Pregnancy - Naturally Getting Pregnant

What Does Labor Feel Like? My Fertility Blog

getting pregnant Fertility Blog, Pregnancy October 26, 2020September 25, 2021what does labor feel like

Pregnancy is a wonderful experience, yet for many couples it can be an anxious time leading into labor. A woman going into labor for the first time, may not know what to expect when entering the hospital. Not knowing what labor feels like and how intense the pain may become causes anxiety. So, what does labor feel like? In this post I share my labor experience to our expectant mom audience.

What Does Labor Feel Like?- Early Stage

Labor pains feel like cramps- only they pulsate and come and go. The night before you do go into labor you may have a stomach ache.

Labor pains are not very painful until you reach about 6 centimeters dilation.

You will want to go to the hospital as soon as the labor pains are too much to handle, or when they are about 7 minutes apart.

I went to the hospital when my contractions where 6 minutes apart and the nurse told me that my cervix was opened up to 7 centimeters- I gave birth a few hours later. Do not leave it any later to go to the hospital.

When you arrive at the hospital the nurses will probably make you walk the hallways to bring on the labor. They will check to see if your waters have broken- and possibly break your waters by accident when they do check!

Labor Intensifies

At this point, the labor pains will become horrible. You will need an epidural as soon as possible. In my case the pain felt like I was being stabbed and the only thing I could think about was pain medication.

From here on, the labor will go very quickly and you will be ready to push (this still could take anywhere from a few hours to a few minutes).

You will feel a tremendous amount of pressure and you will feel like going to the bathroom.

There will be a LOT of blood. It will look as if somebody was murdered in the bathroom.

Do not be scared, this is completely normal. When your waters break there will be enough water to fill a bathtub a few inches deep- that’s a lot of water!

Do not be concerned about your waters breaking, most of the time it happens while you are sleeping.

Epidural

Make sure to get the epidural as soon as possible. The medical staff will need to do blood work before you can have the epidural. They will hoist you up on the bed and make everybody leave the room.

You will hear crunching noises and have to remain 100% still during this time. If you move and they accidently hit something, you could possibly be paralyzed. Wait until the contraction has just ended to have the epidural. Hold on to the nurse when the next contraction hits, or you will be squirming all over the place.

What Does Labor Feel Like?- Pushing

The doctor and midwife will sit down below. One nurse will hold one foot and your boyfriend/ husband/ friend will hold the other. You will use them to push against.

As you feel a contraction intensify, you will need to push. Your doctor/midwife will guide you with when to push and when to hold off. You need to push hard, but don’t make the baby fly across the room!

The doctor/midwife will help guide the baby down and out.

Once your baby is out, the doctor or midwife will suck out the fluids from the mouth and nose and wipe the baby down. At this time the baby will be handed to you.

You can hold the baby for a few minutes and then it will have his/her footprints done in the room before being put into a large heating tub. This machine will have been brought into the room beforehand.

After Birth

After labor and passing the placenta you will be taken back to your room. Your doctor will visit to check on you and your baby. He/she may press on your stomach as a check.

Most babies do not know how to latch on or drink from a bottle. Your nurse will help you.

The baby will most likely sleep most of the time, so you will want to catch up on sleep.

Do not feel as if you will break this little person, babies are very durable. Enjoy motherhood, it’s exciting! Millions of women have been through this natural process of childbirth.

Signs of a Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy, or Hope?

getting pregnant Ectopic Pregnancy, Fertility Blog, Pregnancy September 17, 2020September 26, 2021ectopic pregnancy, Signs of a Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy

Before sharing with you my experience revisiting the doctor for more tests- the place where I had previously lost my pregnancy- let’s look at the main signs of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy… my greatest fear!

Signs of a Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy

Sudden, severe abdominal or pelvic pain
Pain in lower back
Pain in the shoulder due to leakage of blood into the abdomen affecting the diaphragm
Dizziness or fainting

Our Appointment With the Doctor

A long weekend of crying and healing. We went into the doctor this morning. The tears tried to escape my swollen eyes.

