Nausea and Fatigue and the 'C' Word!

When I was pregnant with twins I had double the morning sickness I ate anything with cinnamon it would settle my stomach, cinnamon pop tarts worked pretty good. I also got some medicine from my doctor because all I could eat was saltine crackers. Almonds worked also. I hoe this helps.

Congratulations! A very old remedy that my Mom and I both used were plain old saltine/soda crackers. Something in the cracker absorbes the acid. I use to keep a package on my bedside table and before I could even raise my head in the morning, I would eat 2 or 3 crackers, slowly and the feeling went away. Good luck! V. (Mom of 6, grandma of 6)

The fatigue went away after the first couple months for me, I was lucky and never had nausea. And I have one word for you "Water" You must drink tons of it(I drank at least 3 31 oz bottles of water per day), even though it makes you pee even more than being preggers does by itself. It really does help with the c word. And its good for the skin too according to dermatologists, whatever we can do to help avoid stretchmarks right? =)

This is all totally normal! the fatigue is really a good thing because it gets you to slow down and rest which is a very necessary thing your first trimester! you will feel much better soon! as for the nausea, try B6. if you can't stomach it orally, which i know i couldn't when i when i prego, find a doc who will prescribe it as a shot. my husband gave me a shot every night before bed and it really helped. as for a homeopathic, it is so individual! you should see a doc who does lots of homeopathy so they can find the right remedy for YOU! depending on what area you live in i may be able to help you find someone, so let me know!

Peppermint tea. It worked wonders for me when I was preggo and today. It it the best thing to calm an upset stomach. Hope you feel better. I believe they are all made with no caffeine and you can buy it at your local grocery store.

Try peppermint tea...starbucks carries one called refresh...it helped alot. also sugar free peppermint lasinges(?). They also carry at asian makrets this sugar free ginger candy...it is more of a chewy. I was working at nordstroms through the first half of this pregnancy and one of the stock memebers was this thai lady and she had the best remedies and she has never even had kids!!! So i would try going to an asian market and asking someone there becasue they have good herbal or homeopathic answers for this sort of stuff...its good to not turn to the other stuff!! gosd luck and congrats!! The worst is almost over and will go by fast!!

Hi,

For the C word Kellogg/Kirkland Organic Raisin Brand worked like a charm for me :o) - The non-organic didn't work as well...not sure why.

Have I got news for you! The nutrition that I distribute that I started on when I was pregnant help me get over my preg. woes. It sounds crazy, but because so much is required from our bodies during pregnancy it drains our bodies and that is when we start feeling sick etc. I am talking about nutrition over and beyond the everyday prenatals,which our bodies hardly even digest. Every women I talk to who has taken it during their pregnancy has said that it was the best pregnancy they ever had. If this is what you are looking for give me a call. Best of Luck.
D.
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I just read an article in my prevention magazine on nausea. It suggested ginger, or a pressure point in your wrist will work (P-6), acupressure braclets like Bio Bands, or a prescription called scopolamine.
S. W

C.
If you are in your first month, get used to feeling a bit different. Hormone changes aren't likely to be conquered by diet so much as rest. Homeopathic foods are great, but you might consider more rest. Fatique is your body's way of saying a new baby is going to require youto learn how to slow down. This doesn't get better after 8 more months!
I'm a mother of two delightful young men who were born 26 and 29 years ago, respectfully. If this sounds like I am less than modern about childbirth, pregnancy and babies, I do have to confess that I used soda crackers as my "homeopathic" remedy for morning sickness. This was a time when mothers and grandmothers were the keepers of the real secrets for pregnancy--and this was their advice. I pass this suggetion along as a mere "old mother's tale". I was a career mom too (consultant, public speaker, etc.) and I found that on occasion, I just had to crawl back in bed and call in sick!!
T.

I used sea sick wrist bands to help. there is no meds in them they are like a sweat band with a plastic nob that you put on a pressure point. good luck

It sounds to me like you are not getting enough sleep. a newly pregnant woman can sleep as much as a new born. If you don't sleep enough, you will be nauseated. you have to remember that your body has to work really hard to almost double its blood and make an entire living baby. Sleep as much as you can, eat balanced, lots of veggies, a good protein (beans are good), complex carbs, drink lots of water.

