diane sent me

[janiecw]

Hi everyone im 23 and 10 weeks with my first. im so sick i feel like im going to die. I cant wait for it to end and not having insurance makes it tough

[BlueEeyore]

Foodment below:

You are entering what is the worst phase for many of us. I hope you find relief soon. Here is my advice - although you will think I'm crazy. You MUST try to eat and drink. Every half an hour, make yourself eat something. Take sips of whatever you can handle, but make sure it has calories! Different people have different levels of success with lemonade, hot beverages (like hot spiced cider, caffeine-free tea), 7-up. Whatever you think you can tolerate. What works one day may not appeal the next. Have a variety of drinks on hand. I found that I could drink some water RIGHT before bedtime and keep it down while I slept, but water is notoriously harsh on sick stomachs.

Dehydration will make you more nauseated. Starvation will make you feel more nauseated. Having acid and bile in your stomach and no food will make you feel more nauseated. The more nauseated you feel, the more you'll avoid food - it is a terrible cycle.

When I had my first HG pregnancy, I wanted to kill the nurse who kept calling me every 1/2 hour and insisting I eat and drink. I thought she was nuts and clearly had no experience with HG. I was wrong. Eating really does help. Unfortunately, it's one of the hardest things to make you do. Even now that I know better, in my second pregnancy with HG, I can't seem to force myself to eat.

Some people will be able to combine food and drink in the same setting. I wasn't very successful with that. I'd try one and then switch to the other.

MAJOR FOODMENT:

I would suggest things with high carbohydrates and low protein or fat content. Proteins and fats are harder on your stomach. Try breads, crackers, potatoes (in any form - baked fries if you have to), noodle soups, oatmeal with brown sugar, etc. I would avoid milk products like the plague. Not only are they hard to digest, they come up AWFUL. Trust me. I'd also avoid acidic foods, like tomato sauces. BUT, ignore all this advice if something sounds good and you think you can tolerate it. Small amounts, though.

[bibliojo]

Also a foodment below:

Hi Janie,

This is just an additional suggestion...I found sucking on small ice chips (not cubes) worked well for me. Ice cubes were too daunting but little chips seemed managable. I'd have a cup beside my bed and every five minutes or so I would try and suck on one. I know that you don't get much fluid from ice chips but I figure every little bit helps. You do feel a bit better when you are hydrated! I also found that if I took fluid in very small amounts (like ice chips) I was more likely to keep the water down.

Hope you feel better soon.

Joanna

[PamelaRose]

Welcome, Janie. Sorry to hear you're feeling so tough right now, but I'm sure that Diane is a wonderful support for you. She's certainly got experience!

The other ladies have given you excellent advice; push as many fluids as you can, and don't worry about if it's sensible. Some of the foods and drinks that worked best for me were the ones that other people said would be impossible to keep down. The key was that I craved them. Listen to your body, and realize that you may need rehydration despite your best efforts. You've got a few more rough weeks ahead, and I wish you the best.