I've realized over the course of the past three weeks that I have inadvertently developed strategies for dealing with pregnancy sickness; how to nip the nausea in the bud, how to make it wear off a little faster. Granted, my strategies don't always work, but at least they make me feel like I have some sort of control over my body.
- The most obvious strategy I've recognized myself doing is that in the kitchen, I inhale deeply before opening the refrigerator, pantry, or garbage can, so that I have a prolonged exhale while said door is open. This way, I don't actually have to smell the fridge or pantry (even though they don't really smell that bad...to a pregnant woman, it's poison). Although, I must admit that there are times when even the thought of what the fridge smells like is enough to make me sick, even though my nose is closed.
- Diaper changing. I tried using the same inhale/exhale strategy with stinky diapers, and it just took too long. I tried holding my breath or covering my face with my shirt, but then I just threw up in my shirt. So I've resorted to changing in the backyard if its cool enough, otherwise I open windows and sit under the swamp cooler to get the smell to quickly dissipate. So far this seems to be working.
- Wait it out. Babyproof the room as well as possible, closing the bathroom door upstairs if Leah decides to venture up to her bedroom, and arming myself with the phone, the remote, and a bottle of tums, I lay inverted on the couch wimpering and restlessly drooping. (Just as long as no one rings the doorbell...)
- I drink a big glass of water with breakfast. That way if it bounces back up, its not as gross.
- Choice of breakfast foods: M&M's never seem to come back up.
- Be sick. Get it over with and then promptly eat crackers and sprite and see if it stays down.
*Sigh* None of my techniques are actually fail proof. If only experience yielded improved performance.