Have you tried eating yogurt and just very bland foods that take very little to digest?

I was going to recommend "Ginger Tea " to you...have you just been drinking the ginger tea outof the store? You need to get someout of the natural foods department. It worked for my neice where the processed kind didn't.
Be sure that you are drinking alot of water too..dehydration can really cause the symptoms that you are explaining.Alot of liquids you drink contain water but you need to drink just straight water....
I was sick too in my first months and the only thing I could handle was soda crackers and water.I would talk to your doctor and ask if you could use a little Miralax foryour "C"....it is very gentle..no cramps or diahrea..even use it on infants. Works very fast...this could be causing some of your nausea and your fatigue......L.

Try eating oatmeal when you feel the nausea start. This was the only thing that helped me and I was sick all day every day for the first 14 weeks. As far as the c-word. I also had this and drank a small amount of prune juice in the morning and night...it really helped. Good luck!

Hello C.,

I see you have received alot of great advice.

I am not sure if anyone has mention Morning Ease. Solray I believe is the company that makes it. Can be found at Marleens Market in Tacoma. It has ginger peppermint B6 ect. great things that help morning or what I would have called for myself all day sickness.This monrning ease did wonders for me!

I would eat what sounds good. That also helps with the nausea. Try green grapes. I had heard they help and they did. Protein is great and helps with engery.

Rest as much as you can. Take naps. Hopefully when you hit the 3 month mark you will have more energy. Once I had hit the 4 month mark I was a new lady!

Wishing you a healthy pregency. Hope the nausea eases up for you.

C.

The constipation is especially no fun! I ate a lot of the most natural black licorice that I could find; I'd heard that it helped. In the long run, it seems like it may have a smidge...anything's better than nothing! Also, my doc had me switch to taking my prenatal vitamin every other day instead of daily, which helped with that area, too.

Hang in there ! One day you'll wake up and fell magically better and be into the 2nd trimester, as unbelievable as it may sound right now!

Hang in there! In about 4-6 weeks you'll be through this . . . hopefully! I'm about 5 week past that stage, but remember it clearly! I would go to a health food store and find some fiber capsules or fiber you can drink. That will keep things moving. I would also try and eat very small meals about every 2 hours. Try and eat as much fresh veggies and fruits as possible, remembering that bananas might stop you up. When I was at that stage, fresh veggies turned my stomach, but now they keep me regular. The fatigue is totally normal. Try and rest as much as possible. If you are able to walk every day, that might help. It will help your energy too, believe it or not! Good luck!

Hi C.,
Sorry about the icky feeling... I was very sick for awhile when I was pregnant. I found that eating junky food did the trick! I am a very healthy eater and I make all my baby food but when it came to morning sickness I ate alot of those fruit pies, poptarts and dorito chips! I did't gain any extra pounds because I continued to throw up, I just didnt feel the nausea.. As for the fatigue..... ? Just sleep..
Have a wonderful pregnancy!

Hi ! I feel for you. But then I went through 5 pregnancies ! (They were worth it) Anyway, with my last child I was told to eat foods with vitamin A, such as corn. For the most part, it worked with me. Ask your Dr. to be sure....
Oh ! Also, crackers helps. Take care.
Let us know what worked....

For Nausea, I like the chewable ginger tablets from the health food store, and the packaged preserved ginger from the Asian market (less sugary than regular candied ginger).

The fatigue is normal. Take naps, and sleep more. Your body is working harder, inside and out. Besides, you need to get ahead on your sleep since you will not be getting much in 8 months when the baby comes!

For the "C-word" problem, try drinking a cup of hot tea and then going for a walk.

