Nobody warns you about what happens to you body with a baby.
OK, maybe they do but there is no way I was prepared for it. For those who are weak in the stomach, or have any sense of propriety at all, you might want to skip over this post.
How can I paint this picture accurately … imagine having a violent flu for 12 weeks. In addition to this flu, you are a person who has trouble vomiting. It is painful and does not come naturally. Prior to pregnancy, I could count on two hands the number of times I had needed to “toss my cookies”. Oh how my stats have changed since that time!
For 12 painful weeks, a day when I could keep down only my prenatal vitamin was a victory. That’s 84 days and 2,016 hours of gastrointestinal purgatory. Between that and child birth itself, I should have plenty of material for plenty of guilt trips.
Muwahahahahaha.
But I digress.
All of this time, I was in the running for a newspaper reporters position and was doing small freelance stories to improve my chances and make a little needed money. So life must go on and community news must be covered – even when the story involves touring a pungent organic food business. The fact that I kept it together until I got home that day was a small victory I am incredibly proud of.
Many things happened during this little parasite’s first 12 weeks of life on planet earth. But for the sake of brevity – and because you are already probably shaking your head after this TMI moment – I will just end my tale there.
A few things I learned though this rough patch:
- Zofran is mommy’s best friend. For realsies.
- Even if you are laid up on the couch from pure vomit-induced exhaustion, feel alright that baby is getting all the nutrients he/she needs. The little parasite will suck it straight from your soul if needed. From now on, your body doesn’t get first priority when picking off nutrient stores – baby does. Let the lifetime of giving begin!
- Check your purse-stashed plastic vomit bags for holes ahead of time.
- It will get better.