My regular doctor wasn’t in so we saw another doctor. Although he was a little lost as to what my pregnancy situation was, he was attentive, asked questions and listened to what we had to say.

They drew my blood and took another ultrasound – that showed nothing.

Richard and I walked out exhausted. We weren’t expecting any good news, however, going through the motions and living the bad news was painful.

Was I Pregnant or Showing Signs of a Ruptured Ectopic Pregnancy?

Coming home I felt closure. I sat down at my laptop and started to begin putting my life back on track. I called about a job interview, replied to some emails and made a phone call.

Later my cell rang, as it rang I remembered that the doctor offered to call personally to tell me what my new Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) values were.

I picked up the phone hoping that he would say that my values were going down as expected, which would mean we could get back to trying soon. He said nothing of the kind.

He took a long pause before telling me that my hCG values had doubled – exactly what they do for a healthy pregnancy! “What does this mean?” cried my brain.

What Does it Mean?

Since the values already went down it couldn’t possibly be a viable pregnancy. Could it?

After firing a few questions at him it became clear that he could not explain what was going on. It was strange: simply strange.

“I don’t want to make you hopeful, but we should not give up yet,” the words he uttered rang in my ear. Not listening, I missed the first part of what he began to say to me. I was in another world. Is this reality?

As I tuned back in and heard him go on to explain that it could be an ectopic pregnancy, it could be an unusual miscarriage, but it has the potential (tiny, but existent) of a viable pregnancy.

As soon as I got off the phone I jumped on the Internet. What does this mean? I typed in rising and falling HCG values. Hit after hit: ectopic pregnancy.

Just sit and wait to see if something happens. This was the advice I had received. What if my tube explodes before anything is done? It was clear I wanted a second opinion… now!

Hanging Onto a Tiny Bit of Hope

Richard called me on his way home and I told him the news that it could be an ectopic pregnancy.

We analyzed while he drove home and when he walked in the door we decided to call his sister, who is a surgeon. Shortly thereafter she gave us the phone number of a very good OB-GYN (a doctor who specializes in pregnancy and female reproductive health).

He reassured us that there was no immediate danger if I was not in pain. “Your values are strange, however, there is a tiny possibility that it could be a viable pregnancy. I have seen so many strange values that have gone on to be health pregnancies”.

“No!”, a voice inside my head screamed you can’t go through this again. I can’t cling to a needle in a haystack probability. Too late. My heart is known for not listening to reason. I lost it. I went to the other side. The side of hope.

Richard’s sister then made an appointment for us at a very well equipped prenatal center that would do an advanced ultrasound to see if they could find the pregnancy. This would be tomorrow.

An Ultrasound to See if I Had an Ectopic Pregnancy

I woke up in a light mood. Richard sang all morning. Against our will, hope had crept back in. We worked out, had a late breakfast and went to the prenatal center. Neither of us was directly stressed.

We went into the room and immediately noticed the projector and high quality ultrasound. I lay comfortably down on the bed and watched the ultrasound projected on the wall in front of me. The doctor seemed nervous.

Uterus

She checked the uterus moving the wand inside my vagina to the left and right, up and down. Nothing. No visible pregnancy.

She then measured with Doppler my pulse in the area. We heard my pulse loud and clear. I couldn’t help but imagine that that was my baby’s heartbeat. Richard confessed afterward to having the same thought.

Ovaries

The search continued to the left and right ovaries. In case there was developing sac in my tubes. The tubes are too small to pick up on the ultrasound but if they are harboring a pregnancy then they could become visible.

We watched the black and white picture in front us. I couldn’t decipher anything.

Then doctor called in another doctor. My stomach sank. Is this good? Why does she need another doctor?

When he came in Richard and I were out of the loop. They whispered back and forth. We eavesdropped. Then I heard that they found a cyst on my left ovary. This seemed to be of concern. But it was not a pregnancy, or could not be determined to be one as of yet.

