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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Anyone else finding the first trimester an endurance test?

40 replies

cupcakeandtea · 22/09/2008 11:22

I know I shouldn't complain and I feel guilty everytime I moan, but I'm finding the first trimester extremely hard going. I'm constantly nauseous and knackered and it's really starting to affect me. I burst into tears last night because I just want to feel normal again.

I was so happy when I found out I was pregnant and now I'm wondering if I'm properly depressed.

I had a scare at only 5 weeks and was so relieved the baby was ok but now all I can concentrate on is not throwing up and getting through the day. Commuting into London has now become an endurance test!

Everyone keeps telling me the first trimester is the worst and i will start to feel better soon but it seems so far off. Thankfully I'm 9 weeks now and week 7 was definitely the worst yet. I'm wondering whether getting my doctor to sign me off for a few days is a wise move in the current economic climate!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

staryeyed · 22/09/2008 11:31

Hi cupcake. Im also 9 weeks and going through a bloody awful time- 24 hour sickness and nausea. I too feel so down just waiting to get over this horrible sickness. I had to get the doctor to sign me off because there was no way I could work. Is this your first? Btw pregnancy sickness should be recorded differently to other sickness and you should not be disciplined for it as you would other sick days.

Original poster

cupcakeandtea · 22/09/2008 11:41

I think i'm going to take a risk and tell my personnel manager. It may be that I can arrange to work from home one day a week until i feel better. I really didn't want to tell them until the 12 week scan especially as I work in the media which is notoriously unsympathetic to pregnant ladies but needs must.

This is my first and to be honest, probably my last! How women go through this two or three times is an absolute mystery to me at this point in time!

OP posts:

Cosmogirl · 22/09/2008 13:03

I agree withe everything you've said cupcake......it is really really tough. I'm 13 weeks and things, unfortunately, aren't getting any easier. Off to the Drs tonight to beg and plead for some help!

GYo · 22/09/2008 13:09

Hi Cupcake

I agree, it is an endurance test, esp if you cant tell anyone and you need to continue operating at 100% for work. Its worth unoffically telling work, I did in the end just so they understood why I looked so pale all day everyday.

A long commute doesnt make it any easier. I have a 2ish hr commute each way into the City and that has been the killer more than anything else.... I've now arranged to work at home 1 or 2 days a week and I am amazed how much better it makes me feel.

You will start to feel a bit better even if not 100%. Im now 15wks and for ages I was waiting to wake up feeling like new person - that doesnt happen - but looking back Im definately much less tired and sickly than I was...

Have you got a 12wk scan date?
Hang in there...

broodymom · 22/09/2008 13:22

Me too It seems like the longest few weeks of my life! I am 10+2 and the last few days the sickness has calmed down thankfully. im really only sick in the morning now and if i dont eat for long periods i start to retch.

But i am soooooooo tired i cant keep my eyes open past 8pm.

I just cant wait to get to about 20 weeks then i'll feel much more settled, and start to enjoy my pg. Looking forward to when i can start stocking up on baby things as i hate to buy anything too early.

Original poster

cupcakeandtea · 22/09/2008 13:41

I've never been a particularly good patient and moaned at the slightest illness but this is something else! It's such a shame that a miraculous thing is happening to us all but we're too knackered or sick to fully appreciate it!

I've been reading your posts Cosmogirl and you really are suffering. My woes are nothing compared to yours. I really hope the doctor can do something for you. IN this day and age I find it hard to believe that you should have to suffer.

OP posts:

Cosmogirl · 22/09/2008 13:47

Thanks Cupcake. Yes, I have become a bit of a regular on the sickness and nausea threads. I hope there is something she can do. I'm at my wit's end with it now

babyinbelly · 22/09/2008 13:50

Am 16 weeks now and feel so much better than at 7, 9, 12 and even better than at 15 weeks. I am still sick in the mornings but actually feel able to eat now.

