When Morning Sickness Becomes All Day And All Night Sickness

Pregnancy is unequivocally one of the most beautiful phases in a woman’s life. There’s nothing more powerful and exciting than embracing the fact that you have a life growing inside of you. If you’re pregnant, both you and your partner must be over the moon about this exciting new phase, by the end of which your life will never be the same again. But the road through pregnancy is a rocky one.

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When I was pregnant with my little one, I had a terrible case of nausea. Despite being known as “morning sickness” it can strike you at any time during the day and night. And unlike most women who experience morning sickness only during the first trimester of their pregnancy, I had to deal with it throughout my entire pregnancy, with symptoms easing only in the last trimester. I have patiently listened to every advice given by fellow mommies, relatives, and friends only to find myself feeling more miserable than ever.

“Why don’t you try sucking on ice cubes?”

“Keep plain biscuits on your bedside table and have it 20 minutes before getting up in the morning.”

“The trick to beating morning sickness is to never leave your stomach empty.”

“Did you try acupressure? I’m sure it’ll help.”

When you are constantly bombarded with advice, recommendations, and new tricks, no matter how well-meaning they are, it can get a little frustrating.

The first trimester of the pregnancy was the most challenging for me since I was trying to keep my pregnancy under wraps. I didn’t want anyone to find out because it was too early, so I had no other choice but to suffer in silence. I found myself constantly lying and making excuses to my colleagues as to why I had gone cold turkey on coffee, why I can’t make it to happy hour, and most embarrassing of all—my frequent visits to the loo and the loud coughing noise I make.

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While most women would experience morning sickness when their stomach is empty, I felt nauseous even when I was full. And since I had planned on taking my maternity leave only towards the end of my third trimester, I realized I had to power through no matter what.

While initially, I planned to wait until my bump shows for itself, I decided it’s best to break the news of my pregnancy as I entered my second trimester. Frankly, what’s the point of keeping it under wraps if it’s only going to make your journey even more challenging? At least this way I would no longer have to hide why I’m constantly throwing up, avoiding coffee and alcohol, and looking tired and exhausted all day long. Though I was hesitant and wary of the advice that would come my way, I was definitely grateful for a few good friends who could relate to what I was going through.

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When none of the home remedies work, finding your own mom tribe who could relate to it all can make your journey much less stressful. And that’s exactly what I found. Soon, I realized that certain foods triggered my nausea. After eliminating a few foods from my diet, I started feeling a lot better. I also prioritized taking rest and staying hydrated throughout the day. And because I couldn’t find much relief from home remedies and my symptoms didn’t seem to subside, my OB-GYN prescribed a short course of medication that was safe to be taken during pregnancy.

So, whether you are in your first or last trimester of pregnancy, find your network of friends and family you can lean on when your symptoms get worse. It’s important to talk to your doctor and let them know if you are having any difficulties. Remember, they are there to help you and have all your questions and concerns answered.

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