Still a Glimmer of Hope

Time to go home. Fancy equipment. Qualified people. No new information. It was time again to wait. The only factor that can shed light on the situation is my HCG value. The test is tomorrow. This is when we will know more.

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Men Asking Labor and Delivery Questions of the OB-GYN

getting pregnant Pregnancy August 14, 2020September 28, 2021Asking Labor and Delivery Questions

There are a multitude of different places where people can get bogged down, or concerned, during the pregnancy process with possible unexpected events. A woman going through pregnancy needs the full support of her partner in the process. A man asking labor and delivery questions of the OB-GYN, not only keeps him in tune with what is to be expected, but his interest in the pregnancy, labor and delivery process provides comforting support for his partner

Asking Labor and Delivery Questions

It is usual to have as many as ten appointments with the OB-GYN during pregnancy. During these appointments, the doctor will do the usual checks and explain what to expect.

It is important for the man to attend as many appointments as he can. By doing so he will also know the process and she will be appreciative that he shares the responsibility of understanding the details of birthing.

At some point the doctor will ask, “Any questions?”

Use this as an opportunity to find out more, preparing both man and partner for labor and delivery. For the man, it is the perfect time to get involved. By doing the asking, he takes on a shared responsibility, which will prove to be helpful when the time comes for the baby to arrive.

The doctor will give lots of information. It is important for the man to commit what he learns to memory and reassure his partner that he understands the process and knows what will be done when the baby is ready to be delivered regardless of whether the doctor is present or not.

Labor and Delivery Questions to Ask

Time to go to the hospital

How will we know that our baby is coming?
How will we know that labor pains have begun?
What should we do if her water breaks or there is a bloody discharge from vagina?
What if she doesn’t get labor pains?
What should we watch for in the case of an emergency?

Labor

What pain can she expect?
What can we do to help minimize pain?
What are the options for pain relief?
What is an epidural? What are the risks?
Can she eat or drink?
How much time will it take to deliver once labor pains have begun?
What happens if you are not available for the delivery?
What are our chances of a normal delivery?
Who can come in the labor room?

Stay in Hospital

How many days will my partner need to stay in hospital?
Can someone from our family stay with her in the hospital?
What kind of clothes will she need?
What do we need to bring for the baby?
Is cord blood storage an option?
How long will our baby need to stay in the hospital?
When should breast feeding begin?
What if she doesn’t produce enough milk?
Do I need to bring a car seat?

Complications

If there are complications, will we be transferred to another hospital?
Are there any factors surrounding her pregnancy and general health that could impact the birth?

What if Your Usual Doctor is Not There For The Delivery?

One of the scariest moments for a woman during pregnancy is when she realizes that her doctor is not on call and will not be delivering her baby.

This can be emotionally shattering for the woman, but men must remain composed and remind their partners of the process that is in place.

The truth for most deliveries is that the doctor is frequently not even in the room for a good majority of the labor (and sometimes even the delivery).

Nurses will be attending to the birth. Likely you will not know them. Understanding the process explained by the doctor and the needs of the mom, will ensure everyone stays calm.

The man can explain to his partner that this is important to him as well and that he has prepared for this situation. He can take charge and talk to the nurses about what his partner needs, make the process as easy as possible.

Pregnancy, and bringing into this world a baby, is a very special time for all. A man fully immersed in the process and supporting his partner, will build a strong bond for the whole family.

3 Postpartum Issues No One Warns You About!

getting pregnant Pregnancy July 16, 2020October 3, 2021postpartum issues, pregnancy hemorrhoids

You’re expecting, congrats! In this article we will address three postpartum issues that some women experience and are not told about.

While it’s common to accept morning sickness, bouts of hormones that make you cry or laugh randomly, craving pickles with whipped cream, enduring the pains of labor that feel SO good (yeah, right!), and those sleepless newborn nights, there are just some things that no one warns you about!

