Entering uncharted waters: Paine baby #3
For those who may have missed my subtle hint yesterday, yes, we're expecting baby #3! And yes, it caught us completely by surprise, though we are incredibly excited and overjoyed!You see, we are in the process of a possible major job change and move and had been putting a lot of time, thought, and prayer into that. We were both hoping God would bless us with another child soon, but since I'm still nursing Kaitlynn we just assumed it wouldn't likely be happening until after she was weaned.
[We both love children and have left our family size in God's hands. However, based upon past experience, I was pretty sure I couldn't get pregnant while I was nursing. It's been something we've both prayed about and discussed at length since we want to have many more children--should the Lord see fit to bless us in that regard--but at the same time it is important to us that I nurse our babies until they are getting plenty of nutritional value from foods or wean themselves. I'm excited to know now that it's not an either/or sort of situation!]
I'd been struggling a great deal over the last few weeks and feeling almost constantly frustrated, moody, irritable, and exhausted. It was very strange and despite lots of prayer and reading God's Word, trying to quiet my heart before the Lord and rest in Him, I just couldn't seem to pull out of this major slump I was in.
I began to wonder if I were "losing it" or what could possibly be wrong with me. However, there were too many other things going on in our life for me to really consider that pregnancy could possibly be a major contributing factor to my emotional instability.
One morning this past week, as I was reading my Bible, the thought popped into my head: There's a pregnancy test in the closet upstairs, why don't you just take it? I had completely forgotten about that test we'd bought months ago for some reason or other and had been stowed away.
What could it hurt? I thought. And so I took the test, expecting to quickly toss the negative results into the trash and get on with my day.
You can imagine my indescribable shock when the test immediately registered as positive. Very, very positive. No wonder I've had just about every sign in the book of pregnancy the last few weeks. No wonder I haven't felt well at all! No wonder I've been experiencing some hormonal ups and downs!
After I recovered from my initial shock and the metaphorical banging of my head against the wall to think I didn't see the elephant in the room, it hit me: Jesse had already left for work and he hadn't even the slightest idea clue that I was going to take a pregnancy test. (In the past, he's always been the one to go out and buy one for me and eagerly anticipate the results with me!) How on earth should I tell him?
I thought about a dozen different scenarios but none of them were just right for the occasion. Instead, I picked up the phone, dialed his number, and said, "Honey, I know I don't usually call you at this time, but I thought maybe I should tell you: I just took a pregnancy test and it was positive."
It took quite a bit of convincing before he realized this wasn't a joke; I was 100% serious! And then his disbelief turned to ecstasy. If we were giving out awards for which husband reacted the most enthusiastically to his wife's pregnancy announcement, I'm pretty sure Jesse would win, hands down!
We are both thrilled with this unexpected surprise and humbly praise the Lord for bestowing upon us the privilege and responsibility of, Lord-willing, raising another warrior for His Kingdom. Kathrynne (3) is especially excited as she has been praying for almost a year now that we could have another baby. What a joy it was to share with her how God was answering her prayers!
At the same, I am overwhelmed with the thought of juggling morning-noon-and-night sickness while mothering two little girls and keeping some semblance of order in our home. Pregnancy is always a very stretching experience for me--both literally and figuratively! I need God's grace more than ever and am thankful that I can trust Him to provide for all of my needs one day, one hour, one moment at a time.
As many of you know, I also had some fairly serious health issues with my last pregnancy. I have put forth a lot of effort in the last year to fully recover and regain my health back and am grateful to be starting out this pregnancy in just about the best health I've ever been in.
My hope and prayer is that diligent effort on the diet and nutrition front coupled with good medical care will allow me to have a healthier pregnancy this time around. However, again, I want to have my trust in the Lord--not in doctors, or midwives, or supplements, or exercise, or healthful eating. He is ultimately in control and I want to rest in His perfect sovereignty.
Before I close this now-very-lengthy post, I wanted to ask all of you moms for any practical advice, input, or words of wisdom for me: What were the greatest helps in allowing you to survive morning sickness with toddlers underfoot? I'm feeling more-than-a-bit overwhelmed here as the nausea has arrived in full force. Comments, emails, links to articles/blog posts, are all very welcomed.
I also know nothing about what to expect regarding nursing while pregnant. I'd love to hear from those of you who have experience in this area and what worked for you.
Thank you in advance for your willingness to help this mom who feels like she's entering very uncharted waters and is in need of encouragement from those who've gone before.
Labels: Pregnancy and childbirth
posted by Crystal Paine at 10:02 AM
287 Comments:
CONGRATULATIONS!!! 8^D
-Merlin
I was having a terrible time with migraines with our fourth child because of a major job change and other stresses. I am sure you are handling it much better. I took a lot of ginger for the nausea and with three others under foot I was also very thankful for any input. I pray you will have an easy prengancy this time around. Jenn
crystal--how often were you nursing Kaitlynn when you conceived and how often are you nursing Kaitlynn now?
when i was sick i just took it easy and kept us in one room with plenty of books and toys and calm videos. i made lunches very simple and would leave the kitchen as quickly as possible--leaving the dishes and then dinner prep to my hubby when he got home. I was so sick I had to do this just for a time. keep it simple!! i know you can do it! just don't put unreasonable expectations on yourself! also, maybe now would be a good time to invest in a new "toy" for the girls, or something new for them to do--like a little kitchen set or something. that way you can rest while they play quietly.
I was so sick with my first child. With my second child, my doctor told me to take 1/2 of a Unisom
with vitamin B6. That worked great for me and there were no side-effects. I know that most of your readers seem to lean toward the natural rememdies, but I just wanted to mention it. It made a tremendous difference in the nauseau which plauged me so greatly with pregnancy #1 and the first part of #2.
Also, we went on a pre-planned cruise during pregnancy #2 at about month four (with our two year old toddler in two) and for some reason, I felt great thereafter. I think the cruise really relaxed me. I was sick as a dog for the whole way through pregnancy #1 but I felt much better with #2.
