My almost Christmas Day trip to the ER

So this week has hit me harder than ever with morning sickness, or as I like to say all day and all night sickness. It all started Christmas morning, my mom was going to let me sleep in while she got up with Daniel, and of course one of the few days I could sleep in I can't. I woke up at about 7:00 a.m. feeling queasy and just plain horrible, so I head to the kitchen to grab some crackers or basically anything I can find hoping as soon as I get some food in me I'll start feeling better. Boy was I wrong. It seemed no matter what I did, nothing worked. So after we did all our morning Christmas stuff I just basically crashed on the couch, luckily Daniel just adores my parents so I had no worries about whether or not he would have enough attention. So sadly that was my Christmas, Jason and Daniel playing and hanging out with the family while I sat on the couch feeling horrible. I wanted to be optimistic so I kept thinking this would pass, finally I couldn't handle it anymore so at about 5:00 I told Jason we need to head home, I just wanted to be in my own bed and just crash, little did I know there was a different plan for me. Up until this point I was lucky enough that I had not thrown up yet, so feeling the way I did I carried a plastic bag with me in the car just in case, it wasn't until we got to our house that everything hit me like a brick, I was getting Daniel in his PJ's when all of a sudden I felt it, luckily I made it to the bathroom in time, so once this little episode was over I actually felt a little relief, and so I thought maybe this over and I can actually relax. Little did I know this was just the beginning. From about the time we got home at about 7:00 until midnight I threw up about 7 or 8 times(that's not including the many times I was dry heaving as well), and no matter what I did I could not get it under control. I tried nibbling on saltines, drinking 7 up and anything I could think of, in hope I could settle my stomach. but nothing worked, so finally I told Jason I can't do this, at this point my stomach was in knots, i was in complete pain, every time I stood up I would get dizzy and felt as though I was going to pass out and I was in complete tears. So with it being so late Jason mentioned maybe we should just head to the ER and see if there is anything they can do, and all though that did sound like a great idea, I kept thinking but what if this isn't a big deal and we make that useless trip to the ER. So I suggested calling my OB's after hours line, and within a few minutes I got a call back from my Doctor. And sadly I was right, we didn't need to go to the ER, he basically told me that I just need to continue what I have been doing, and if the throwing up goes on longer than 24 hrs then I may need to come in and see someone. Its just hard for me to believe this is normal for a lot of women in pregnancy. So after that call I only threw up about 2 or 3 more times, and then I was finally able to get some sleep. By morning I felt a little better, I was still very nauseous, but it was nothing like the day before. I basically spent the day in bed while Jason took care of Daniel for me (thank goodness he has the week off, I don't know what I would have done without him) And finally at about noon I was able to keep down some chicken broth, and once I knew that my stomach could handle that, I nibbled on some toast, and crackers. And finally everything stayed down! So when all said in done it probably was nothing, and its just part of being pregnant, but for me when it comes to being sick, I'm not the strongest person, and especially when it comes to throwing up.

When I was pregnant with Daniel my dad gave me this list of what moms wish they had known about pregnancy, childbirth and babies. I thought some of them were good, and it was funny to look at the list because I probably experienced about 90% of them.

• Things I wish I knew.....

That I'd feel tired all the time--my breasts would feel like they weighed 12 lbs each, and prenatal vitamins are huge and disgusting.

That every stranger in the world thinks its okay to touch your belly

About the constipation and gas, My husband was convinced that someone kidnapped his real wife

That morning sickness can happen at any time of day and just because you reach your third trimester, it doesn't mean it goes away.

About the stretching ligament pain--it feels like my hip and bones are stretching apart.

That my skin would be extremely dry all over and even flaking and sometimes itching.

That when you get further into your pregnancy be careful about sneezing and laughing to hard or you might find yourself needing another pair of underwear.