1. Postpartum Issues- Morning Sickness

Most all women have some sort of encounter with ‘morning’ sickness, that is, morning sickness, brunch sickness, noon sickness, 2 o’clock sickness, night sickness, and no reason at all sickness.

Great fun! Not.

After nine or more months of sickness, then giving birth, should bring the reward of a normal you, right? Well actually, even after you’ve pushed out that little bundle it takes some time to get all those lovely hormones out of your system. Which for you means that the sickness caused by those pregnancy hormones may not completely subside until your body regulates back to its normal hormone levels.

Morning Sickness Remedies

Keep hydrated
Choose foods carefully
Notice nausea triggers
Breathe fresh air
Snack often, rather than big meals
Vitamin B-6 supplements (pyridoxine)
Ginger
Over- the-counter options such as doxylamine (Unisom)
Your Doctor may prescribe anti-nausea medications
Hypnosis
Acupressure wristbands
Essential oils can help

2. Pregnancy Hemorrhoids

Oh hemorrhoids! These pesky things are caused by increased blood flow and pressure of the veins in the rectal area… so a varicose vein in your bum!

During pregnancy there is a great increase in blood flow to your ‘lady bits’ and also the pressure of a baby, uterus, placenta, and fluid. So, don’t be surprised if you start to develop hemorrhoids, especially if you already have the awesome pregnancy symptom of constipation.

Some women are lucky enough to escape this dreaded side effect, but are surprised to find that the strain of giving birth causes hemorrhoids to appear- with a vengeance!

Hemorrhoids may last for a week or for the rest of your days, giving one more annoying obstacle of postpartum recovery.

Pregnancy Hemorrhoids’ Remedy

Have warm baths and soak the area. Don’t use soaps.
Avoid long periods of sitting. Prefer to lie on your side or stand.
Apply witch hazel medicated pads to your anal area.
Speak to your Doctor about a suitable hemorrhoid cream.

3. Postpartum Issues- Stinkiness

It makes sense that during pregnancy you may sweat a little more from carrying around that bowling ball of a baby. However, did you know that for many women your once not smelly sweat turns into a stench a lumberjack would cringe at?

There’s just something about giving birth that causes your crazy hormones to make you sweat more and smell not so great.

It’s believed that breastfeeding adds to the odor because of the hormones released. And not to mention the lovely after birth discharge your body gets rid of, called lochia. It can have a strong unpleasant smell and make you feel dirty and just plain gross. After knowing that, who wouldn’t want to have a baby?

Pregnancy Body Odor Remedies

Regular showers.
Deodorants and antiperspirants.
Wear loose clothing made from natural fabrics.
Use foot powders on feet.
Eat healthy nutritious food.
Drink plenty of water, keeping hydrated.
With lochia, having a bad, or odd smell may indicate an infection. See your Doctor if this is the case. Antibiotics is the usual treatment.

Even after all of the pains, aches, and frustration of pregnancy and birth, there is absolutely nothing more amazing than holding your precious creation for the first time and knowing you really are Super Woman- you gave birth, you can do anything! Postpartum issues will eventually go away.

How to Cope with Stress During Pregnancy

getting pregnant Pregnancy June 10, 2020October 12, 2021Stress During Pregnancy

In this article we will look at how to cope with stress during pregnancy.

Pregnancy can be an exciting happy time. It can be very fulfilling to know that your baby is growing within you, and you can look forward to meeting your baby.

However, pregnancy can also be a stressful time.

The rest of your life doesn’t stop when you’re expecting, and so you could still be dealing with stress from work, family, concerns about your baby and pregnancy worries, or stress from other factors.

Too much stress is bad for you both physically and mentally.

You may not be able to eliminate stress completely from your life, but you can learn to cope with stress.

How to Cope with Stress During Pregnancy

Yoga

Yoga is a unique combination of exercise, stresses, and breathing that focuses not just on keeping fit, but on overall health and well-being. It is as focused on releasing stress and tension as it is on burning calories.

