomited? And I didn’t even know I was so hysterical but I think it was also because I couldn’t find my eye makeup remover. And because my hair is so short I don’t recognize myself. I think I chopped it off as an extreme reaction to all these changes. Who knows. So yes. Working from home, 8 weeks pregnant, constiapted, swollen breasts, bloated, starving but nauseous, short haired and messy housed, but listen, I have the best husband in the world who has run out to purchase every food item listed here, who washes the disease when he has a minute in between his busy schedule so I guess it’s about counting our blessings.
Thanks again for this article it’s such a good release to just read and write about it!
This is me, right now. I can’t function and I’m starting to lose my mind.
Glad to know I’m not alone
This is completely me! I’ve done nothing but cry all day because the nausea just won’t go away, I don’t even get 5 minutes relief and u know I should eat but I can’t! I feel beyond desperate 🙁
Are you any better? 🙁
I’m 10 weeks pregnant and I’m losing my mind. Doing anything is a struggle, half the time I’m lying on my bed thinking 9 months is a very long time to be pregnant. I actually hate being pregnant, I’m so miserable. I can’t keep any food down. I have sickness tablets, sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. I feel like I’m going insane from the constant nausea and throwing up. I hope this passes cos I can’t imagine feeling this way for 9 months.
I feel for you, Blue! I’ve been couch ridden, lost my job, can’t help around at home. Showering is so hard. I’ve somehow put on weight though despite all the vomiting… probably because all I can stomach is carbs, and I feel momentarily better during eating. Has anyone’s nausea stopped? I’m feeling so desperate and need hope that this will end soon.
Totally agree, I feel this is the same thing with everyone
I went through the same thing with my second pregnancy and the only thing that seemed to help was squeezing real lemon juice on a damp paper towel and holding up to my nose. The freshness of the lemon tea made all the other “smells” go away and took away the urge to throw up every time I smelled food etc. I tried so many tea brands and tea actually helped me a lot specially the “No To Morning Sickness Lemon Ginger Tea” which was really magic for an organic tea product .Also, sip very slowly on sprite and eat a few soda crackers. Anticipate when you are going to be in a situation that will trigger the nausea (like someone’s kitchen when they are cooking, tell your husband not to wear perfume for a while, etc. and have that lemon ready so you can avoid becoming nauseous before you even get a whiff) Get as much rest as you can and believe me, as much as it sucks, it gets to a point that I would be having a conversation with my husband and I would tell him “hold that thought” and go throw up and then come back and go “you where saying?” Take comfort knowing that this stage does not last forever, once you are past the first trimester or sometimes a couple of weeks before, nausea magically disappears and you can start looking forward to more pleasant things like shopping for your baby.
OMG, i can relate to every single thing you mentioned in your article. I have really bad morning sickness to a point that i couldn’t work, walk, shower, brush teeth, eat, and drink water. Yes, I can’t even drink a sip of water – i drink 1 sip, 10x water will come back out in less than 5 min. I ended up being more dehydrated than before after drinking (or trying to drink) water. People thought i must be resting peacefully at home when I took time off work for 2 months – but in reality, i was suffering each day. I was lying on the couch and unable to do anything else other than lying there. Watching tv/listening to radio/checking cellphone give me a headache – i mean REAL bad headache. The hardest questions of each day is “what can I eat? “, “what will stay in my stomach”. Vomiting an avg 3 times in 4.5 hours – the entire esophagus was BURNING – yes burning. It hurts so much when you eat – sometimes it hurts so much that it makes you throw up again. The worst part of this is: there is a lot of people out there don’t understand how miserable it truly is. They thought that we are making a big deal outta it. I am in week 15 now and it’s only today i started feeling i can do something again (and that’s why i can write a comment here). GIRLS, it will pass – and you will feel like a functional human being once again. I know it’s tough – hang in there girls!
Hi Jayne, love reading your posts – can I ask – in the photo above – the one of the book with the bit about Morning Sickness – can I ask what book this is?
Thanks
Shell
Of course! It’s a really great book by a British midwife called How To Grow A Baby (And Push It Out!). I loved all the anecdotes from other mums. It’s available on Amazon https://amzn.to/32MK2y8
This thread is the only thing online that’s REAL about pregnancy sickness. My sickness is peaking at 11 weeks with child 3 and just reading this article and posts gave me comfort. No one tells it like it really is. The online articles telling women to cope with a lemon candy or ginger ale are so aggravating. Thank you for writing this.