Not to be embarrassed about anything that happens in the labor room

That breastfeeding would be so difficult

To buy a breast pump ahead of time

That I would have to wear my maternity clothes so long after the baby was born

That I would still look 5 months pregnant leaving the hospital

First Doctors visit

Well I had my first doctors visit today, and all went well, of course because I'm only 8 weeks and 5 days we didn't attempt to try and listen to the heart beat, but we have decided since my last pregnancy was so complicated and well....a little strange at times, we decided at 12 weeks we will do an ultrasound and make sure all is well an progressing the way things should. But he had some reassuring words for me and some very positive feedback about a lot of my fears and concerns, first being my chances of having another child with Spina Bifida, first he made sure I was taking my prenatal vitamins, as well as 4 mg of folic acid, yes that's right because of my history I have to take well..... a lot more than the average pregnant woman. Usually you only need 1 mg of folic acid, the amount in a prenatal vitamin, but for me I have had to take the 1 mg that is already in my prenatal plus 4 more 1 mg tablets. At times I feel like a little addict taking 6 pills at once. But if that's what I have to do, then I'll do it. Then he went on to tell me that even though I have a child with Spina bifida my chances don't increase that much at having another child with Spina Bifida, he said usually a woman has about 1% or less chance at having a child born with Spina Bifida, but for me, my chances have only increased to about 2-5% of having another one. So hearing that gave me a little relief. But since I have found out that I was pregnant, I have had this very calm feeling, almost like I know things are going to be OK, but don't get me wrong, I still get scared, but I feel very comforted, and I know whatever the lord gives me, I can handle. We then went on to talk about my delivery options, I had a c-section with Daniel because he was in distress and after 23 long hours of sitting in a hospital bed in labor we decided to let medicine take over and get him out, but with things having been so complicated with Daniel, I have decided to have a c-section with this one too, now things may not be complicated like they were with Daniel and things may actually go smooth, but having gone through what I have and the stories I have heard about VBAC's I would just rather not risk it. But I was really happy with the way the visit went, and I was actually really surprised at how long the Doctor sat and talked with me, I didn't feel rushed or anything, he wanted to make sure all my questions were answered and wanted to make sure I felt confident about everything. Now he did tell me he doesn't want to categorize me as "high risk" but he did let me know they were going to watch me a little more carefully, and I may even have more frequent visits, but they don't want to jump the gun and think the worse of everything. We're just going to take a day at time and just hope for the best. And that is really all I can do as well, as long as I know I'm taking care of myself the best I can, then whatever the outcome, I'll be okay.

Well...this week has been terrible for me, I don't know why they call it morning sickness, but for me its all day sickness! It seems no matter what I eat, whether I crave it or not, it makes me sick. Lately I have been waking up at 6:00 a.m. just nauseous and unable to go back to sleep regardless of how tired I am, an no matter what I try to eat, it doesn't go away! So I guess you can tell this is my week of venting! I go to the doctor on Monday, so I'm hoping they can give me some kind of advice or something! I just can't take this horrible feeling anymore, I know, it will probably only last a few more weeks, but when it comes to being sick, I'm just not that tough and it makes me just want to curl up with a blanket and do nothing, but we all know having a two year old in the house that isn't going to happen. So I guess I just gotta suck it in and wait it out. The other thing that is strange is, I am hungry all the time, it seems like within an hour of eating a meal, my stomach is already growling! And so lately I have been trying to eat six small meals and a couple snacks to try and get a handle on this, so I'm hoping it works! I'm keeping my fingers crossed. But being hungry on top of being nauseous and being extremely tired and well I won't even start on the mood swings, I just feel so bad for my poor husband, but he's been so great through out all this, because it seems like this time around everything is new for us, and well I feel like a beginner at this whole pregnancy thing. But I'm just going to take a day at a time, and hope for the best. And hopefully soon we will have a little relief.

I'm tired of being nauseous, completely tired and well.....i feel like I just can't function anymore. What do I do to help ease this nauseous feeling, its as if I have never been pregnant before. But what everyone has been telling me is just like no two babies are alike, your pregnancies will be the same way. I guess I'm lucky in the sense that I haven't thrown up yet, but I have been on the way and well....i just try to hold it back, so I don't know whats worse, holding it in, and have that awful taste in your mouth and that terrible feeling in your stomach or just throwing up and having some relief. But then again I would just rather not be nauseous at all. And it seems like no matter what I try to eat, it just makes me sick, I have a few bites and then I lose all interest. But it wasn't until tonight, that I finally figured out what I wanted or at least what sounded good, and that's breakfast foods, all I want is pancakes, french toast, and some eggs, oh and some bacon(now this just doesn't sound like me)! Now this is weird for me considering, I may have these foods like once every six months when I'm not pregnant, but right now that is all I want, and it so happens those are the exact foods we don't have in our house right now! So you would think simple enough, just run out to the store and get some, except, Jason has the car at work tonight, and its in the 20's (so its freezing!) and it already dark outside so I'm not about to walk down the street just to get some pancake mix, so instead I chose a little bit of an easier option, oh the joy of having neighbors, my great neighbors were nice enough to let me borrow some of the essentials I would need to cure my craving, so at least for tonight I'm taken care, but believe me first thing in the morning I'm running out to the grocery store and stocking up!

So I have decided to keep a blog about this pregnancy, mostly because well....its easy to forget things, and I find myself trying so hard to remember things from my pregnancy with Daniel and remembering if this is normal or is this suppose to happen, and considering the fact that I am horrible at keeping a journal and well, I just blog better. I just wish I would have done something like this with Daniel. But then again my pregnancy with Daniel was so different and completely not text book. But that is no excuse not to keep some kind of a journal or some kind of record of what happened, or my experiences. Because I get so sad sometimes that I can't remember certain things, or that I didn't even write down the important things, like when I first felt him kick, or when I started to show and when I finally had to throw out the "normal" clothes and finally get some maternity wear. So I'm hoping by keeping this blog, I'll be able to look back and remember things, or maybe it may even trigger a memory of my pregnancy with Daniel. Either way, this is my way of keeping a journal and I hope you enjoy, so feel free to check back and check out my pregnant pics and to see what is in store for me this time around.