Good luck!
Chrissy: She's nursing about 2-3 times/day right now. Usually when she gets up and when she goes to bed.
Anonymous: I like the cruise idea. Maybe I should float that to my husband. ;)
You sound just like me! Sometimes our bodies are trying to tell us something, and we're too busy trying to solve the problem to listen : )
I'm so happy for you!
Okay...can't help you with the nursing while pregnant thing, but as far as morning sickness goes...
My OB recommended vitamin B6 3 times a day (morning, noon, and night), with a Unisom at night as well. It is the same as the anti-nausea medicine they give ladies with hypermeisis.
Also, keep some saltines by your bedside and munch a few before you even SIT UP in the morning. I had little to no morning sickness because I did this. The only thing that really triggered it was melted cheese on pizza (weird, considering I LOVE cheese), and brushing my teeth with green toothpaste (used blue gel.).
And honestly, listen to your body. I remember some days feeling fabulous, and some days, well, not. Take your vitamins at night, eat what you wanna eat, and just give yourself a break. :)
When my third child was born my oldest had just turned three, (I also have 24 hour sickness for about the first 20 weeks) to say that things were a little crazy would be an understatment. My advice to you would be, take it slow, slow, slow! Let your hubby help as much as he can and is willing. Let things go. Take a nap everyday.
Oh, one more think, don't get too overwhelemed (sp) remember this is a time and season and it will pass, somtimes we just have to push through phases of our lives, just do it with as much joy as you can.
Bless you.
Congratulations, Crystal! Our third baby is a huge blessing to our family and I pray yours will be too!
Nursing – the only issue I've ever had while pregnant and nursing is that I have an irritable uterus and have contractions very early caused by nursing. However, even those did not cause any complications with my last pregnancy until I weaned.
Praying for you as you balance everything and control your morning sickness. I have read that eating beans 24/7 – as gross as that is – eliminates the morning sickness (you could probably google to find out more) or eating whole apples or citrus can help as well.
http://www.threelollies.com/
Preggie Pops. One of the girls I work with swears by these. She had bad sickness with her first child a few months ago and said these were great.
Crystal,
I have nursed "into" three pregnancies now! My first daughter self-weaned...during pregnancy...when I was 5 months along. At that point, she generally nursed only upon awaking. (She had just turned 3...yes, three! I like to nurse them a good, long time!!) One morning she told me the milk tasted yucky! :) Wanted apple juice!
With my second daughter, she also weaned herself just 3 months into pregnancy #3. (She was 2 1/2 and nursing very seldom at that point) Again, she told me one day that the milk was "sour." Interesting, I think!
I am now nursing my 2 1/2 year old son while 2 months along with #4 :). I find that my nausea "naturally" encourages me to find nursing alternatives and keep nursing sessions short. He is a sweet boy who loves to bargain..."me have two nee-nees!" (Like he's making an order at a restaurant, LOL) but he will settle for "juss one nee-nee." His gentle, sweet spirit about nursing is lovely to witness.
Though I nurse "for the long haul," I know that tandem nursing is not for me. I certainly know many women who have succeeded, however! I like to have just one breastfeeding at a time and take steps to gently wean the toddler before the new baby comes along.
My methods are a combination of don't ask/ don't refuse, stretching the length between nursings, and suggesting to the toddler that nursing will end soon and that mom will still snuggle.
For helpful tips on nursing in pregnancy, I can't recommend the following book highly enough: Norma Bumgartner's Mothering Your Nursing Toddler. It is a LaLeche League publication.
My doctors have always been agreeable and supportive to the breastfeeding into pregnancy, but have also recommended additional fluids, excellent diet and prenatal vitamins.
I've never had any negative results to nursing while pregnant.
Best to you on this grand new adventure! Our prayers follow you!
Oh Crystal, how wonderful! Thank you for sharing your news with us!
My tidbit of advice would be to rest whenever possible. If both girls still take naps, rest yourself during this time (even if there is housework to do). If only your youngest is still napping, this is a very good time to teach your elder daughter that as a mommy you also have needs, and encourage her to play quietly by herself while you rest.
I don't know how you feel about TV, but this might be a good time to allow her to watch some appropriate dvd's. My husband and I purchased/borrowed lovely Bible story cd's and dvd's and let my elder daughter watch/listen to those while I rested in the afternoons. We tried to not let those become a habit and always encouraged her to color in, play with her dolls, do puzzles and things like that but every so often we allowed her a story cd or dvd. If she was playing she'd do so quietly in the bedroom with me while I rested but sometimes she was happy to stay in her own room and play.
I found that this laid an excellent foundation to help her entertain herself and not always rely on me or the telly for entertainment when I was otherwise busy after the baby arrived, and ever since. Many friends have commented on how easy my girls are to have in their homes, and I think that besides teaching them respect and manners, this is fruit of the foundation laid when I encouraged them to play quietly by themselves during such times.
Crystal - I got pg w/Pojke while nursing Flicka. The reading I did then said that your milk will begin to change the way it taste and your youngest may wean herself as a result. LOTS of fluids! LOL
As a new reader, I don't know about your previous health difficulties but I have read about a possible morning sickness help:
http://health.yahoo.com/pregnancy-resources/unisom-doxylamine-and-vitamin-b6-for-morning-sickness/healthwise--tn9124.html
We found out we were pg July 4th weekend and July was the worst month EVER for dealing with the Vikings. It was just starting to ease off (at 12 weeks) when I lost my angel. Don't know your history but it may somewhat resolve itself as you get our of first tri.
Congratulations! What a blessing. And how fun that it was a total surprise!
I wondered for a second about the title yesterday, but thought you put that because Kaitlynn is getting "so big." :) Pregnancy didn't occur to me.
As you nurse a baby/child less frequently you are more likely to get pregnant when nursing.