Wow I finally found something I can relate to. This is my 4th pregnancy and I’ve been sick with all but I have pretty big gaps between my kids so I guess time makes me forget how awful it is. This is definitely the last! I despise showers but eventually my own stink makes me feel so sick I have to take one. I threw up multiple times a day until week twelve when I started Zofran. It stopped the throwing up but I still felt bad and constipated. Diclegius didn’t do much for me. I laid so still so I wouldn’t throw up and so many weeks in bed without moving caused me to develop a blood clot in my leg. Now I have to have 2 shots a day for rest of pregnancy and be really careful about not getting dehydrated. Drinking is so hard though bc I have terrible reflux and it all comes back in painful reflux burps. It feels like there is always something nasty in my throat. I am almost 15 weeks it is definitely better than it was but I still don’t feel good ever and am terribly cranky and take it out on my kids. I can’t wait to feel like me again. Hopefully soon
Thanks for this post. I’m currently going through this and am so depressed. Can’t leave sofa. My body feels like it has been invaded.
Thanks for writing this…i feel everything you’ve said! I feel very alone and depressed as my morning sickness started at 6 weeks and is unrelenting still at 18 weeks. Been in and out of hospital on the iv drip and on so many meds to try and help. Many days i feel i cant cope anymore and somehow i get through…its been the toughest time both physically and mentally. I’ve tried every single tip or trick but nothing really works. After the drip i get a days relief but it then comes back with a vengeance! I am trying to remain positive as they all say worth it in the end! Its certainly taken a toll on me, my life and my relationship so its great to read this from someone who clearly gets it…thanks for sharing, gives me hope. Xo
Thank you for posting such an honest account of your experience. I have gone through the exact same thing, although it’s eased a bit now that I’m 15 weeks. I cried and laughed reading your post as it’s totally relatable. I don’t think people who’ve not experienced it really understand how bad it can get and how it wrecks us emotionally, mentally and physically at the time. Thanks again for sharing this, makes me feel not so alone. xx
I also cried when I read this article. And when I read the comments. I’m around 10-12 weeks and I can’t fathom the next while being sick like this. Everyone gushes about their pregnancies, “I only threw up once!” And then no one can understand why I’m so sick – or maybe can’t possibly relate? I feel very alone because it often feels like women have to suck it up and just try and get through the nausea and vomiting.
Zofran works wonders but it’s so expensive (around $500 a month). I just started a new job, so benefits haven’t kicked in and I’m stuck with either paying or literally being so sick and confined to bed.
I feel so guilty wishing my pregnancy would end. I’m heartbroken that women have to suffer silently as my dr told me he was stumped with what else to give me or do.
Excuse me while I go cry again
Thank you Jayne, this is realest post I’ve read on pregnancy. I’ve laughed and cried reading all the posts and I can totally relate. Currently 11 weeks, can’t wait to feel like a person again.
I was lying in bed crying googling anything for morning sickness. I’m 9 weeks and 4 days and haven’t left the house in 2 weeks! My husband is a savior for putting up with me. This post made me laugh and cry. I can’t wait till it passes so I can be excited and start to look at cute baby things.
This echos a lot of my experiences over the last 4 weeks for me too. Every day a huge effort and full of worry:
-why am I being sick so much
– what does it mean if I can’t keep the anti sickness in, the folic acid in, the vitamins in
– how damaging is it to live off ice lollies and boiled sweets
– why do the things people tell me that work, not work for me
– are my hormones ok- maybe it’s because somethings wrong
-What’s that crippling pain, oh no it’s gone
-Why am I crying again, I can’t do it
– if I stay still I feel less sick, so should I stay still- I might get a clot from not moving
– what’s that in the vomit- is it blood, is it a tablet, should I retake the anti sickness, maybe I’m throwing up my stomach lining
– what’s happening at work, I should be there, people are going to think I’m exaggerating
– my husband must be cursing me, I’m doing nothing and he’s having to do everything
– oh no do I have to brush my teeth again, I can’t stand it
– no I can’t leave the house, I can’t do anything, no I don’t need any fresh air, leave me alone…. oh I’m so alone, i can’t do this
-Why is everything irritating me?