Done worry about constipation because it happens to some woman, just make sure that when you do eat, its full of fiber, greens and beans, or whole wheat. I know that at one month nothing seems to work but hang in there...it will get easier and then you will eat everything! When i was pregnant with my son I got sick every morning no matter what for a month straight, i thought it was never going to end. I did the norm, roll over on your side in bed and eat a few crackers before even sitting up...i think it helped with my second pregnancy but im not so sure about my son. i got sick no matter what and its just something we have to go through. The doctors told me that it is actually a healthy thing to do because if woman who are pregnant do not get sick they are worried that the baby is not getting the nutrients that it needs- you are sick because the baby is taking everything from you. This month think of you- take baths- i rolled on my tummy in the bath i dont know- i did that throughout my pregnancy until it was too uncomfortable because it helped me feel better. My baby will be one on june 7th- im so excited! Oh- and i could never take prenatels, they made me so sick-the after taste was so aweful! made me puke too- if you take them make sure you eat plenty of food.
congrats and good luck!
A.

Hi C.-
I didn't find that anything helped very much. I think you might want to try sucking on hard candy in spite of the sugar to get a little relief. Otherwise just eat small meals very often - lots of snacks. I took silium husks in water for the constipation and that helped. You are tired now because your body is making a baby out of just a few cells - so of course you are exahusted. And know that you will feel so much better when week 12 rolls around.
Good luck-
L.

Hi C., this is not an advertisement but what may be an answer to your health questions. Please read through the website. www.sevenstarlife.com

D., mom of one, married for nearly 17 years.

Try coconut juice. It has electrolytes to help keep hydrated.
Plus potassium & magnesium which is important.
It has been successful with cancer patients going thru treatment that are nauseous and can't eat. I drink it to stay hydrated when exercising. You can drink it cold or warm. I prefer warm. The taste takes some getting use to.
I buy it at Whole Foods or another health food store.

www.amyandbriannaturals.com

I also ate ginger in a lozenge form. I bought at an Asian Market. I could only drink warm liquids too. Hope it helps. I know different things work for different people.

try ginger altoids they worked for me I was still a little nauseated but felt much better or ginger ale. Good luck and congratulations!!!!

If you are taking a prenatal I don't know if they make them with out iron but you might look into that and then take slow-fe tablets with your vitamin (the slow fe releases the iron slower so that it wont cause as much constipation.) You might try increasing your water or fiber to help ease it a little. Generally the BRAT diet helps with nausea Banana's(which are good becasue they take a long time to digest) rice apples toast. Although from one who was sick the whole nine months apples HURT comming back up. If you do continue to be really sick I recommend Zofran, or the generic version. It saved my life with my second.

hey there. try wild yam. i found it in tincture form when i was pregnant (4 years ago), but i think the brand i used has since added alcohol, which makes it not suitable for pregnancy. a friend i recommended it to recently found it in tablet form. look around. the tincture was nice because it didn't taste like anything and you could just add it to water any time you felt a wave of nausea creeping up. of course, check in with your midwife and get their ok first. but most midwives are fine with it. just remember, if you are sick it means your body is responding correctly. it's a good thing!! good luck~s

I worked with a dietician during my pregnancy, which really helped for those symptoms, especially the nausea....good luck.

I too was sick during pregnancy. Some have it short lived, but I had it until I gave birth. The nausea lessen after the third month, but I still had a hard time eating and keeping it down. I ate bean and cheese burritos for all three meals until I could tolerate a normal meal for dinner. I still ate the burritos for the other two meals. I sucked on ginger candy and that helped. Peanut and butter sandwiches would give you protein and some energy. I wish you the best and hang in there.

It seems that you've gotten some really great advice so far. Besides lots of rest and liquids, my two cents...

I started taking my pre-natals at night before I went to bed with a LOT of water. Once I started doing that, I stopped getting so ill. Also, I would cut up cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew, and eat those all day long. They are high in water content and easy on your body. I drank a lot of lemonade and ate a lot of spaghetti with meat sauce through the first couple of months.

With baby number one, I couldn't stand to eat poultry of any kind (instant vomit). Immediately after he was born, the hospital only had turkey sandwiches and I could eat those again. With baby number two, I couldn't stand cooked mushrooms. I am still picky about my mushrooms, but she's fine. Weird how your body tells you what it needs and what it doesn't want.

