Exhausted!!! - Weimar,TX

I used to lay down on the couch when I needed to and "play" with my 1 year old. She would play on the floor or table next to me and I would have input on what she was drawing or building. Not hands on - but eyes and ears on. It still gave her attention and let me lay down. Also, when she does watch tv or something - sit with her.

When my oldest boy was 7 months old, we found out a second baby was on the way! Yikes! I was exhausted and felt sick a lot. My Dr. convinced me that the more rest I got, the better I would feel. She was right.
Get help with the housework...mom, hubby, neighbor kid wanting a few extra dollars....or don't do so much housework.
If family is nearby, see if someone can watch your toddler once a week. We didn't have family close by and my husband was out of the country on business often, so I found a home day care mom nearby, who watched the one year old one afternoon a week, so I could nap.

The second and third trimesters were great and I felt much better after the initial nausea passed!

I am a midwife and what the previous poster told you is not true. The body does not have a hormone in pregnancy that causes the pancreas to not break down sugar. I highly doubt you have gestational diabetes. What you are feeling is the very normal pains of the first trimester. For the nausea you can get a prescription to help with that. Not, compazine though as the previous poster also suggested. In the first trimester compazine has been shown to cause birth defects. You can try zofran or phenergin. Sleep as much as you can. When your baby naps you should also be napping. Let the household chores go for now. Eat small frequent meals about every two hours. Low blood sugar will cause nausea. Eat foods that are high in protein and complex carbohydrates.
I know how you feel. I am in the second trimester of my third pregnancy and just now starting to feel better.

Lisa

My first was 4 years old when I got pregnant with my second. PLUS I was a homeowner(with all that entails), owned a dog, and worked full time. The way I got through it (which, I recall, was "worse" during the first trimester) was to go STRAIGHT TO BED as soon as I put my daughter down. This meant, however, that I didn't get to see my husband (or dog) much. My routine was: work, home, "play", dinner, give her a bath, put her to bed, and PUT MYSELF TO BED! My husband started saying "See you tomorrow" when I'd take Nicole up for her bath.

GOOD LUCK!

I went through the same thing! I was so tired and sick the whole time. I would fall asleep on my daughter's floor only getting up when I needed to throw up, and I felt like a horrible mom. I would suggest getting as much help as you can. Do your parents live nearby? I signed my daughter up at "My Gym" and my mom started taking her there some mornings. Also try to do low key things with your daughter. Lie on the couch with her and read a big stack of books or watch a movie with her. Obviously too much TV is not good, but the occaisonal movie while you are feeling sick is ok. Now that the weather is good, take a blanket outside and lie down while she plays. I also trained my little girl to play in her room by herself for about an hour in the mornings. We called it "room play" and once it was incorporated nto the routine, I was able to have that time without feeling bad about it. It is really hard, I understand! Just know that you will feel better, and things will get easier. Your daughter may have to become a little more independent, but that will be a good skill for when the new baby comes! You will get through this time. Just let her know she is loved and she will be fine! ood luck!

Ritz crackers helped me with nausea, and your body is busy making a little body so of course it is tired, nap when your 19 month old naps. Mid wife had TONS of great advice, listen to her.

Hi E.,
Congratulations on your pregnancy. I was told by my OB/GYN
that the second pregnancy is always the toughest one. She could not tell me why but it happens most of the time to women. I had the same thing. Your symptoms are normal and they will go away eventually. Be patient and you will feel better.

The best of luck,
Elisa M

If you can find a babysitter for part of the day and just sleep, do it. Invite your mom. Get a maid. It is ok to ask for help for a few weeks until things ease up. Let them know this is temporary. You may get more energy later in pregnancy and then need help again after the birth. This is ok.

Make sure your sleep when 19 m. old is sleeping at naptime (make sure she doesn't start skipping!). Nausea stinks! Try making (and drinking:) a tea (I just used hot water) with fresh ginger root thinly sliced in it (I add honey and lemon). Didn't know this tip until my 6th child and it helped me become human again (even though I was skeptical)

Nausea is worse when you are not rested, oh heck, it can be bad anytime because of all that's going on in your body.

Hope yours lifts during the 2nd trimester.

I remember being so sleepy that my first child would get up from nap before I would and I'd hear crashes going on in other rooms of the house! I wish someone would have given me the advice above that I'm sharing with you.

Your daughter will be fine and you will able to be pleasant with her again...just take advantage of the times you aren't sick to spend extra time with her (let her tag along on housework and other mommy activities)

Don't worry about her having a little more time to play solo, she'll be sharing space soon enough. Leaving a bucket of something to do for her (and keeping half an eye out so that crayons go on paper not walls :) and rotating activities may be a way of helping her becoming busy to give you some time without her getting into trouble. Ideas: books, coloring, dollies, a tea party set, music making, building blocks, dress up, and scarfs to toss are ideas for fairly quiet solo play, and yes plugging a vido in is ok, even if not ideal...whatever keeps little one alive and out of trouble when you can't move without losing your lunch.