– I should cut my hair short shouldn’t I, it’ll make me less sick, brushing it and washing it makes me worse.
I have spent hours googling what will make the vomiting/nausea and exhaustion end. I’m 10 weeks now, and after 4 weeks of being unable to function, with all of these thoughts, and so many visits to the docs, I have had a couple of better days, a bad day and now a better day… hoping that I’m coming out of the worst of it.
Thinking of everyone going through tough days too, I know many have it far worse xxx
You have echoed everything I thought during early pregnancy – several times a day! I’m so sorry it’s taking me this long to reply, Hopefully you’re feeling great now!
Thank you so much for writing this post! Just this morning I had a tearful breakdown to my husband where I was barely getting out the words “I don’t want to feel like this”! Everyone I’ve talked to pretty much has made me feel like I’m over-exaggerating this 24 hour constant debilitating nausea. Reading your post makes me feel like I’m not alone : )
Third pregnancy third lot of HG! I’m currently 6 weeks and just trying to take it day by day. It does pass and it does get better and even though I say time after time (I will never do this again) I’m back. Things I think do help as you learn third time around. Eating very regularly icy poles apples a heat pack on your stomach ZOFRAN wafers only 2 a day. Sleep and time. Try stay positive this to will pass….
Third time with HG? You are a superwoman!!!
Thank you for writing this. 10 weeks pregnant w my second at present and reaching the end of my ability to cope emotionally/mentally with the constant nausea and exhaustion. Limited to eating carbs + high fat /high salt food as the only thing that eases the nausea (for a while anyway) so gaining massive amounts of weight while finding no joy in eating. All liquids make the nausea worse so perpetually dehydrated esp with the high sodium intake. Housework piling up around me, have no energy to be a good mum to my 2.5 year old which breaks my heart, everything falling to my amazing husband who is already really stressed at work, and I’m still working part time as well which is a real struggle. Feel like a piece of crap every time I ring in sick or lean on family and friends for support, feel like I “should” be doing better. Just want to sleep all the time. I had this the first time around but I think it’s so much worse this time because having another child you never really get any rest time and there’s so much more housework and life admin. It didn’t get better until 20 weeks last time. Feeling like a failure because I’m off to the Dr today to beg for drugs to help. Equally terrified that the drugs might harm my unborn child or that they won’t work. But this post has made me feel so much less alone. Reading it and all the comments has had me in floods of tears (interspersed with retching). It’s so good to hear from people suffering from “mere” NVP who are also having a hard time, and that you don’t have to have full blown HG to be worthy of empathy and support (although believe me my heart goes out to those with HG you ladies deserve so much more support than you get). But yeah my MIL is my main support for childcare but my sister in law is pregnant right now too and she has HG (and another toddler) so I feel like a total weak piece of crap along for help when there’s another person in the family who has a greater need. Like since I don’t have HG I should be totally fine and on my game and I’m just not. Having been through it all before you’d think I’d be reassured by the first hand knowledge that it will be over soon and that it will all be worth it in the end but to be honest right now that’s just not the case. Thank God for your article. To everyone here, wishing you an end to your pregnancy related sufferings soon, straightforward childbirths and lovely healthy baby cuddles. X
Thank you for sharing your story and your kind words for others even while you’re suffering. I hope you got the help & support you needed and are feeling more like the old you now.
Thank you so much for this, I’m in the same boat as all these other ladies, I have googled pregnancy nausea a million times and all it does is result in cookie cutter descriptions and basic advice that hasn’t helped at all. I also tend to feel even more nauseous when reading other accounts because it’s frustrating and triggering but your post really resonated with me and made me feel not alone. I didn’t realise I was preg when wk 3-5 I was just a bit dizzy and not ever hungry, then wk5 hit and I was so horrendously I’ll all at once, no gradual creep. Only Zofran, sleep, husband help, regular forced feeding (only very select foods and only possible with Zofran) have I managed to feel alive (not well, but alive). Thank you for telling your story xx
Thanks for sharing your story too. I hope you feel well as well as alive now 😀 x
This is my 16th week of pregnancy and I’ve been in bed since week 6. I am exhausted and have lost 15lbs. Weeks 7 to 20 were the worst for me, but that’s when I went to the hospital and was prescribed 2 different anti-sickness pills, plus put on a drip to get some fluid into me. At that point, the only liquid I was getting at home was the milk in a bowl of cereal; everything else came straight back up. I progressed to managing a couple of sips of orange juice, but that gave me GERD, and it’s only the last five days that I’ve managed to swallow a little lukewarm bottled water. The smell of tap water makes me vomit, so cleaning my teeth is a twice-daily trigger. Other smells that set me off: all hot foods, soap, washing powder and fabric softener, bins…. and I’ve had to ban onions, garlic and coffee as they are the worst! My GP prescribed Gaviscon for the reflux – you’ve got to be kidding! That stuff makes me retch at the best of times!