Sarah L
we're so happy for you.
Ginger water always works for me. Being Chinese, we believe strongly in the natural healing power of ginger. If you can get fresh ginger root, peel (or not), cut into chunks (how many...depending on how much spice you can take...I'll say go slow), boil in water with some brown sugar, to make things tastier, try adding pieces of peeled sweet potatoes, cook till potatoes are soft. drink the water, eat the yams, when you feel the nausea or just sick. It's great for tummy troubles too.
Congratulations, Crystal. Your attitude is such an inspiration to me, especially since I am very, very impatiently awaiting the arrival of #2 right now
I was still nursing my now 2 year old daughter when I get pregnant with this baby, and I found the nursing quickly grew somewhat bothersome and painful. I already wanted to start weaning my daughter, so I started that process right away. It took several months, but she was weaned by about month 4 or 5 of this pregnancy. Best of luck to you!
In May my husband and I were also blessed with a big surprise--our own #3! (At the time, or son was just about to turn 1). After recovering from the initial --shock-- we received the news with incredible joy, and are eager for the arrival of our second daughter in December! What an incredible gift from God!
I spent about 6 weeks feeling pretty rough, and my only suggestion is be willing to ask for and accept help. There is often so little that you can do to change how you're feeling and the tiredness, that you need to remember that there are people willing to assist you in this time and all you need to do is ask.
--And as for the nausea, I have heard that flat coke is actually very helpful for taking the edge off the nausea. I never got around to trying it, but I hear it from lots of people.
Congratulations and may you enjoy every minute of this third pregnancy (if you can slow down enough to take it in). What a blessing!
(Now I'm off to put my first two blessings down for a nap!)
Congratulations! I don't know if you know but I'm 19 weeks with our 2nd (David Calvin-Geoffrey named him already) and am just starting to get over the nausea. You may already know about Sea Bands but they were a wonder for me. I got my pair at Walgreens. You wear them on your wrist and they work with a pressure point that helps with nausea. I was skeptical at first but am a believer now. Also flat ginger ale helped. A midwife friend of mine recommends breathing a few drops of peppermint oil on a washcloth. This did not help me but she swears by it. As for the nursing question, I have always been told that your milk changes its taste when you're pregnant so your 2nd may wean herself sooner than you were planning. But if not I don't think there is any concern. I saw a video of a woman giving birth at home to twins and nursing her 2 year old while she was in labor. Crazy but true!
Christine
Congratulations!
My third is now two months old - it can be overwhelming with three at times! But we CAN do all things through Christ!
With morning sickness, just be sure to eat something - even if it is only a cracker or a piece of bread. I know it's hard, and there were lots of times I had to force myself, but just making sure your stomach doesn't stay empty should go a long way.
For me, I had trigger smells that made things much worse - if you do, avoid those at all cost! Sometimes if you read a newspaper (there were times I buried my head in it) when you're out in public and can't get away from a smell, it will help. Something about the ink smell ...
Blessings in Christ,
Amanda
Oh, your story makes me want to be pregnant again!
I got pregnant with #2 while nursing my oldest (8 months old at the time). I was able to continue nursing throughout the pregnancy, but I ate a ton more and took prenatal vitamins. Also, I rested whenever possible...although I didn't have a toddler on my hands yet :)
As a warning, my milk supply did end up dropping significantly, and I had to supplement some with formula. It was discouraging at first, but I finally decided it was still worth it to nurse him as much as I could.
Ginger also really helped me with nausea. I had these ginger candies that I could suck on when I felt sick. They were great. I also had some "Sea Bands" (designed to prevent motion sickness) that helped too.
Praying you'll have an easier pregnancy and another healthy little one!
I have no advice for the nursing while pregnant. I did have terrible all day sickness. I basically did not leave the house for the first three months of each preg. The first one was not so bad because I had no one but my husband to care for. But by the third preg. I had a 2 and a 4 year old. It was terrible. My doctor finally had to give me medicine because I was so weak. I had trouble even getting up and to the Dr office. I was really weak and the medicine was a last resort for me. But I could not keep anything down. The medicine helped some but not all. I tried everything. Eating every few hours, high protein food, vit. B, ginger, I tried just about it all, nothing worked. I got very discouraged about it. I lost about 10 pounds the first three months with each preg. Prayer and patience is my best advice. Don't try to do it all. You won't be able to. Just do what you have to. Your house may not be the cleanest over the next few months. That is ok. Your husband may have to grocery shop for you that is ok. Just do what you can, which may not be much. I hope it goes well for you.
Once you reduce nursing, the "birth-control" theory on it kinda goes out the window, LOL.
I was very sick during my pregnancy (as in had to be in horizontal position most of the time!). Whenever it is our time to have another child, I am also concerned how I will handle it if I have the same issues, while also having another young child to take care of.
If you don't mind, maybe you could post a collaboration of tips & links you receive. :)
Congratulations! THis is so wonderful, though I was expecting your number 3 to be coming around soon. :-)
Only advice I can give you is: Get help!
-Zan
Crystal:
Congrats again! It will be a privilege to pray for you during this pregnancy as I did during your last pregnancy. Please keep us posted on the job change and move as well. God is so good!
Congratulations! I just read this Psalm the other day and I remember it was one I kept close in my heart during a very similar (sp?)season... Psalm 138:3 "On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased." God Bless, congrats again and may God strenthen your soul in the midst of physical weakness. Shannon Eder
Crystal,
First of all CONGRATULATIONS!! God's blessings are always wonderful news!!
You and I must be on the same baby cycle because I had my Hope less than a month after your Kaitlyn! I am expecting right now too (26 weeks)! I, too, became pregnant while nursing (Hope was 8months old!) this time.
