Looking at TTC baby number one but fear sickness

[BeckyG86]

Hi everyone.

I have registered on here before but lost log in details so registered again.

Basically, to give you a little introduction to myself, my name is Becky, aged 30 and me and my Husband have been married for 3 years. We both have no children but feel now the time has come to look in to starting our own family.

Basically I am on the contraceptive pill, and have just over two weeks left of my pack, so planning on finishing my pack off first (I don't like the thought of stopping half way through a pack).

I have looked in to those Seven Sea Trying to Conceive tablets, may consider some of those, but can I start taking these now whilst on the pill or do I need to wait until I come off the pill to start them?

My biggest worry though of it all, and if I'm honest has been a big factor into why it's taken me a while to say yes, let's start trying for a baby, is that I have a fear of vomiting. Emetophobia I believe it's called (although I will be honest I have never been diagnosed with it), but I get anxious with sick, if I feel it, someone else has a sickness bug, etc. I have recently come off a family cruise and when the captain made announcements that it was going to be choppy seas and high winds I went in to panic mode, so I'm really fearing the pregnancy and labour sickness. My Mom was lucky, she didn't have any sickness in her pregnancy with me, but it really worries me.

Please, is there anything that can prevent/stop/ease or anything that I can do to relieve the fear?

Thank you in advance.

Becky.

Hi Becky, I'm currently 11 weeks pregnant and had pretty terrible nausea (although was only sick twice) around 7/8 weeks. I ended up going to the doctors and am now taking metoclopramide which is an anti nausea medicine. It's made a huge difference and I'm only only occasionally queasy. There are things you can do to help! Good luck! Xx

Thank you, if it was up to me I'd take some form of anti-sickness medication from now until birth to prevent it, but I know I can't. I'm glad to hear your pregnancy sickness is getting better and congratulations to you.

I was lucky and was never once actually sick when I had my DD. I felt it a lot but found that those travel sickness bands helped as did ensuring I ate regularly. Things like just a ginger biscuit or cereal bar helped along with lots of water and flat Coke.

First things first, you need to go and see your GP to discuss your emetophobia. They should be able to suggest things to help you manage your fears. I'm not an expert but I wonder if CBT, mindfulness or hypnotherapy could help.

Secondly, you might be lucky and not get sickness or nausea during pregnancy. It is common but it doesn't happen to everyone (it hasn't happened to me so far, I'm 14+6 and I've only occasionally felt a bit queasy, nothing a snack couldn't fix!)

If you do get sickness and nausea during pregnancy, you can and should see your GP and they will be able to prescribe medication that's safe to take. However, I wouldn't recommend taking it constantly just because you're feeling anxious, and I'm sure they wouldn't either.

As for conception vitamins, it's up to you, but the only essential one is folic acid.

I'm have Emetophobia and have had two hypermesis pregnancies. I won't lie, it's not nice at all but in all honestly, after a while you kind of get used to it.

I've taken every medicine going but none have completely got rid of the nausea but they have reduced the actual vomiting.

Really though most people I know sailed through their first pregnancy with barely any symptoms at all, so with a bit of luck you will be one of the many that do.

Perhaps you won't get any sickness at all. And if you do, it can be treated.

Good luck

I didn't have any nausea or sickness with any of my 3.

I think you need to talk to your GP about your phobia before you ttc. You might get lucky and conceive straight away, but if not you could be looking at months of fear whilst you're trying. And trying is the fun bit! At the very least, you could see if your GP would be willing to intervene early and prescribe something if you were nauseous.

I have HG, and I won't lie- it's been really hard. I'm medicated now though- and it's bearable. On the other hand, you might have no nausea/ sickness at all! Most of my friends have had mild nausea and been OK after eating a snack. It seems that eating little and often really helps. Please go and speak to someone though?

Thank you everyone. I'm hoping I will be ok. I read somewhere that you can follow suit with your Mom and how she was in pregnancy. How true that is I don't know but I'm an only child and my Mom had no sickness or anything with me, the only issue she had was that she was anaemic so passed out a couple of times, but I think she suffered with that as a child or when she was younger.

I know people who have had severe sickness and been hospitalised, I know people with little or no sickness, so hoping I can be one of the latter. I know it would all be worth it when the baby arrives, and of course I would want the baby to be fine and healthy, but it is a worry of mine.

I was only sick once during my pregnancy but I did feel nauseous for the first 14 weeks. I wouldn't put too much weight on your pregnancy being exactly like your mums though; my granny had HG and was hospitalised for 3 of 4 children, then had a medically advised abortion for the 5 pregnancy as she was so ill. She was given thalidomide but thankfully it didn't work!! None of her 3 daughters had difficult pregnancies.

Hi I was you post hope you don't mind me gate crashing but wanted to say I have had a gripping fear of sickness for 29years so bad that after I got food poisoning i actually stopped eating and went thru a few years of food eating issues I am now 5weeks pregnant with my 4th and although this will probably sound selfish and ridiculous for a married mum at 31 but I'm literally crapping my self in case I get full on morning sickness this time round .. been so lucky to only have the Sicky feeling in the past three pregnancy so I 100%, understand u on this one I'm scared every day of my life always have been always will be and I feel like no one understands this phobia unless they actually have it ( in my experience anyways I'm treated like the family freak!) Lol xx

You may well be lucky and not be sick (even if you feel nauseous). HG is fairly rare and more "average" pregnancy sickness is often more nausea than being sick. Eating bland carbs, little and often does really help.

However, I do think it would be a good idea to look into treating your phobia. Not just because of pregnancy but because babies are often sicky (though it's milk so not as grim as food, but still sick) it would be difficult if you were phobic of your own baby,

Good luck

I have emetephobia (my mum has it, I blame her), IAPT can help you. You can self refer on line for some CBT. I faced my fears and it was one of the best things I've ever done. So nice not to be ruled by fear anymore.

Thank you everyone for your comments. I'm sorry to hear of others who suffer, and I agree with what you say. On the same note it's nice to see that there are others who have suffered and can offer advice, I truly thank you for your words and its helps reading that I am not the only one.

Surprisingly I am not too bad with baby sick, it's just excess milk, it's when it goes beyond that! I'm terrible if I know someone is sick I will try my hardest to keep away and not touch anything they have had. I use so much hand gel and wash my hands so often.

Wishing everyone on here a healthy, happy pregnancy and that all is well with Mom's and babies. Congratulations to you all.

I'm 100% the same Hun I will down right avoid anyone who even feels sick and yes I use a lot of hand gel and I'm not scared of baby sick either it's just milk it's more food. /the smell,/the sound / the fear of being sick is crazy so I definitely get you xx but I baby is a massive blessing and definitely worth it xx