I’ve had to get my parents to move in with us to look after my little one (and my husband!) and I have literally moved from the bed to the bathroom and back again. I did manage to see my hairdresser for an hour and get my hair chopped, partly to stop it getting full of vomit; partly to cut down on washing time (too much effort = vomit again); and partly because feeling long hair on my skin was actually turning my stomach too. I actually feel revulsion at hair and crumbs lying on surfaces!
This is my third pregnancy. I had a missed miscarriage at 10 weeks with the first one, which came with sickness that was almost as bad as this but didn’t last as long. My second – successful – pregnancy brought nausea and vomiting until about week 18, but not as bad as this and I was able to keep working. This is by far the worst thing I’ve ever experienced. Thank heavens we’re in the midst of coronavirus and nobody is going out anyway! I don’t think I’ve been missed much! Sadly, Covid also means that my husband can’t attend any appointments or scans with me and that some of my appointments have been by phone or online.
My one ray of sunshine: my last pregnancy wasn’t great, with SPD kicking in a couple of weeks after the vomiting stopped and then a return to vomiting plus hideous heartburn from week 30; but I had a great labour! I’ve got my fingers crossed that this pregnancy will end positively too. If not, at least there should be a baby to make up for all this pain!
Oh my goodness. I am so immensely in awe of your positivity at the end there – and your bravery for carrying another baby having been through sickness and sadness before. I will spare you the trite it gets better speech because you know it does and I daren’t say that makes you feel any better while vomiting for the 100th time. Hold on in there. And thank you for sharing as I for one genuinely didn’t know how rough it can get for some pregnant mums before writing this.
I want to start by saying I just vomited and it felt awful. This is my fourth pregnancy and unfortunately with every pregnancy it gets worse. I am really suffering and can’t wait for this to be over. I really want a baby but sometimes I regret getting pregnant which makes me feel really guilty. Reading everyone’s story made me feel that I am not alone. Fortunately, this for me doesn’t last the whole pregnancy but it is debilitating as I now feel useless especially that I have three other kids. Sorry my post is so negative, it’s just that I am not in a good place and needed to vent.
Thank you for writing this – the photo of you after washing your hair made me laugh as it could easily have been a photo of me. I am 8 weeks now and like everyone else posting here, I am tired of feeling constantly nauseous and feel bad about complaining to the few people who know. Having to try to work and act normal to everyone else is so difficult. It’s good to read that you’ve made it through and helps to see the adorable picture of your son!
Hi Alex, I’m glad I could give you a little laugh at what is such a draining time. Hope you ride out the worst of it soon x
YES! It is so mentally draining. I have extreme nausea and food aversions (I’m a food blogger/private chef yaaay), no vomiting but feel so weak and dehydrated. Also…have GERD and metal mouth. I am 12 weeks and I had a period between 10-12 where I felt 80% better (food aversions did not leave) but I’ve been feeling awful for the past 3 days and losing hope that it’ll end . Thank you for sharing this!!
Oh Nadia, I really feel for you having to work with food while feeling like this. I hope those few good days are a sign of the better weeks to come. *cross fingers*
This has been such an isolating experience. I have a wonderful accommodating husband and friends and family all around us excited for us, and I’m excited too, don’t get me wrong! But it is hard to act excited when Im struggling not to vomit, constipated and bloated, and am too tired to stand. I feel like everyone is staring at me and thinking why isn’t she happy? And while I’m trying not to get sick, people tell me all the food they’ve craved while they were pregnant (gag!!!) And all of their pregnancy, childbirth, newborn, and toddler horror stories (why?!?!). I just want to sleep this pregnancy away al by myself. Your article and all of the comments made me feel much less alone—thank you so much. Sending long distance, fragrance free hugs to all you gals going through this too!