There is a homeopathic my midwife told me about called Nux Vomica. It's available at most health food stores and at Whole Foods. You dissolve 3-4 pellets under your tongue almost as often as you need to (when you're feeling ill). Personally, I would buy the Boiron brand as it doesn't have any funky aftertaste. It worked wonders for me at the beginning of this pregnancy. Unfortunately, I'm one of those who get horribly sick and eventually had to switch to prescription Zofran, but the Nux allowed me to wait longer than I ever have and I was ever so grateful. If you don't get that sick then maybe it would work all the way for you.:)
Taking 5 Fish Oil Capsules daily (night is best) will help even out hormones and is great for that new little babe growing inside. It's completely safe to take right along with your SuperMoms (I take those too). But if things get too crazy there is another all natural thing you can buy called Rescue Remedy. It naturally helps to settle nerves and such and will help to mellow you a little.
Again, so excited and happy for you and your sweet family! Blessings!
Congrats! We are so, so happy for you.
Crystal, again Congrats! I'll be praying for a healthy pregnancy for you! While I was expecting, I joined babyfit.com (sister site to sparkpeople.com) and found TONS of information!
Keeping up with two wee ones while feeling the woes of that first trimester (and second and third :-) is hard. It sounds like you'll be eating healthy, and I would encourage exercise (with your MD's consent) too as I felt that gave me more energy (through all those nauseous visits to the bathroom).
Congratulations, Crystal! I have only been pregnant while nursing between babies #1 and #2. My oldest was 14 months when I found out I was pregnant. I was nursing her on demand, still, and the nursing did tend to fatigue me. I had three days of jury duty , and that is why I think I was able to get pregnant, because the nursing was affected. Between babies number 2 and 3, I had to completely wean baby #2 at 20 months, to be able to get pregnant. So I only have one experience of being pregnant and nursing. Try to take it easy as much as possible. One idea that I thought was great from the Preschoolers and Peace website is that if you have really bad fatigue and sickness, keep the littles in one locale. For example, put baby gates up and keep them in the living room with you. Pack a cooler with snacks and a lunch for them and you, if need be.Then, have dvds, books, games, etc. to go through, one by one with the girls. I thought that was a great idea especially for days of extreme fatigue and sickness. Utilize your crock pot for meals! Blessings!
Congratulations, dear lady! I am so happy for you and pray the Lord will give you calm in the midst of the storm of daily living. Take time to rest when those little ones are resting!
Congrats!!!
I nursed through my second pregnancy, tandum nursed, and nursed into my third.
I have read that your milk can change "flavor" causing your child to desire it less. My son self-weaned at about 16 months,and I wonder if this was a factor.
I didn't have any difficulty nursing while pregnant and my OB was very encouraging.
I also had less difficulty with engorgement and discomfort when the "new" baby arrived.
If you end up with severe nausea, my doctor prescribed Zofran and it was wonderful. 4mg (many doses are 8mg) was enough to make the vomitting/nausea subside, for much longer than the 6 hrs it is intended for. It was great for days when I just HAD to function.
I also found cinnamon (tea, hard candy) to be refreshing!
So happy for you!
Andrea
Andreaswheeler@Hotmail.com
Crystal,
First, congratulations! I missed yesterday's announcement, but I was wondering a few weeks ago if perhaps you might have a "little secret"--I guess it was a secret to you, too!
This unexpected news may be a surprise to you, but certainly not to God, who is good, and knows what you need before you even ask! I just want to encourage you by reminding you that I think you possess a great deal of wisdom beyond your years already. You already understand that some trials are just for a season. You know that there are times to throw out the schedule and just keep things simple. Chris was right to say not to put unreasonable expectations on yourself as well.
As far as nursing while pregnant: with my #2 pregnancy, my firstborn was only 6 months old, and I was told by the o.b./gyn to wean him, which I did in the course of a month. I guess the reasons were that my body would first nurture the unborn child, and the nursing child wouldn't get the nutrition he needed from my milk. The other reason, of course, is that nursing causes the uterus to contract, which could pose a problem to the unborn child if it triggered unwanted contractions or early labor. Bottom line, it can be very hard on the body!
But I've also heard that if the contractions aren't problematic, as long as you supplement your calorie intake to account for the second person you are nurturing, you can still nurse while pregnant. If you feel strongly about not wanting to wean yet, talk it over with your doc, and see what he/she says. In my case, the firstborn wasn't old enough for regular milk yet, and we had a very expensive 6 months or so of baby formula! I may have been able to handle nursing while pregnant, but because they were so close together (15 months), I figured it would be easier to wean sooner rather than later, when I would have two mouths to feed.
What you probably need more than anything is lots of rest. Listen to your body when it tells you to rest! Plan some activities for your girls that will allow you to rest. For me, with morning sickness, I found that eating foods with protein lasted longer and took the edge off better than just grains, and brushing my teeth and taking my vitamin before eating increased the chances of it all staying down!
Best wishes,
Merrilee
i have always admired your committment to nurse. what a wonderful mama you are. so encouraging to hear of your blessing that came even when you were nursing. :) God bless you for trusting Him. Thanks for your example.
Christy
make microwavable chicken nuggets for lunch, or pb and j. Keep it real simple!!
Oh yay! So very excited for you! We have three four and under, and it can be a struggle at times, but you'll adjust quickly I am sure! Get lots of rest and leave that to-do list somewhere you can't see it, lol! :)
RUN, don't walk...to the nearest LaLeche League!! They know so much about all kinds of nursing, including tandem nursing.
I was not successful at nursing while pregnant...I lost that one. Not to scare you, but I feel if anyone could be of help, it would be those women. It did not used to cost a dime either, to be a part of them. We were not near a group then, who have been able to help me.
I have always heard that you are lacking some kind of B vitamin when you have such severe nausea. Is it B6? Any rate, I have found that I need lots of B vitamins....suppliment, and also eating the dark green veggies, both.
I had begun to feel pain nursing...felt a burning sensation, like my chest wall was separating, etc. before I lost that baby. So if you begin to feel pain nursing...might be best to quit. I hope you can make it to weaning #2 whenever you had planned to...