Put something new out each day and put it away at night to save until the next week. (Have your husband set this up...you are sick and don't need the worry... ;)

Hi! I have been pregnant at least 6 times and this is what I have learned

1) I need 10 to 12 hours of sleep in the beginning. It doesn't have to be all at once but if that's when I have to get it then so be it.

2) if I get enough sleep I have no nausea but if I don't get enough sleep I'm terribly sick. There's a celestial seasonings tea I used to live on the first three pregnancies and the next 3 I used ginger mints. You can find ginger in many forms, including preggo pops. If you're a big tea drinker then you might like to make some fresh ginger tea with lemon and honey (fresh ginger is super cheap when purchased as a root or you can buy it crushed in a tube in the fridged herbs at the grocery store.) In the health food section Newman's Own and other companies make ginger mints. If it has ginsing in it there's an added benefit of some energy but the ginger and peppermint helps beautifully at calming the stomach. My husband has been going through chemo this week and the ginger helps him too (though not well enough and he's looking into perscription meds at this point.)

I wish you the best.

S.

E.,

See if your doc will prescribe a anti-emitic such as Compazine and while you are there have your blood-sugar double checked. High blood sugar caused by gestational diabetes is common and can make you feel alot more exhausted than you should feel, it is also easy to treat so it won't hurt to ask.

Mostly, for now, I urge you to call in the troops. Mother-in-laws, mother, sister , cousin, brother, neices, nephews, and dear sweet hubby...whatever family is available to you to watch the 19 month old, help get major chores done inside and outside to cut it all down to light duty for you.

Get out of the house with the 19 month old. I know the weather has been wierd here in Texas but bundle up the kiddo and get a walk in. It's amazing how fresh air and sunshine can change your point of view up.

Get up before the baby in the morning and do the things that wake you up, coffee, shower, etc., take time to jot down the things you need to do that day (be realistic and kind to yourself). Try to fit those chores in while the baby is occupied in the bouncer or swing. Take naps when the baby is napping..if you have to perform a ritual to trick her into a nap (if you can) like wear her down with some outside play, bring her in, give her a meal, give her a bath and lay her down.

Ideally, it would be great if you could start with a Dr. visit to help with all the physical issues. Followed by a few days of respite, sending the baby to Grandma's for the weekend, while hubby and others take care of the big chores..then implement the other changes when the baby returns when you have a clean emotional, physical clean slate and your surroundings have been refreshed.

Now I know this all may not be feasible to you, not everybody has family available to them. If not, maybe you could check on hiring a neighbor or a local daycare for some ala carte or once a week care.

But, do see your doc soon. If your pancreas is having troublle bearing the load of pregnancy it can make life really hard for you (did you know that during pregnancy we actually make a hormone that fights our pancreas' ability to break down sugars), believe me I understand.

I hope you will give yourself the gift of rest, sometimes it can be hard to ask but if you really feel like the baby is suffering from your lack of energy it's time to swallow your pride and accept the help until you get back on track. AND YOU WILL, I know it.

You are not alone, sister and asking for help is a smart, brave thing to do.

WIshing you the very best,
T.

Hi E.,
that is a horrible feeling- I know I went thru that with a couple of mine- just try to keep your tummy a little full- not with sweets but try crackers , fruit etc- that always helps- and when your little one is resting- you rest also- hope this helps.
blessings

I am about 6 months pregs with #2 and I will tell you it gets better! I remember one night I made dinner, fed my son, cleaned the kitchen and gave my boy a bath. I was amazed, then I realized I had just crossed into my second trimester!! I was soooooooo tired the first trimester that sometimes while my little man watched Barney I would doze off and he would come and say "wake up mommy!!" Don't worry about neglecting your 19 month old, you are doing just fine. You will have more energy before you know it, although chasing a toddler around and being pregnant is so much more tiring than working while I was pregnant! I still get really worn out but I can function much better now. Like the dishes get done, the laundry gets done and there are not major clutter hazards taking over the house, not so my first trimester!!;) So I say just as some others have said, nap when your little one naps, sit on the couch and have her bring her toys to you and play with you while you are sitting down. I would have my son get a ball and throw it to me while I was on the couch, he loved it and I could just basically sit there and praise his catching skills. Indoor playlands are great too, you sit and watch in the ac and they play. They have them in many of the larger malls and Chic-fil-a is a total life saver!! That is how I got through those first few months and my little man is just super excited about his new baby brother and seems no worse for wear! Hang in there and congratulations:)