Thank you so much for writing this post! I can relate to it and it did make me giggle! This is my second pregnancy, I’m only 7 weeks and 2 days. Nausea started at the end of week 5. I feel so guilty because my partner works long hours so my first born is having to stay in a lot. The sickness is so much worse this role round. I feel like I can’t do anything apart from lie down! I would have thought because I’m occupied with my daughter the pregnancy would go by quicker……no chance! It drags on and I already feel like I’ve been pregnant for months. I feel so bad for complaining constantly but I can help it each day goes by so slowly and I’d be lucky if I make it through a day without vomiting. I really pray this doesn’t last long. I just want to be able to look after my daughter properly. Sorry for the rant. Thank you again for your post xx
I totally felt like the first trimester was 9 years long and I applaud you for looking after a little one while struggling through it. Fingers crossed the worst of it passes very soon.
I just want to echo so many others in thanking you for this post. I’m sobbing in bed right now, wishing I could meet all of you and exchange stories. I’m so sick of getting advice from people who had tiny bits of nausea here and there during their pregnancy… I know they are trying to help, but I want to scream that what I’m experiencing is NOT the same as what they experienced. My poor husband has been such a trooper, but I know it’s taking a toll on him, too. It is crazy that I’ve only been going through the really tough shit for about 3.5 weeks now… it seriously feels like an eternity. I relate so much to everyone who’s said they just want to be themselves again. I have vowed to never take for granted the little things once I can do them again—cook a homemade meal, take my dog for a walk, have a conversation with my husband that doesn’t revolve around puking or sleeping. Thinking of everyone going through this!
I relate so hard to your point about getting advice from people who had a bit of nausea in the morning, vomited and then moved on with their days. It’s not the same!!! I hope you get back to the normal(ish) you soon.
I am also in same boat. I am pregnant with my 2nd child and feeling like hell. I felt same with my 1st pregnancy and it ended at week 12 and this time I am 10 weeks pregnant right now and hoping that I will be better in next 3 weeks. My mom is taking care of me and my son. I cry whole day and my son gets worried. I feel like I am going to give up but my mom and husband is helping me, I am 24/7 on bed and my mom is giving me food on bed. Thanks to her
Thank you! I feel so understood reading this post. Showed it to my husband to say “see!! It’s not just me!!”. Your little one is adorable! Thank you, again, for sharing. xx
You’re welcome!!! HI wish I’d had the energy to write this at the time as I would have made my husband read it daily lol
So I know this article is a few years old now, but it has really resonated with me. I am currently 9 and a half weeks pregnant with baby #3 and absolutely miserable. It’s been the same with all 3 of my pregnancies – the first trimester is awful but I feel much better when I hit that 13/14 week mark – but when you are in the heat of the moment, even that knowledge is of no comfort.
Maybe it is because there wasn’t as big of a gap between pregnancies number 2 and 3 as there was between 1 and 2 (my son was 2 when I got pregnant with my daughter, but my daughter was only 10 months when I fell pregnant this time) so there hasn’t been as much time to ‘forget’ about the horrors of NVP. Either way, I find it reassuring that there are others in the same boat. Majority of my friends are in the ‘mild nausea/vomiting’ category, and so cannot relate at all. Some of them had absolutely no symptoms and pretty much carried on as normal, which I can’t even understand as I have been the total opposite all 3 times.
Anyway. I know the end result is worth it, and while I always hope that my pregnancy runs smoothly and results in the birth of a healthy, happy baby, I am hoping extra hard this time around because I don’t think I can put myself through this again.
Oh my goodness I have so much respect for you having experienced this with all 3 pregnancies. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to parent while feeling this sick and hope you are going as easy on yourself as you possibly can. Mums are amazing aren’t they!!
Thank you so much Jayne and all the amazing women who had experience hard pregnancies for sharing your story. I have read this post and the comments many times, it had helped me feeling in company with my sorrows.