And PRAY!!
Oh...if you WANT your toddler to quit desiring to nurse...maybe a bit of liquid vitamin E on the nipple before offering...tastes kind of icky, but won't hurt her!! So they can think it is THEIR idea to quit.
My mom's milk always dried up by the second trimester when she was nursing, but many women retain their milk until it changes into colostrum, and some women go on to "tandem" nurse. :)
One thing you might expect is that you might get more sensitive over the next month or so, and it may be harder to cheerfully bear. This usually passes by the second trimester. God bless you and your family and I pray that everyone's health would abound :D
LOL, I missed your hint. I just assumed it was a typo, and you were meaning to have sister in the singular! Congratulations!!!
I conceived again when babies #1-#3 were 14 months old. So, right about when you did this time around. At that point, my children were only nursing 1 ½-3 times a day, depending on the child. They all weaned themselves in the first trimester. I could still squeeze out milk in the time frame they weaned, so I think they just were ready and had lost interest. But, there may have also been some reduction in supply also or a difference in taste. I didn’t have to make any changes in drinking or eating beyond usual for early pregnancy.
What exactly is your due date? My baby #4 was born in June of last year, within a couple weeks of Kaitlynne I think. I’m due with #5 January 8th and will be 22 weeks tomorrow. I was surprised to be expecting a new arrival when my little one will be almost 19 months, instead of at my usual 23 months.
For morning sickness, the standard advice of frequent small meals. Also, eating protein at every meal can help. Cutting back on junk food can help. I found water with lemon to help alleviate nausea for several hours when I had very bad morning sickness with #4. Also peppermint tea. Or nibbling on a homemade whole-grain gingersnap.
You could also consider cutting out dairy or any other common allergens for 1 week. I had very bad morning sickness for about 1 ½ weeks of this pregnancy and actually threw up, which I never actually had done with morning sickness before. As soon as I stopped the dairy, the nausea was completely gone along with some other digestive symptoms. So, except for 10 days, I had a 1st trimester nausea-free which I’ve never had before. In my case, I seem to be able to tolerate dairy again now, and wonder if that might be because I went on a probiotic compound to try to make sure my good bacteria-bad bacteria balance was correct (I’d had antibiotics several months before). But, it still might be worth a try if the nausea is really bad.
Congrats again!
Oh, what a dunce I am! I saw the title and pictures and thought it was a typo, then I noticed how big they've gotten and thought you meant that.
CONGRATULATIONS! So happy for you!
Meals in the freezer are good, maybe some muffins or something easy the girls can eat in the mornings if you're not feeling well.
I spent the better part of two pregnancies on bed rest with little ones, and God provided. We played lots of red light green light and mother may I (with me calling it from the couch), my husband got early morning shifts so he could help in the afternoons and evenings, and the singles group from a local church (not even the one we went to!) brought meals for us for FOUR MONTHS. That experience still stands out to us as a sweet time when God provided abundantly beyond what we could imagine.
If that move you're talking about is to Central Texas by any chance, give me a holler. My 12 year old would love to be a mama's helper for you. :-)
Relax. Take care of yourself, your little blessings and your dear hubbie. Don't put too much guilt into what you don't get done everyday. Concentrate on the important stuff and let everything else go. On good days...you can homeschool and on bad days...you can rest on the sofa. Congratulations!
DonnaJ
1) Reduce your expectations! I settle for a well-fed family and a house that looks better at the end of the day than after morning playtime and breakfast.
2) You can do it if it's right for you and your babes.
I have never had much trouble nursing my little one, he's 21 months and I'm 30 weeks right now. I figured he'd wean himself, but no such luck. I just eat when I'm hungry (every two hours or so) and drink between 1/2 and 3/4 gallon of fluids a day. And I take a higher potency multivitamin EVERY DAY.
There were moments when it was uncomfortable, but I feel that he's needed the nursing through a VERY strange summer (living in four different places over the space of two months). And when I tried weaning he REALLY struggled with sleeping issues.
Congratulations! What a wonderful surprise! Hope you feel better soon.
The third baby is much easier - so don't worry! The most important thing, in my opinion, is to graze all day on small amounts of food that are more on the bland side (not a lot of acidic foods like fruits or juices or tomato products or anything fried or too spicy) and to take in a very good amount of protein. I am not a big meat eater (in fact I was a strict vegetarian for 5 years) and I am allergic to many foods like eggs so I turned to protein powder to mix into milk or water (the doctor recommended it to me). Without this protein powder during preg #2 I was fainting! I bought the super sized jar for $40 at GNC and it lasted my entire pregnancy. Also, make sure you rest! This is an important time to take care of yourself and your baby so resting should be on your to-do list!
Congrats again!
Lisa mommy to 3 girls
I got pregnant with Baby 2 and with Baby 3 while I was still exclusively nursing the previous baby (6-7 times per day) so I guess while sometimes breastfeeding delays fertility, God is ultimately sovereign in that!
Hannah weaned herself when I was 30 weeks pregnant and she was 15 months old. I really wanted her to take the lead, and she just gradually cut back and one day she didn't want to nurse and so we stopped. She was not jealous when Jack arrived 8.5 weeks later, and didn't ask to nurse again even while watching him nurse.
Jack is now 15 months old and I'm 25 weeks pregnant, and he's still nursing four times a day. I'm interested to see if he drops off before the baby arrives in December or if I'll be tandem nursing?
As long as you're healthy and eating enough and drinking LOTS of water (more than you think you need) you should be fine continuing to nurse. I would caution you that it's extremely important to get more protein than usual because milk production and pregnancy both take lots of protein - and I remember you had an anemia problem when you were pregnant last time? I have that chronically so I am trying to be really careful about getting plenty of protein (80-100 grams per day) and lots of iron. Protein is hard when you're nauseous, but you can get good quality protein powder from Shaklee that tastes good in smoothies. It's kind of expensive, but cheaper gram for gram in the protein than most meat, I find.