I am lucky that I only work 2 evenings a week so don't have to get my arse in gear for work every morning as last time that was awful. It also means that I could have a nap in the afternoon which helped hugely. If you can work from home this would benefit you I think.

Hang on in there. It does get better.

Original poster

cupcakeandtea · 22/09/2008 16:29

I tell you one thing...i will be glad to see the back of ginger biscuits and ginger ale! It's all I'm living on at the moment plus bread, bagels and anything remotely carb-y. My other half thinks I'm going to give birth to a giant bagel!

OP posts:

loonywoman · 22/09/2008 17:29

Cupcake - tell your boss / personnel dept. Staryeyed is right...any pregnancy related sickness absence does not count towards your "total" days sickness for the year and cannot be recorded as such. Last time, I told my boss early on and made sure that I kept a record of my pregnancy vs non preg sickness as well. It also depends on how clued up on maternity rights your company is - the boss referred to above asked me to do my own "workplace assessment" as he didn't know what it was. He then asked me whether he had to pay me when i was off etc - gave him a summary from the NHS pregnancy book that the midwife gives you. Should have told him that he had to pay me double my salary!!! Don't forget that you are entitled to paid holiday even when you are on maternity leave - so if you choose not to return to work at the end of your leave, you are entitled to payment for holiday accrued.

The early stage is dreadful but i think the mind does an amazing job of blocking out the true horror of early pregnancy when you think about having another one. I thought I had it badly with my first 2 pregnancies but this time i have got hyper glavis and it is awful. The doctor has put me on some tablets which have stopped some of the nausea / sickness.

ANyway, wanted some advice from others out there. Has anyone had very bad dizziness in early pg??? Am 6wk+3 and hugely dizzy - feels like being really drunk all the time. Just slightly worried as have had bad nausea since 3 wks and now dizzy and concerned it may be ectopic but have no pain / bleeding. Doctor checked me over yesterday and i guess when he was prodding my tummy he was checking for ectopic??? Any ideas?

PS Does anyone else turn green at the mention of ginger biscuits or plain crackers?

mrsboogie · 22/09/2008 18:41

I find the whole of pregnancy to be a drag - I wasn't ever really sick but I just don't like being pregnant. However I can promise you that once you get your hands on your little one all those yucky months of waiting will seem like they never happened. I gave birth ten days ago and right through labour I was swearing silently to myself that I was never doing this again. Now its all but a distant memory and soooo worth it all

That's why people do it two and three times

staryeyed · 22/09/2008 19:08

Loonywoman- I have also suffered form dizziness and feeling very disorientated sometimes. Also very sick and nauseas and I had a scan today which showed baby is fine.

dinny · 22/09/2008 19:16

Oh I do sympathise - am 16 weeks now and found the first 14 weeks awful - so tired, sickness, headaches - flat out basically

don't wory, you will start to feel better, not too long now!!!

Cosmogirl · 22/09/2008 19:21

Has your sickness cleared up, Dinny? Glad to hear you are feeling better. Hope 16 weeks brings some relief for me.

13 and counting...

dinny · 22/09/2008 19:22

nearly, Cosmo - late evenings still bad, and always feel dreadful the day after I have worked a late shift, much more sick, which mst be tiredness-related.

how are you? how many weeks?

dinny · 22/09/2008 19:26

doh, sorry! 13 weeks!

I think my improvement came 14-15 ish

but with ds am afraid I was puking till 22 weeks ish

with dd, it was more like 12-13.....

Littlemisskiwi · 23/09/2008 00:28

Sympathy to all sufferers!
Its definitely the most testing thing I've ever been through, mentally and physically.
I'm 15+2 now. First baby - Surprise!

I was not sick until week 7 after suffering a bad bout of flu the week before. Then it got awful pretty quickly and I was sick every hour day and night. I was trying to continue eating - soups and weet-a-bix with hot milk and bananas and sicked it up each hour. My stomach was swollen and sore. Iit got to its worse after I had a liver and spleen scan and had to fast for 6 hours before hand. I went to hospital, had a drip, got medication. It was slightly better but the nausea was there the whole time. It is getting better now. I still have to eat very regularly to prevent retching but it has got better in the last week. Now I'm just knackered!