Here I am in week 16th and I still feel nauseas and super tired all the time, is not as bad as before, but still it’s a struggle, specially as I feel so little productive, I am not even working and still can’t help my husband with the normal house duties like cooking, guilt is also a very hard part to mange. They been some really hard times, to feel sick and not yourself 24h for such a long period is super hard on mental health. Here what has helped is faith, that’s the only thing that gives me hope. And I positive it all will work out for the best ! I had learn to understand better the persons that go through sickness and also to value health <3 and obviously I can’t wait to see my baby’s face, I am sure is all worth the effort of bringing a new life to this earth.
Hi Mayra, I’m so sorry to hear you do not feel like yourself for so many weeks but I admire your positive attitude so much! Sending lots of luck and good vibes for the rest of your pregnancy. You’ve got this!
This post was just what I needed. I’m in my second pregnancy, almost at 10 weeks, although when I went for my dating ultrasound they had me a week earlier which was so hard to hear cuz all I could think of is “oh god that means more nausea” I had bad nausea with my first pregnancy, I remember saying to co workers that if this keeps up I’m not going to make it and the next day it finally eased, although I stayed on anti nausea meds until 22 weeks, and couldn’t eat a vegetable until 32 weeks. This pregnancy I thought I was in the clear, I had nothing until 7.5weeks and then it came on with a vengeance. I through up everyday until I managed to keep down the ant nausea medication, but they make me feel so out of it and I can barely stay awake, but at least I don’t throw up. It’s a vicious cycle! I want to cry everyday but crying takes so much effort and makes gag so I can’t! My daughter is almost 3 and I feel like such a bad mom because I can never put her to bed and I can’t do anything with movement because I feel like I’m going to throw up. The poor thing has already seen me throw up enough times, luckily it doesn’t seem to phase her too much. My poor husband has had to take on doing everything. I can’t even go to work, luckily I’m self employed but that means I have no money coming in for as long as this keeps up! The picture of you on the bed is exactly me anytime past 4pm. That’s when I quit being strong and curl up in a ball and watch Netflix on my phone until I fall asleep. Having gone through this before I know it’s worth it but the struggle is real. I was the same, none of the remedies they suggested worked, other than maybe eating very small meals. It’s a very discouraging journey trying to end the nausea. It just takes time. I think what’s worse about the second time around it that you kind of remember when you started to feel better with the first so for me I have at least 4 weeks if it follows the same as the first. Hang in there mamas, woman are strong….can you imagine a man doing this!!! We can do it!
I honestly have so much respect for women like yourselves going through second pregnancies when you know from your first how difficult it is going to be. You’re a hero Laura. Hang on in there!
Thank you for writing. I’m 11 weeks along and I pray every day that I’ll miscarry and this misery of nausea will end. We wanted this baby so I feel terribly guilty. But I also think I’ll reach through the phone and strangle the next nurse that suggests crackers or ginger like it’s some kind revelation. I hope that there’s light at the end of the first trimester. ☹️
Oh Kate I feel your pain and hope there is some sort of relief coming your way very soon. Just do whatever you need to get through now – even if it’s hiding under your duvet and hating everybody :p
This post was so refreshing to read. I am almost 10 weeks and the nausea is unbearable. I keep buying things in hope that I will find that one meal that I can tolerate. I feel guilty for not taking my prenatal vitamins, but the thought of them just makes me nauseous all over again. I was extremely nauseous with my first, so this time feels worse because I know what is coming. I feel like the first time I had more hope that it would end, so I tried to focus on that. Unfortunately, it lasted the majority of my pregnancy and I’m scared that it will be like that again. I can’t stand the smell of my house so all I can do is lay in bed, but I still have to work and we have not announced yet. I also feel guilty because I can’t do my motherly duties for my son and he has no idea what is going on with his mommy. We are going to tell him this week so he can stop worrying, because I literally think he believes I am dying. He has never seen his mommy this sick and he is old enough to process these types of things. It is very lonely and frustrating, I just want to enjoy my pregnancy.