I get really nauseous too, and everyone seems to have their own remedy, none of which really worked for me. My OB and several friends did tell me to take a Unisom and a B6 vitamin at night before bed. I couldn't handle a full Unisom (you want the tablet form) because it seemed like it never wore off, but I would take a half pill at night. It helped me sleep through the night time nausea, which helped me feel a little better during the day too. I got mine at CVS - the CVS brand of "unisom" is fine to take as long as you get the one labeled "Doxylamine succinate tablets, 25 mg USP" (according to my friend who is a pharmacist, there is another CVS brand type of "unisom" that is not the same active ingredient). I rolled them into my other deals so no out of pocket cost.
Sorry this is so long. :)
Crystal,
Congratulations! I nursed through a pregnancy. My daughter was 15 months when I found out I was expecting #2. I nursed her until she self weaned 4 weeks before #2 arrived. I had absolutely no health concerns while carring my son. I fully intended to tandem nurse but my daughter changed that. My midwife didn't have a problem with my decision to nurse during pregnacny. Congrats!
~Sonya~
Congratulations!! Looks like you have lots of advice here, so I'll just echo that it helped me with my last pregnancy (w/ already having a 3yr. old and 1yr. old) to keep things really simple as far as cooking, cleaning and projects, to keep us all in the same room throughout most of the day and to take a nap every afternoon, especially during the sick/tired part of the pregnancy.
I'm happy for y'all and will be praying for an uncomplicated pregnancy for you.
-susan
I was exceedingly sick the first time around. Unisom and B6 were good. But the ultimate fix was B12 injections. I finally quit throwing up multiple times a day around 5 mo when I got the B12.
When I was so hungry but could not keep food down, nothing fit the bill like a small taco from Taco Bell with 3 - yeah, count 'em - pack of Fire sauce. I never!! threw it up. I have since had other friends try it and it works. At least for some people.
I missed stopping here yesterday. But I did wonder several times in the last couple weeks if you were pregnant. ha Now to wait one more week and see if God has blessed us... :)
Congratulations! I am so happy for you and your family. God bless.
I nursed baby #3 this past time while pregnant with #4 (got pregnant again when she was only 8 months old). We hung in there till she was a year old but my milk supply had dwindled drastically, so at 4.5 months along, we finally quit (she just didn't want to nurse one evening and I didn't push it, being tired). I would just play it by ear...nursing can cause contractions for some people so you'll have to see what pans out for you and maybe ask your midwife's advice if you have any doubts.
As for handling multiple small children while sick and tired, my advice is to do all the "have-tos" in the morning while somewhat rested, so you have the afternoon mostly free for sit-down tasks or a nap. You seem quite organized with meal prep already so that part should work in your favor, getting it done early in the day.
I didn't read all the other responses, being pressed for time today, but hopefully you got lots of good advice! Just make sure you plan some rest time into your day.
Praying all goes well for you.
Praise the Lord and Congratulations! I am 34 weeks pregnant now and still nursing my almost 2 year old. I also have very severe morning sickness while pregnant and must be prescribed Zofran. It's a very potent drug, but it does work. Without it, I become extremely sick and dehydrated. Nursing hasn't been too much of a problem, although there are times when I wish he would wean himself. We have just continued on as normal in that regard. Praying for you. Do not let yourself become overwhelmed. Your health and your family need your attention more than anything else right now. Find your strength in Him.
Yay! Our kids are so close in age to yours, and our lives so coincidentally parallel, that I just knew it was about time for you to bake up another little bun, since I'm six months into my 3rd! Congratulations! My only advice: Rest. The kids will be OK if you're a little less diligent for a few weeks while the worst of the first trimester passes. It's been so much easier for me in my second trimester. I hope it will be for you, too! I'm so excited for you!
Again, congratulations! Do you know when you're due?
I'll be sure to keep you in my prayers. May you have an easy pregnancy and delivery!
I'm 23 weeks along with my little boy, and he hasn't given me any trouble with sickness, thankfully.
I had a few days of mild nausea, and I found that Sea Bands truly did help with my queasiness.
Warmest congratulations to the five of you, Crystal! I'm so jealous...
... for a note of encouragement, my mom nursed nursed her second child while pregnant with her third, and then went on to nurse the two babies together for over a year after the third was born. She had to allow herself extra rest, and always gave priority nursing to the newborn of course, but everyone benefitted.
Congratulations! Aren't surprises wonderful blessings?
As an older mom having experienced 10 pregnancies with morning sickness from 6 weeks to 17 weeks at the least, I've tried many different morning sickness remedies.
1. I took Bendectin with my 2nd. Took the edge off but I was still incapacitated. This is now off the market but is essentially the Unisom/B-6 or Benedryl B-6 combination others have mentioned. The Unisom or Benedryl took the edge off but made me so tired I was useless anyway. I've heard others have been helped by the Zofran but never tried it myself.
2. B-12 shots. Worked wonders until all of a sudden I was violently sick. "Ooops," the Dr. said, "I think we've reached your limit." Not to mention these shots h.u.r.t.
3. Ginger snaps to nibble on. Hard candy to suck on. Keep hydrated.
4. No cooking meat or fish, whatsover, by anyone. The smell was beyond horrible. No going near the gas station that fried their own burritos. I would lose it. My worst pregnancy where I had to have IVs was when we lived next door to neighbors from another nameless country who BBQd outside my bedroom window. It had to be cat or dog. It was the w.o.r.s.t. smelling BBQ ever! I know it made my morning sickness so much worse.
5. Grazing through the day. No "meals" per se. Too much...I'd lose it....Too little.....I'd lose it. Trying to hold my food down for a minimum of 20 minutes after eating to try to gain some nutrition before tossing my cookies.