I was at home the whole time because I happened to have resigned from my previous job just before we found out about baby. I think being at home, on your own makes you obsess and concentrate on the nausea and sickness. Now I'm worried about trying to go back to some kind work, even on a temp role. I've just got so used to doing nothing all day and have no motivation what so ever.

First trimester sucks and I don't think I could cope going through that again with another child to look after...

Still, I'm hoping that this improvement will continue and I'll be bouncing and glowing before you know it!

DungunGirl · 23/09/2008 13:47

cupcakeandtea

Just wanted to let you know you aren't alone!

24 hour nausea since week 6 and still going...I too have a 1hour+ commute into London and it is tiring.

This is my second, so when I get home, I just want to die...but I have a 3.5 year old trying to get my attention...so it has forced me to suck it up and keep going.

I tell you...I am so glad I didn't get preggers with no.2 while no.1 was too small! I can't imagine how someone with a 1.5 year old can do it!

jambomum · 23/09/2008 14:06

Dungungirl, I'm exactly the same. DS is 3.5 years and I'm 7 weeks and TOTALLY exhauasted. Work is really pressured at the moment with loads to do this week and 0 energy to do it. I can't tell anyone yet, so am having to keep going.
I have no idea how I am going to get to Friday, and even if I do, it means 48 hours of DS running around.

Solidarity is what we need. I know exactly how you are feeling. Hope that makes you feel a little more loved

Original poster

cupcakeandtea · 23/09/2008 16:42

I have the utmost respect for the pregnant ladies with small children. I really don't know how you do it!

I've had a brief respite today and don't feel too bad which means either it's going to come back with a vengeance later in the week or the constant barley lemon drinking is having a positive effect.

How did you get on at the doctor's Cosmogirl?

OP posts:

CoteDAzur · 23/09/2008 16:58

I'm 4 weeks pregnant with 3 yr old DD running circles around me, and it is tough.

Thank God I don't have any nausea. But I am sooooo tired....

mamakim · 23/09/2008 17:07

I am 8 weeks and the nausea has got really bad this week. I'm so tired and my 14 month old ds couldn't care less! I just want to curl up on my own. I'm thinking about putting him in nursery 2 mornings a week just so i can have a rest, and to spend time with new baby when they arrive. Is this mean of me?

LoveActually · 23/09/2008 18:11

I don't know how you women with children/toddlers cope with ms. You are superhuman, I've seen my sis do it and well I don't think I could do it. The ms really knocked me out. Thought because I'd done all the healthy preparation (diet/drink/gym/yoga) I'd sail through the first trimester. Did I hell! Was not sick but felt queasy all day every day from week 7 to week 18 (when I was able to want to eat a mild curry without feeling sick). Ended up ditching my 10 year gym habit and living on Smash and opal fruits. I read lots of advice on Mumsnet boards here, some wise women pointing out that feeling so rough means all those hormones are doing what they are supposed to, also there's been some news coverage linking morning sickness to healthier babies. During those dark weeks I met a 19 year old who was five months and had no ms (and she was still smoking 10 cigs a day).Bah!

Mamakin, I think you should do the rest thing,it's not mean you are going to have two children to look after - make the most of it.

PuzzleRocks · 23/09/2008 18:16

Mmm Smash. I'm nine weeks. Today I had a tin of chopped tomatoes for lunch into which I crumbled up two slices of bread. That's one of the saner things I have eaten recently.

LoveActually · 23/09/2008 18:51

Smash, Opal Fruits, smoked salmon, oven cooked chips (effort to be healthy). Now I am getting cravings for cider vinegar on everything, funnily enough it seems to be helping with heartburn, maybe a tip for you ladies when your appetites return - at 25 weeksnmy digestion is still not normal but I can eat almost normally).

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