So nice to see this post. I had nausea and sickness from week 5. Wasn’t physically sick for weeks but still had nausea. Had to go on a drip at one point as I had a high level of ketones in urine and was dehydrated. Managed to start eating more and now at 16 weeks this morning was sick loads and I just feel so ill. My doc had prescribed sertraline for my anxiety and I took my first tablet yesterday and it’s made me so ill that I’ve refused to take any more. I’ve been spaced out and couldn’t sleep at all then had the sickness this morning. I really thought I’d turned a corner. I’m hoping it clears soon as it’s so hard to enjoy pregnancy when you feel like this. This is mu second child and hand on heart I couldn’t do this again as I couldn’t deal with how ill it’s made me feel
Thank you for this. My experience with my first pregnancy was exactly the same and many people around me who never suffered through this could not understand. I am lucky I had my mother who went through the same when she was pregnant with me. I also have a very supportive husband. I am now pregnant with my second child (7 weeks) and going through the same ordeal. I am very grateful to be pregnant but, man, this is hard. Your post has made me feel less lonely.
Reading this in floods of tears. I’ve been searching the internet for days to find someone who has gone through what I’m going through. It’s horrible!! And I just needed this so badly before I checked myself in for thinking I was dying! Haha. Thank you so much!
I am way late to this post. But I googled horrible morning sickness and this post made me cry reading it. I just want you to know at week 6 I am miserable. Absolutely miserable. I cry, vomit, lay in bed, eat one cracker, take 90 ginger pills and sleep and cry again. My poor husband is a saint. I’m emotionally depleted and can’t even remember what it feels like to feel good again. Thank you so much for this post and for not making me feel alone in this.
You don’t know how much I needed this post. I’m reading in 2021 while laying in bed (pretty much all I do these days) after searching for someone having a similar experience as me to give me some sense of “comfort”. I have yet to relate to a post about morning sickness like I did this one. Everything you said is me to a t. I started getting sick at week 6 and have been puking multiple times nearly every day and feeling nauseous pretty much non stop. I’m pushing 11 weeks now & it just doesn’t seem to be getting much better.. some days it seems worse. I thankfully have a very flexible job that I’ve been able to take off from & stay home (I honestly don’t know how some women work through this- hats of to them!) but I can’t help but feeling majorly guilty for laying in bed day after day and neglecting on house chores and working from home. I am usually a “tough it out” kinda girl, but the toll this has taken on me is no joke. I find myself feeling guilty for “complaining” when I feel so sick as I miscarried during my last pregnancy (this is my second) and I know how much of a blessing this is. However, during the first pregnancy, I was also extremely sick from weeks 6-10 until I found out I had had a missed miscarriage. I was pregnant again with this miracle baby a little over a month later (crazy!) however, the sickness continued shortly after and so it’s felt like I’ve been in this state forever!! I’ve read comments on different sites from some ladies saying people like me need to suck it up & get through it.. not really the most comforting thing to read when you already feel like you’re doing something wrong by being so sick. I wish there was more posts like this- to help women like me feel at ease for taking time to take care of themselves. After all, no one really wants to lay in bed day after day anyways as it’s not much fun! Thank you for writing this.
I’m so sick it’s bringing me down I have a 2 year old I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m 24 and it’s an un planned pregnancy and I’m extremely sick I throw up every morning and night I can’t leave the couch. Everything is driving me mad. Smells foods motions noises lights. I’m at my wits end I feel horrible Im so depressed becYse of this sickness I feel like the worst mum because my 2 year old just watches TV most the day
I don’t even like talkng it’s so bad I just can’t cope. All I say all day to my partner is I can’t cope. I don’t know what to do. I seriously don’t know what to do anymore. I’m in week 9 and my morning sickness was bad with number 1 but no way near as bad as this. I wish I knew why. I feel like I’d rather be dead. I feel so weak.
Jayne! Thank you so much for writing this post. This is week four of being bed bound and I was starting to question whether something else was going on because surely I couldn’t be sick for this long and so constant just by being pregnant but you’re post put me at ease.
I like you feel nauseous all day long, I vomit most evenings but with Cyclizine it seems to keep the vomiting at bay, unfortunately does nothing for the nausea. I can’t cook, clean… nothing. I feel so useless like surely I should be doing better.
I have moments where I manage to do something productive but then I excuse myself back to bed and then I question whether I could have pushed through and done more… I’m so confused.
I have plenty of support from my partner and son, and thankfully it’s the summer holidays so no school run.