Exercise on its own is known to help combat stress, and yoga is the ultimate example of this. There are special antenatal yoga classes specifically tailored for pregnant women, or it may be offered in conjunction with birth classes.

Check out our article on the 8 benefits of yoga.

You Time

When you are pregnant, it can sometimes seem as though you cease to exist as a person and are just a baby-maker.

People tend to talk to you about your pregnancy rather than anything else, and it does affect your life on a daily basis. So you may be a bit neglected. I know that I, especially during the first trimester, felt very tired, and so most of my hobbies were neglected in favor of sleep.

If you’re feeling stressed, schedule in some time for you. It doesn’t matter if it’s just ten minutes a day. Make some time that is just for you as you… not as a mother-to-be.

You can use this time for whatever you want. Paint your nails; read a book; watch your favorite TV show; draw a picture; go for a stroll.

It’s not important what you do as long as it is something that is special and fulfilling for you. Just making a little time for yourself will help you cope with stress during pregnancy.

Romance

During pregnancy, your relationship with your partner can change. You’re about to have a baby, and naturally that will affect you both. Also, you may not be feeling your best and confidence may be waning.

Make time for romance. It is important that you are not just co-parents, but a happy couple as well. Howard W. Hunter taught that, ‘One of the greatest things a father can do for his children is to love their mother’. If you are happy together, you will be happier individuals, and make better parents.

Make time for romance. Go on dates. Date at home. Take time to talk to each other. Make sure that romance and intimacy are still a part of your life while you’re pregnant…and your stress levels will drop. Honestly. It’s hard to feel stressed when you’re being pampered by your loving partner.

Sleep

Whether you’re pregnant or not, sleep is an under-rated commodity. Being tired makes everyone more irritable and more easily stressed.

During pregnancy, you will probably need more sleep than normal, because your body is busy taking care of your growing baby.

If you’re feeling stressed, try taking a nap or going to bed early. Just getting more rest really can help.

Your problems won’t go away, but they will seem more manageable after a good night’s sleep.

Other Methods to Cope with Pregnancy Stress

Eat regularly and nutritiously
Avoid alcohol, cigarette smoking, or drugs
Don’t think about stress
Avoid negative responses to stress
Ask for help
Play music
Take a long bath
Get out into nature
Watch a feel-good movie
Meditate

How to Cope with Stress During Pregnancy- Conclusion

You can’t eliminate every source of stress from your life when you’re pregnant. However, you can follow these tips to help you cope with stress during pregnancy.

Fifteen Weeks Pregnant

getting pregnant Fertility Blog, Pregnancy June 5, 2020October 13, 2021fifteen weeks pregnant

I’m fifteen weeks pregnant! I don’t tend to think of myself as being very far along in the pregnancy because at this stage you don’t have the big recognizable pregnant belly and you can’t feel the baby moving around all the time. But I actually realized that by the end of this week, that’s fifteen out of just forty already done!

Fifteen Weeks Pregnant- Getting Out in the Garden

This week we have had beautiful mild weather, and we took advantage of it by spending a lot of time working out in our garden.

Our house has a large (and previously very overgrown) vegetable patch that we want to have cleared and planted for the spring.

We picked weeds, pruned back bigger plants, and pulled out enormous root systems for stinging nettles and brambles. We turned over the soil to get it ready for new plants.

Moderate Exercise During Pregnancy

Regular exercise is recommended during pregnancy, and garden work is a great way to get that. However, you should always be sure not to overexert yourself.

Strenuous exercise can actually cut off blood flow to the placenta, so if you begin to feel out of breathe or overly tired, stop for a rest.

Luckily, we had our inquisitive toddler out working with us (she loves being outside and has her own little set of gardening tools).

We had frequent stops to admire the things that she found to show us, including worms, stones, and even a bone that had been in the soil. We also found an old bird’s nest, and she enjoyed learning about that.

I believe that being outside in the fresh air and getting some sun is good for you. However, make sure to stay well hydrated, especially if you’re working outside.