6. Powdered capsule pills only, as tablets sit in your stomach and make the nausea much worse. That's IF I could get the pills down in the first place, which didn't happen too often.
7. Raspberry tea. Pregnancy Tea.
8. What worked best for me was Milk Thistle. Milk Thistle cleanses the liver, which processes your overload of hormones. If your liver is bogged down, it can't process the high hormones and sickness ensues. Milk Thistle is safe for pregnancy and great for milk production - recommended for increasing your milk supply. I took this before and during my past 2 pregnancies. I was still sick, but not so incapacitated.
9. Rest. Just last year we tossed the couch I'd spent 8 pregnancies on. It had my imprint in the cushions.
10. Ask for help. Can your sister come stay with you? Your mom? Your cousin? Anyone? With my third, my husband worked swing shift so was home in the morning. I had to manage things during naptime, then my sister would come over around 3 p.m. and stay until evening. I'd have to get the girls to bed, but then I could crash myself.
Congratulations on this new little one that God has given to y'all. Be thankful for the sickness as its a good sign of health for the baby. Trust God in His timing for this new little surprise. He will provide you with what you need right now.
In Him,
Laralee aka The Tent Family
http://PlymouthRockRanch.com
Recording the Faithfulness and Provision of God for Future Generations
Wow! We just found out we are having are third as well. This was a shock to us as we were not planning this. My daughter is 17months and son is 4. I'm happy you asked for advice and that I am able to read what others have to say. We are excited about our addition, but a little encouragement is an added bonus!
So excited for you! I hope to join you in the rank of pregnant mamas soon...but God willing:)
I have read about the beans 'round the clock helping combat morning sickness as well.
Congratulations!
Congratulations!
De-lurking for the first time here. I've been reading your blog for several months now and just finished going through all of your archives, so, to me, it's as though Kaitlynn was born last week and now suddenly you're pregnant again!
I'm praying for strength and wisdom for you as God stretches you in entirely new ways - and for a healthy pregnancy this time around! =)
What wonderful news!
I did not take time to read through all the comments so I don't know if this has been said. I had hypermesis with all 4 children. It was terrible to say the least. My doctor finally put me on a drug called ZOFRAN. It was either that or be in the hospital for the pregancies. It was a wonder drug for me. I still got sick, but I could function. (With baby #3, I had a 2 1/2 and a one year old, so I had to get up each day.) It is safe for babies. It is a drug they give to chemo patients to help them with their nausea. You might just want to look into it. But congratulations and I can't wait to find out about your Baby #3!
Congratulations!!
I don't have time to read all comments, so if someone has suggested this, I apologize...
Tummy Tuneup6 from Beeyoutiful.com
was the only thing that helped with my severe all-day, specially evening sickness. I visited with them a bit & found that it was impossible to take too much & so took a capsule every time I couldn't handle the nausea any more. I would have been comfortable taking it even more frequently, but I just couldn't afford to.....
I also wanted to encourage you that every pregnancy is different; just because your last one was so difficult, doesn't mean that this one will be.
Congratulations! That is great news!
Best to you during your pregnancy!
Congratulations Crystal! What a joyful surprise!
I have only one child (so far) so can't give too much advice. I was nauseous for my first trimester, and found that keeping a bag of gingersnaps by the bed and eating two in the morning and then waiting five minutes before I sat up really helped a lot. I tried the Sea Bands, to no avail, but the gingersnaps did the trick. Also Coke tasted really good and settled my stomach. I had very high intentions, you know, whole grain muffins and spinach for nine months, but by about six weeks in the thought of a green veggie would send me running for the bathroom. So, cookies and saltines and coke for three months. Mother of the year I am not, but I did have a perfectly healthy pregnancy, and delivered a 9 lb 9 oz boy who was also in perfect health. Apparently the caffeine in the Coke did not stunt anyone's growth ;-)
From your blog I know you to be an immensely capable woman, so I know you can do this. I also know you to have very high standards for yourself, and to expect a lot to be accomplished in an organized fashion. Probably the hardest thing for you to do would be to lower those standards (temporarily, of course!) and cut yourself some slack, but that might be what is best for you and your baby and your girls - I wholeheartedly agree with everyone who said let the housework slide some, ask for help, and take this time to not be quite so self-reliant, and instead enjoy and be grateful for your loving family and friends who all want to help you. Best wishes to you and your growing family!
Karis
I wondered if you might be pregnant when you said you were really sick in Arkansas. Then, when you mentioned jumping off a cliff (swimming) I thought, "Nah, she wouldn't do that if she was preggo."
Congrats! Those third kids (though anticipated and welcome for sure) like to take everyone by surprise! One of my best friends just found out she's having #3 this week and it was a surprise for her too! And our third took us a bit by surprise too!
I suffered from awful morning sickness with all 3 of my pregnancies but the third was the BEST by far because I took a half a pill of Unisom at night before bed and most of the next day I was nausea-free. This was recommended by my doctor and clinic and is very safe. It doesn't work for everyone but it made a huge difference in the nausea for me.
Other tips:
My folks gave me a Mother's Helper for Christmas. A young Christian girl came by the house for a couple of hours once a week to help me with the kids so I could run errands or make supper or nap. This 2-hour break was soooo nice for me during the 7 weeks I had the worst morning sickness. It would be worth hiring someone to do this so you can do your shopping or errands more quickly (or nap!)
Since our budget was tighter with this pregnancy as we were saving for a van, I couldn't just rely on convenience foods or fast food when I felt sick so I tried to cook up a lot of beans and hamburger immediately when I got the positive so I wouldn't have to during the weeks of sickness. I also stuck with foods that were more bland and less likely to make me sick. Making supper in the morning, when my Unisom-effect was still in place, made things much easier too.
I won't lie to you: It is incredibly hard being pregnant with two little ones. It's hard to be patient, hard to muster up energy to get housework done, and hard to keep up with their energy and continual demands. It's great that you have decided to "Say Yes to Less" (another thing that made me wonder if you were preggo =) because it's essential when you are so tired during this stage of life.