I just hope this doesn’t last much longer 🙁
I am so happy to read this article! I’m in my 13th week & still feeling sick. I have a very similar experience to yours & I feel like this will never end. At some days I feel so down & regret that I ever got pregnant. This is so hard & worse than I ever imagined. I just wanna be normal & I want this nausea to go away
Wow, we are SISTERS in morning sickness. It’s such a relief to remember that there are others who have experienced similar symptoms as myself – and I’m so sad that many have experienced much worse symptoms! I’m on my 4th pregnancy, 11 weeks and 5 days (yes I’m counting the days) and each pregnancy has come with longer and more difficult symptoms. I was really hopeful the Zofran would help after the 1st day of relief, but it hasn’t seemed to last now that I’ve used it for a few days. Last night I thought I was giving birth due to the constipation pains caused from Zofran – they are no joke – and wondered if it’s worth the slight relief from throwing up. I think…it might be? Still undecided. I appreciate all of the earlier comments – especially about washing hair. Last time I had a shower I lost all the contents of my stomach (soooo gross being trapped in a hot box with that), and since then I’ve only been able to convince myself to shower once a week – even then it’s a fight. I feel like such a nasty human! But I’m so grateful to my supportive husband who is very understanding and never makes comments about my lack of taking care of myself. It’s hard to stay positive when we’re feeling nauseous week after week, unable to do our regular duties and even stay on top of daily hygiene. But. You’re all correct, it won’t last forever (right? please tell me that’s true lol). One day at a time. That’s all we can do. It’s hard to see past the moment, but in time this will all be a terrible, yet distant, memory, and then there will be a sweet baby to snuggle!
I think we all suffer from amnesia and ten to overlook our terrible experiences once they end up with something positive. 🙂
My nausea shot up at about 4 weeks and 6 days and was the worst around week 10-12. I am week 15 today and still have the nausea hit me every 10 days or so for about 5 days each time. There is no controlling or anticipating it.
That said, I have taken the step to move house altogether when at the 11-week-mark because the previous house has an unbearable stench and was in a neighbourhood with sewerage smells coming out of nowhere. >_<
I think my nausea improve drastically ever since I left that wretched slum of a location.
I chose single motherhood and, to be honest, I don't think I could have handled living with someone else in my house during those worse days of extreme queasiness and nausea. Just the thought of it makes me…sick. -_-
Anyway, I'm glad that things sort of improve after a while…or maybe it is that we just adapt and start overlooking these minor inconveniences? At the end of the day, the end goal is to have a healthy future baby from conception until birth. So long as this is happening, I don't mind undergoing the roughest physical pains and mental tortures.
All is well! <3
Thanks for sharing your story! Just wanted to make a clarification, from the disclaimer you added, it sounds like your understanding is it’s not considered HG unless the sickness lasts all 9 months; that’s actually not accurate. Only 20% of moms with HG will continue all 9 months. It’s usually diagnosed by if you’re losing a certain percentage of weight from vomiting, frequency of vomiting and responsiveness to medication. I have it in my current pregnancy and this is what my doctors have told me.
Thank you for writing this, no one talks about how bad morning sickness can be. My husband’s smell makes me sick too. I’m currently 10 weeks with baby #2 and it’s been awful. It didn’t help that my niece brought home the stomach flu at week 9 (my nieces stay at our house after school while waiting for their dad to get off work) the same week my morning sickness ramped up to an 11. I can only keep toast and saltines down, I feel like a terrible mother cuz I don’t have the energy to care for my 4 year old like i used to. The stomach flu sent me to the ER I couldn’t keep anything down not even water they have me a few days worth of Zofran whichdid next to nothing for my nausea though it did stop the vomiting. My ob had me taking b6 and unisom which is working better but since unisom is a sleep aid I’m extra tired. My morning sickness was bad my first pregnancy too but went away at around week 13 so really hoping that happens again. My husband has been a champ taking care of our daughter and me during this time. I couldn’t do it without him.
Oh gosh, it sounds like you were hit with a double whammy of morning sickness and a tummy bug. That must have been awful. I hope you are on your way to feeling more like yourself now x
Thank You for this post – I am reading it a second time as I am now 9 weeks into pregnancy #2 and feeling the same hellish nausea all day. It was worth it the first time and it will be worth it again but wow it is absolutely the worst experience. All of the camaraderie in these years of comments is nice to have during times like these. 🙂