Emetophobia and early pregnancy

[RosiePH]

I’ve just found out I’m pregnant (4+2) but I already feel very nauseous. As an emetophobe of 25 years, this is a bit of a struggle! I’m not sure whether at this stage it’s all psychosomatic because of the phobia, or whether I do actually feel nauseous.

Any tips for reducing nausea and vomiting? Or coping with it as an emetophobe?!

I know medication can be got if needed, but my booking appointment won’t be for another 5 weeks or so I guess - and that feels like a long time to wait.

I have this fear too! I’m 3(+5). No tips but I’m hoping someone has

Eat regularly and small portions, keep Ritz crackers or bread sticks to hand and also fizzy water, ginger tea if you can manage it as well. I also on a boat once had ginger chews which helped.
You could also try wearing those travel sickness bands as well?

Travel sickness bands, ginger biscuits, dry crackers/breadsticks helped me a lot!

If you are really struggling, reach out to your GP x

That is really early to be feeling sick, so it is possible it’s psychosomatic.

Lots of women don’t get sickness at all, it’s not inevitable, so don’t convince yourself that you definitely will.

I had nausea but was only actually sick a couple of times.

Try to eat plain carbs very regularly, never have a completely stomach.

Try not to panic: you may never be sick. I was very nauseous with my first but never actually sick. Constant grazing really helped. Also take something up to bed with you, so you can eat before moving in the morning (or better, get someone to bring you breakfast in bed).

Also, if necessary you can get meds via GP before booking in.

I find sucking something salty like a crisp or a peanut keeps nausea at bay .

I’m severely emetophobic and had a child a few years ago. Was super worried about pregnancy and I’ll be honest I was nauseous for quite a few weeks.

I went to the doctor early (week 8) to get medication which made things a lot easier. I also bought an electronic anti sickness device you wear like a watch which really helped.

you’ve got this and it’s worth it to be a mum. Happy to share more info if helpful

You're very early to be feeling nauseous just yet so I'd say anxiety about it is playing its part too.
Take each day one at a time and speak to your gp if you need medication to help.

I used to feel great in the mornings and then starving for my lunch but straight after lunch would feel grim the rest of the day through to bedtime. However, I wasn't sick once throughout the whole pregnancy (and my first pregnancy I never felt ill once!!).

Try to find "solutions" to help the anxiety - like eating a cracker or ginger biscuit when you wake up for example. If it's in your head, perhaps remedies like those will also work psychosomatically too.

My first pregnancy symptom (both times) was nausea and it was very very early, before even doing a test so it's very possible it's real for you now.
Although I felt sick I never was actually sick, so hopefully you won't be. I found I felt much worse when I was hungry which is counterintuitive, so eat little and often. It's like the last thing you want to do is eat but it helped me feel so much better.
Congratulations on your pregnancy!

I had four pregnancies and felt sick for all of them but I was never sick. Eat small meals. Ginger is very helpful and peppermint tea.
Congratulations xx

Fizzy water with a slice of cirtus fruit help me a little. I was never sick but was nauseous from 2 days after my positive test till I came out of theatre.
I honestly thought I would punch the next person who suggested ginger biscuits, it was unrelenting and awful.

Definitely try the sea sickness bands - I wore them constantly for about 6 weeks in early pregnancy. I did notice a difference if I didn’t wear them. I felt super nauseous but luckily never threw up.
Plain buttered toast, crackers etc were also good to just snack on. Don’t let yourself get hungry or too full, so try to eat little and often.
Also try to get rest if you can and sip water throughout the day.
I really liked lemon and ginger tea too. Or sometimes sucking ice cubes helped too.

Same here! I took Phenargan and Vitamin B6 (check out guides online for B6 dosing against morning sickness). Those took the edge of the nausea but I was quite bloated as well. Fennel tea helped with that. I never threw up though. The weird thing with morning sickness is that it makes you feel incredibly hungry a lot of the time which is strangely calming if you have emetophobia. When you're hungry, you MUST eat something especially if you have a craving for something. Have all your craving foods ready, even in the middle of the night. If you don't eat anything then the reassuring feeling of hunger can quickly tip over into anxiety-inducing nausea (this doesn't make much sense, especially for emetophobes but you'll know it when you experience it). So the best tip against morning sickness is not to starve yourself and whenever you feel like you can stomach something, eat whatever you can. It makes a huge, huge difference.

For reassurance, I didn't feel sick at all for the rest of pregnancy. Not a hint during the final trimester, and no heartburn or any other digestive issues (aside from constipation but that's a different story). Didn't feel remotely sick during my planned c-section, and didn't come anywhere close to throwing up during the entire birth and recovery. Also, if you're worried about the baby being sick, it's very strange but your own phobia is not triggered with babies spitting up milk.

You could try sipping on orange juice or lemonade, that helped me when I was pregnant with my daughter. Ginger biscuits as well, I had a tub of them at home to nibble on which my DP decided to eat the whole lot whilst I was at work which resulted in him being sent out to buy me more. He learnt not to eat them all as he has left me some this pregnancy 😂.

I found that sugary things were the only thing that really helped my sickness.
Lemonade really helped me, and ice cold water.
Mints or boiled sweets throughout the day.
Not the healthiest diet but tbh as long as you're managing to eat and keep it down it's fine.
Grapes, melon and bananas were also easy to keep down.

Though it's different for everyone those things are what worked for me. Ginger biscuits etc didn't help for me at all as I had horrendous heartburn early on.

Edited to echo what others have said, always make sure you eat something as soon as you get up, and eat small meals/snacks regularly throughout the day even if you don't feel hungry (the hunger is what will make you feel sick).

Thanks so much for all the suggestions! And the general reassurance and reminder that not everyone is sick or even particularly nauseous!

I felt better after eating dinner last night and feel fine today. Very likely to be psychosomatic at this stage as my clear blue digital only said 1-2weeks today, and only got a BFP yesterday (Vvfl the day before that)!