When I found out I was pregnant on the 2nd November I was shocked, nervous, elated, excited and in disbelief! Despite my slightly swollen / tender breasts, I felt fab! I kept thinking ‘it is normal to feel like this’? I was eating all the same foods, working out regularly and going about my day. 9th November came and I was like ‘oh, okay, this is what it feels like’. I cannot explain how ill I felt. Morning sickness is not reserved for the morning. I spent all day feeling like I was fighting the world’s longest hangover. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I usually love being productive, love my routine and hate sitting still. I had to accept that my body was changing. I have to say it made the pregnancy feel much more real. But damn it was hard. I was so grateful to be growing a baby in my tummy but I just kept wishing the days away.
It was definitely worst in the morning and then again in the evening. All I could stomach was carbs. I found myself wanting to eat because my tummy felt quite hungry but it distressed me how much the sight of vegetables would increase the feelings of nausea. Foods, I relied on most were: Marmite on toast, eggs on toast, hummus on toast, and more toast. I couldn’t even drink tea. Often when I managed to eat something other than bread, I would finish it and then be hit with waves of nausea again. This was so far from what I had ever experienced. As someone who normally feels so in tune and connected to their body, I felt like I didn’t know myself at all. It sounds dramatic but it was mentally hard to get my head round.
I spent so much time googling ‘tips for morning sickness’ but very little seemed to have any affect! What I would say to anyone suffering is try and not let yourself get too hungry as this can mess with your stomach acids and cause you to feel more ill. Stomach what you can, and take each day is to comes. It really is survival mode. What kept me feeling somewhat okay about only eating very little variety is that my diet had been very nutritious up until this point, so I knew baby would take what it needed from my nutrient stores.
My energy levels were also low. Before pregnancy I was working out anything from 3-6 times a week and walking every day. Then all of a sudden one workout a week was a huge achievement. Although it is frustrating and miserable, we have to accept our bodies are going through a huge change – I mean we are growing a baby! So try and chill out and know things will get better. Other symptoms that I noticed were: enlarged boobs, heightened sense of smell, needing a wee every hour and mild cramping.
When I hit 10 weeks, the sickness eased a little and by 12 weeks I started to feel a lot more like myself (thank goodness!). I am currently 15 week and aim to workout 3-4 times a week, walk everyday and can eat vegetables again – yay!
For more on Nutrition and Pregnancy check out my previous blogs: Food for Fertility and Pre Natal Nutrition.