Don't try anything new and eat what appeals to you, regardless of what people tell you is good for you. Your body tells you what it needs. One of my friends could only eat plain bologna sandwiches until 8th month. She gained something like 12 pounds over the course of her pregnancy, even losing about 4 pounds her first trimester. She was not overweight, so this was really tough on her body. Her baby was about 5 pounds at birth, but still healthy.

Best of luck and we hope you find some things that work for you!

Congratulations.

Looking back, the first trimester was the hardest for me because of nausea and fatigue. For me, my husband & I took a vacation towards the end of this time period which helped me recharge and let go of work for a week. I think this let me just focus on relaxing and gave my body/mind a chance to focus more on the pregnancy. you can carry the tea bags with you and steep them wherever you are. Also you can pre-make the ginger tea if you are driving and drink it at room temperature or chilled (especially good for the summer).

As for your other problem, I highly recommend the fruit/veggies but also a higher fiber cereal to start your day. I don't like tree bark so won't recommend things like grape nuts but will recommend what I do like (Kashi Heart to Heart - not cheerios has very little fiber, raisin bran - one in same section as Kashi has more fiber than Kellogs, frosted mini wheats). I know that when we go on vacation i don't get my daily cereal and usually have more issues with the dreaded c-word.

two words, Cola Syrup.

you can ask your Pharmasist (some keep it behind the counter)
but just a teaspoon over ice sipped and you will be feeling better in min. it is one of the oldest mom's remedies around.
Not sure how old you are) but back in the day Mom's kept cans (or bottles) just for this reason, you popped the top let all the fizz go out and had your kids sip it.....

hope you feel better!

Vitamin B6 and lemon drops and lemon flavored water helped with my nausea. As far as the constipation goes try prune juice!

I take calcium for nausea and it also helps me to sleep at night without making me drowsy during the day. (Most nasea medications are mostly, if not entirely, calcium. Calcium carbonate is the best.) When I am extra nauseated, I chew some papaya enzyme tablets. They taste good and are helpful with an upset tummy. As far as the "C" word (LOL!) may I suggest taking aloe vera capsles? They do the trick for me! Vitamin C will also help with this. It will give you energy, and if you take more than your body needs, it just sends it on out, (thereby adding helpfulness in the "C" word department.) God bless you through this journey that can be a roller coaster ride of symptoms and emotions. :)

Hi C.. Welcome to pregnancy. I suggest just listening to your body and getting as much rest as you possibly can. I personally had to let go of all kinds of ideas about what I "should or shouldn't" be eating or what I "should or shouldn't" be putting in my body during my pregnancies. A few things that really helped me were taking vitamin B6 (abslute miracle drug when it comes to nausea). And eating lots of leafy greens and things like watermelon helped with the constipation part of things. I have a nutritionist you can call if you really want some specific food stuff for pregnancy, her name is Emily Edison and her website is momentum4nutrition.com. Good luck with everything and congratulations on being a part of one of life's true miracles.

I know it sounds crazy, but cut a lemon in half and suck on it. I didn't try it till my third, but it totally saved me!

Regarding the fatigue, some of that is to be exprcted the first trimester, but you should also have your iron levels and thyroid checked. I struggled with anemia a lot while pregnant. Beyond that, I'd guess dehydration has more to do with it than diet. It's so hard to get enough water!

Vitamin B6 helps a lot with the nausea. Also, nuts worked well for me. The high protein is what makes it work so well, and you don't have to eat much of it for it to work. Keep it close by, and eat a handful or two when nausea is likely to hit you (ie first thing in the morning). I kept it on my nightstand and ate it before I even stood up. It helped tons because I was often to nauseous to eat anything else. Keep in mind that veggies are very hard for the body to digest, so stear away from them when you are having troubles. Eating canned fruit in high fructose corn syrup will help with the constipation.

I hear you. I am in my 9th week, pregnant with my second child. I am very nausous & tired too. My husband keeps reminding me that last time it did go away after my 1st trimester, but at the moment I find it hard to believe! It feels like forever until then.