I look back and wonder how I did it. Moreover I look forward and wonder how I will juggle three and be preggo with #4! You just have to take it one day at a time. At the end when I was dying for the baby to come and exhausted and nearly overwhelmed, I would just tell myself that I could get through today. If I didn't feel I could get off the couch I would merely sit there and read to my kids a bunch. If the thought of making supper was too much I would make peanut-butter sandwiches and my husband was fine with that. I didn't worry about my house being perfect for company and my dishes got put off a LOT!!! I took people up on their offers to help or to take my kids to the park and was grateful for it!
Just set out a few small goals for the day and take it day by day, realizing you might only get half as much accomplished in a day but that's okay. Before you know it, you'll be holding that little one (each pregnancy seems to go by faster and faster!)
*Note* I have never thought that breastfeeding was a way to avoid getting pregnant. I start ovulating 8 weeks after I give birth and I nurse around the clock, on demand, for the first year. Amongst most of the women I know, not being able to get pregnant while nursing is quite rare! Indeed one of my friends conceived twins while nursing exclusively when her daughter was 3 months old!
Congrats again and come read my series on how I'm learning to handle Three Under 3 on my blog! (www.thekingsmissus.blogspot.com)
Wow, Crystal! Congratulations! May God bless you as you pour your life so unselfishly into this new little one growing inside of you. :-)
My mother had ten children - all very close in age, and learned to not only survive her pregnancies, but as she embraced them, she learned to grow through them. Take time to relax every day, during nap time perhaps, and close your eyes, listen to a peaceful song, soak your feet; whatever. Even if it's just for five minutes I think you'll experience the blessing of being still. :-) That was always such a help to my mama.
And once again, congratulations and God bless you! :-)
I can't give any advice about nursing when pregnant, but I can help with the morning sickness. I know you are the same as me when it comes to your house, you like it to be organized and clean as much as possible. Keep in mind that the girls and new baby are more important than a clean house and try to let it go more than usual. Of course, rest whenever possible, when the girls are napping, etc. While still leaving your trust in God, seek medical assistance. The vit. B 12 shot would be great for you. You went through so much with the second during delivery. You are such a beautiful mom, I don't want to see you go through anything like that again. I know you will seek more medical care this time around. I'm so happy for you all!
All I can say is peppermint discs the red and white striped candies. they are the best thing since sliced bread.
By the way Congratulations!!
Congratulations Crystal! You have been such a blessing to me and my family through your blogs. I will be praying for you, your family and a healthy pregnancy!
I don't know why, but I was thinking you were pregnant! Congratulations!!!
My oldest 2 are 19 months apart, and I was still nursing the oldest what I was pregnant. My husband took over putting hum down for bed(instead of me nursing) and I slowly reduced nursing time. Also, I found that the nursing helped with the nausea. I had small amounts of protein throughout the day, and a few whole wheat crackers when I got up(I kept some on my bedside table so I could have them before I got out of bed!) Just remember to get lots of rest(I know, easer said than done!), sleep when the girls are napping and accept all the help you can get!
Congratulations!! What a blessing.
Hi Crystal. Congratulations!!
Having a third baby changed everything for our family. She was also a very wonderful surprise. I think that I had to re-do my whole mothering approach when I had #3. I know your motto is "Keep it simple"--and you will surely need to do that now!!
Don't get me wrong, having 3 is really a lot of fun right now, but to be honest, the first few months were very challenging...
I too have horrible morning sickness and pretty much throw up for 3 months straight with my pregnancies. I have tried everything in the book--saltines, ginger, meds, B6, etc--and honestly nothing seemed to make much difference (for me). I did find that just hanging out outside in the sunshine, or packing up the kids and going on a walk seemed to take my mind off of it somewhat. I just decided that throwing up in Souper-Salad's restroom, or in the portapotty at the park was no worse than throwing up at home, and the fresh air really DID make me feel better.
I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I really, REALLY had to let go of a lot of expectations. The first trimester is for RESTING, and DOING WHATEVER DOES NOT MAKE ONE SICK!! The second and third trimester are all about nesting and getting everything done that you felt guilty for not doing in the first...
A few practical tips (things I wish I had done more of before/after having baby # 3): arrange for help for as LONG AS POSSIBLE (mostly for taking care of the other children); stock up those freezer meals; do not plan to do ANYTHING for 3 months after having the baby besides nurse, do a little laundry, and rest...
Congrats to you and Jesse again...
Phebe
Congrats on your baby! Bravo for taking on morning sickness. Mine was so bad with my first two, that I have decided to adopt next time. Really (: My best advice is. If you puke so much that your even on the verge of dehydration, let the doctor give you an IV to hydrate back up! Just having a few bags of IV fluid in my system made a HUGE difference. I could get out of bed again!
If it's just a bit or queasiness, try your pressure points on your wrists (get seabands for this) or run cold water over those same points.
Good Luck!
Congratulations.
My advice would be to watch how much you expect of yourself. Be kind to yourself.
Lemon candy and preggie pops were my lifesavers when I was pregnant. They were the only things that kept me from totally caving into the sickness.
God bless.
Congratulations! I only have one so I can't help you on the toddler front but what helped with morning sickness for me was to constantly eat. As long as I had something in my stomach, I felt ok. If I went more than an hour without eating a little something, I felt miserable.
I'm 2 months into baby #3 and this is my second time nursing while pregnant which is really hard and bad on my body so I'm still trying to wean my youngest (16 months). The best thing I've found is try not to nurse the baby till the afternoons if she is taking some solids. I feel less like I'm going to die when I can get some food down before I nurse.
-Marie
My doctor also recommended 1/2 a Unisom with vitamin B6. I took this only when it got bad. I also figured out that dairy products made me even sicker so I cut them out of my diet. I only have one child right now, so no advice about having a third!!