Also, although I normally like feeling the earth and plants on my hands, I wore gloves all week when working outside. Pregnant women should wear gloves and then thoroughly wash their hands afterwards when working with soil because of the risk of toxoplasmosis in the soil.

This is usually harmless to adults (in fact you probably won’t even notice that you’ve been exposed to it), but it can be really dangerous for your little baby.

Although it’s still not usually obvious, I felt like I began to show this week. I can still wear my non-maternity clothes, although I did begin wearing some of my maternity clothes (mostly just to expand my wardrobe). If you’re not already, most women begin showing around this time.

Baby Development

As far as your baby goes, they are in a period of rapid growth. Most babies are just over 3 inches long by now and weigh about 80 grams. They are already preparing for life outside of the womb, and can move around, swallow, suck, and practice breathing. The bones in the baby’s ears are developing, which means they are beginning to hear for the first time.

If you enjoyed this post, go check out My Fertility Blog for more on my pregnancy journey.

Having a Successful Pregnancy When You Have Ulcerative Colitis

getting pregnant Pregnancy June 3, 2020

When a woman gets pregnant and has ulcerative colitis there can be problems. Since I have ulcerative colitis, when my sister-in-law who is also a sufferer of ulcerative colitis became pregnant, my wife and I were consulted. Of course, not being a woman I had not had to face the problem but found that there certainly are problems with respect to being pregnant and having ulcerative colitis.

It was very difficult to reassure my sister-in-law because she was concerned about the possibility if passing the illness on but, as we had found, there was a bigger chance of that occurring in Crohn’s disease. In researching that fact I found that if one parent has the illness, odds are seven to ten percent and if both parents do the odds jump to 35 percent

The second problem that we had with my sister-in-law’s pregnancy was that her ulcerative colitis condition was active which meant she had to be on steroids and that meant the baby had to be monitored very closely. She could not remain on the medicine long without harming the baby. It was a tense time for all of us.

Of course, since the illness was active there was another problem. With the problem of sickness, came the problem of diarrhea which as a combined problem from pregnancy and ulcerative colitis presented as a real danger for becoming dehydrated so fluids were all important and frankly a daily challenge because we never knew how she would be able to tolerate anything.

One thing that was in my sister-in-law’s favor was that she was in good health. She never had been a smoker. Women who are smokers should stop. She was used to exercising which meant her body was in good shape. It was prepared to have a baby. Further, she had always eaten right and that was in her favor.

Ultimately a healthy little girl was born. My sister-in-law had to endure a lot because the ulcerative colitis remained active pretty much throughout the pregnancy and the baby and her body while carrying the baby could not tolerate consistent medication.

When it comes right down to it, an ulcerative colitis pregnancy starts with the same basics as any other pregnancy and that is self-care with respect to exercise, hydration and correct diet. The major change only occurs if the woman has an active illness. If the illness is not active then there is very good chance the pregnancy will be successful.

Reference:

http://ibdcrohns.about.com/cs/pregnancyibd/a/pregnancyibd_2.htm

Pregnancy and Stress: How to Cope

getting pregnant Pregnancy May 20, 2020

Pregnancy can be a beautiful time in one’s life as they prepare for their unborn child, but for many people, it can also be a very stressful time. Besides the added stress and tension that comes with all the hormone and body changes pregnancy brings, many people also experience other traumatic events that leave them feeling anxious and worried. Here is a look at some different ways to help deal with stress during pregnancy.

One great way to help relieve stress during pregnancy is to try some prenatal yoga. While not all yoga moves are suitable to try during pregnancy studies are now showing that there are many yoga moves that are perfectly safe and effective to try during pregnancy. Yoga has long been associated with relaxation and bringing the body to a great state of calmness. In addition to helping you with your stress it is also healthy and will help prepare you for your big delivery day. If you are not familiar with yoga or any of the yoga moves that are safe to do during pregnancy there are many pregnancy yoga DVDs available to purchase on web sites such as Amazon.com or ebay.com that are fairly inexpensive. Another option is to look in your local yellow pages or check with your local YMCA to see if they have any prenatal yoga classes you can enroll in. Even just practicing it for ten minutes a day can really make a difference and help reduce the amount of stress you feel.