In any case, a couple things work for me.
- A lemon wedge in my water makes water much more pleasurable. My nausea is kind of like having a bad taste in my mouth, so the lemony water is helpful.
- The other thing is, during my first pregnancy I ran out of my prenatals and bought a different brand. The new brand made me SO NASUOUS and I even had to call in sick, etc. I only figured it out after I had taken them for about a week, and when I switched back, it was much better. You may want to try a different brand?

Hang in there!

This is kind of funny...but the rice cereal that is for babies is great. You mix it with milk or water and it makes a sort of paste (sounds gross, sorry). You can buy it organic. It's really bland, but it is filling and has added nutrients since its for a baby! I add Stevia (a natural sweetner) when I want to add a bit of sweetness.

As soon as I saw your post I almost wanted to cry because I am only 9 weeks pregnant and I feel the exact same way. It's my second baby and I don't remember it being like this at all with my first. I am just EXHAUSTED. All day. I'm famished, and then when I eat it turns on me and I am sick. And I am actually fondly looking back on the days that I went #2 every day. Who thought I'd miss THAT?

I just want to say I'm so sorry...but know you aren't alone! And it will get better. I'm counting on that for you AND me. :-) Take care.

I found the fatigue to be the worst symptom the first (plus about a month longer) trimester. I had lots of other issues, but being exhausted was so hard (especially when you don't feel good and you are working). I know you've probably heard this too much, but it really DOES get better. I remember counting the weeks waiting for it to let up and was disappointed that it didn't stop right when I hit my second trimester. Growing a human being is hard work and you need to adjust the rest of your life and slow down a bit. :-)

As for nausea... I had that most of the pregnancy (in some form) but the first 16 weeks or so was the worst. I didn't take anything for it, but I did make sure I took my vitamins before bed (they can make the nausea worse) and I made sure I always ate breakfast and had healthy (and often) snacks. When my stomach was empty, I felt worse. Fruit seemed to make me feel quite a bit better, but that might have been a personal preference.

Constipation is caused by your hormones and all you can really do is eat more fiber, drink plenty of liquids and lay off the caffeine (if you're having any). Also, unless your doctor is telling you different, don't take any extra iron. That can really stop you up. I hope some of this helps. Congrats on your little one on the way!!! :-)

That is just how you feel when you're preggers. Your body is telling you to slow down. so obey it, Do what YOU feel like doing, Eat what you crave, pamper yourself. This is YOUR time!have some tea, watch a chick flick, read, shop. take a bath, Whatever! enjoy this time, it won't last long. Your body is working SO hard, of course you'll feel exhausted. I also heard peppermint tea helps give you energy, and a nice exercise like yoga or swimming. have fun! hope you feel better! ginger ale helped me a little, but basically I felt nauses, tired and headachy for 5 months. take it easy girl!

Dried fruit and applejuice are the best for "c".

Boy can I relate to you. I'm 18 weeks along now with my third and have never been so tired in all my life. I thought it would go away by now but still hasn't, and now it's worse because it's hard to get comfortable at night. My nausea only lasted about a month or so. I just kind of had to go with it and whatever sounded good is what I ate for that month. I am totally convinced my constipation was from the vitamins. Some people break their vitamins in half and do half in the morning and half at night to help with nausea and constipation. It went away after about 2 weeks for me. Every now and then it comes back but it's usually when I havn't had enough water. I know you will get tired of hearing it, I know I still do, but WATER! Seriously if you think you've had to much drink some more. It will pass hunni but I know in the moment you just want to curl up and sleep!
W.

I know you said that you won't eat preggy pops because of the sugar but there are sugar free popscicles out there. They really worked for me. See if you can find a fruit that you really like (perfect time of year right now!)and eat that. Watermellon always works for me. Lots and lots of water too. I know it makes you pee more but you have to replentish the baby's water every 24 hours. If you don't it takes the water from your body which really needs it too. Lots of small meals/snacks also helped. I felt like I was constantly eating. Sometimes it was only a couple of bites but helped keep the energy level up. Good luck, for most people morning sickness only lasts a couple of months. May you be one of those.

Hi - I feel your pain. been there.

I always kept a stash of Luna bars and cliff bars in my night stand. I woke up 20 minutes early and nibbled on one for about ten minutes, then waited a few before I got out of bed.

Also, keep half a lemon nearby... when you feel sick, lick it. a few drops of water in lemon juice helped too.

Best of luck!

I take ginger capsules & papaya tablets in my purse along with organic mints.

Peppermint tea with crackers worked wonders for me the first 3 months. Eat a cracker before getting out of bed in the morning to help with the nausea. Also I experienced extreme fatigue with my pregnancies as well...all I can say is it will pass.

As far as the C-word goes, it's probably not due to the fact that you're eating more food (which you might only feel like you're doing) but with hormones. Pregnancy hormones slow down your digestive system and it is horrible! The best advice I've gotten is probably the same as you have, lots of water, fresh fruits. It actually really does help. But I also know that you might not even want those things. My first pregnancy was the most miserable thing I've ever experienced in my life. I was constantly sick and dehydrated all the time. And the exhaustion was just unbelieveable. Well, you live and learn. This time (i'm four months along) I did some things different. I would HIGHLY reccomend Sea-Bands. They are accupressure bracelets that are definitely not beautiful but changed my experience completely. The nausea relief was so noticeable I can't imagince enduring another pregnancy without them. They are available at most drug stores, but I know FOR SURE that Rite-Aid carries them. Once I got the nausea thing under control (it was not gone mind you, but GREATLY diminished) my energy lever got higher. Granted, my energy level wasn't what I wanted it to be and it probably won't be what you want it to be for a while anyway but the truth it IT DOES GET BETTER. Once you're through your first trimester both the nausea and exhaustion will AT LEAST ease up. I will swear by those Sea-Bands I already feel like I'm a million times healthier this time around than last. Also, with your nausea under control, you may be able to eat more foods that you actually want and less of stuff to allow your body to digest a little before you eat again (I remember that problem vividly, too. Anytime I would feel remotely hungry, I would be horrificially nauseous.) I completely feel your pain. I wanted longer than I had originally wanted to to have our second because my first pregnancy was so horrible. But, I tell you, (I know I MIGHT be overselling them) the Sea-Bands have made me feel better about having another child sooner than later. I hope I helped you at least a little. Good luck!

I had the exact same problem. Here is my solution:

The first trimester I was sick I used Ginger B6 supplements I got from Super Supplements.

Use digestive enzymes - Digest Gold is GREAT and OK for being pregnant. Helps with the C word. Eat a lot of raw fruits and veggies. Psillium is a great fiber to take, that is great at cleansing the gut and getting things moving when you're desperate. It's cheap even thought it doesn't taste that great.

For the last trimester, when I had the same symptoms I took B-12. Without adequate B-12 I'm constantly fatigued and nauseated. The naseau always clues me in that I'm B12 deficient. Also, take iron. I had to take B12 SHOTS when I was pregnant. B12 does not absorb easily, so taking sublingual B12s or the shots in the mouth really work. The really dumb thing? MDs telling me I was NOT B12 deficient even though I was. The change I felt was AMAZING. From NO energy and LOTs of nausea, to LOTS of energy and feeling good. Me, who hates shots, learned to give them to myself because I felt too bad to go to the doctor. I eat beef steak and red meat, when I want to up my B12 and Iron.

Of course, you probably have to go to a naturopath to get the help you really need, or go to an MD who is willing to prescribe the shots.

Hi, I also was tired beyond belief for almost all of my pregnancy. As well as having burning nausea I had constipation. I didn't really find anything to help the nausea, but as for the constipation have you tried flax seed meal? I still eat it every day, by mixing it in apple sauce or soy yogurt. It really helps and is natural. My OB said it was perfectly healthy to eat during pregnancy. You can get it at any health food store and New Seasons has several choices that are pretty reasonable priced.