Another good way to help relieve stress is to take some time for yourself. Currently being pregnant myself I can honestly say it helps to just get away for an hour or two and head to the local mall and just walk around or even taking a bubble bath at the end of the day with some candles burning. If you have the means and people around to help you it can also be beneficial to get away overnight or for a weekend. Even if it is just visiting a couple of towns away and staying in a hotel can help you feel refreshed and ready to take on the world again. Getting away can really help take your mind off of things for a little bit and help you get back to the real world with a brand new prospective and a clear head. It is important to not forget about YOU. Pregnancy can really drain you and you can become so focused on the baby you can neglect yourself. Take a moment to do something for yourself everyday. This can be as simple as taking 20 minutes out to read a chapter of a favorite romance book you have to going to get your hair done. While it is true the baby will be the main focal point of your life you still have to keep yourself feeling good inside and out.

If you are at a point in your life where you are stressed because you do not know where you are going or how the new baby is going to affect your life take a moment to sit down with a pen and piece of paper and re-evaluate everything. First take a moment to write down everything that is bothering you. Next write down all the good things you have going on in your life. Finally you should look at the list of things that are bothering you and think of some realistic ways to try and fix these problems. This can include making a to-do list of things you can do at that present moments to goals you would like to achieve over a period of time. Sometimes just setting a goal and realizing there are solutions can really help lift the stress.

Lastly, if are still feeling the effects of stress do not be afraid to talk to someone. Let your doctor know your feelings and they can help refer you to someone to talk to or reach out to a friend or family member who will listen. Remember you do not have to be a hero and carry everything on your own. Just hearing that everything will be okay can help you get back to feeling right again and help get you ready as you continue your journey to meet your new baby.

Hyperemesis Gravidarum During a Pregnancy

getting pregnant Pregnancy April 24, 2020

Halfway through my second pregnancy, I had little hope that the vomiting would end. My first pregnancy was worse, vomiting in excess of eight times a day. I was 20 weeks along in my second pregnancy and we had already resolved that this would be the last child for us. I was too sick to care for my two year old full time and I could barely manage a simple daily routine. Since I was sick until the day of delivery with my first daughter, I had given in to the idea of about 20 more weeks of continued illness.

The most popular drugs for this condition made no difference and I had become somewhat apathetic towards trying anything new. I had literally tried it all. Thankfully, my obstetric nurse had something new for me to try, and she was insistent that I do it soon. I had tired the combination of B6 and Unisom with my first pregnancy. I took the combination every night before bed. It was no more effective than Zofran, Tigan, Reglan, Phenagrin, or any of the assorted other prescriptions I had tried.

I contacted my sister first thing and made arrangements for her to watch my two year old for three consecutive days. I bought a bottle of Unisom, the blue tablets, and a bottle of quality 100mg B6 vitamins. I did my own online research to determine the risks of these medications to my unborn child and finally resolved that I should try the plan.

The doctor’s orders stated: A Unisom and a B6 vitamin 3 times a day for three days.

On a Thursday night I took a Unisom and B6 and went to bed. When I woke at 7am, I repeated the dosage. Again at 3pm and 11pm I took a dose. I continued this regimen through Sunday night. When I awoke on Monday morning, I returned to a normal schedule, only taking the Unisom and B6 at bedtime. The only time I vomited during this was on Saturday night, about midnight.

It has only been one week since I completed the prescribed treatment, but it is literally the first week that I have been pregnant that I have not vomited. Never before have a gone longer than 48 hours. It has been a miraculous transformation!

When I asked the nurse who prescribed this how it works, she said that it reprograms your brain. I suppose since doctors don’t really know what causes Hyperemesis, that is an adequate answer. My brain has been reprogrammed and my life has been returned to me! And maybe, I will be willing to have a third baby!