Surviving Morning Sickness

Did I say I was feeling better? Well, you can delete that from my last post. LOL! For some reason, morning sickness has decided to make a repeat visit this week. It is not as severe as in the beginning, but it is still not much fun.

I have been thinking about the topic of "surviving morning sickness" because I know that a lot of women worry about how they can have more babies and do just that: survive morning sickness. Well, I have been through this 8 times now and from experience, you do just that: you survive. I can pretty much guarantee that when I have morning sickness, my family will go into "survival mode". What this means is that we do what it takes to get by, to get through each day, meeting each need as it comes up. I don't worry about the next day, or even the next few hours, instead I take each moment as it comes and I do what it takes to get through those moments.

Here is what our family does to get through the give or take 12 weeks of morning sickness:

We stick to our general routine but slow way down. Typically, I like to keep a tight schedule in the morning, up until lunch time, so that we can get done what needs to get down--chores, breakfast, hygiene, school--in order that we can enjoy more unstructured time in the afternoon. We read, pursue hobbies, socialize and run errands during the afternoon. Well, when I have morning sickness we follow our routine, but not a timed-schedule. I sleep in a little later. School might start a half hour later. We may not cover every subject every day, and that's okay. That's the beauty of homeschooling.

We keep it simple for meals. In the beginning, my children love what this means! Boxed cereal for breakfast? Convenience foods for lunch? Great! After a few weeks, however, my children are ready for me to return to cooking. I am at the point in my pregnancy in which I am cooking again. However, my children were ready for me to resume my kitchen duties before my stomach was ready. This is where forethought is necessary. Let me elaborate: Soon after I have a baby, my children begin to talk about the next baby. I am quick to remind them that it is a lot of work for mommy to have morning sickness and fatigue and that it means they will have to pitch in and help out. My children all heartily insist that they want to help out, that they will gladly help out, that they can't wait to help out. However, it is easier said than done. So, I make sure that during the times when I am not pregnant I train my children to do chores, to follow directions, to obey, and to work cheerfully. I also have encouraged my children to learn to cook and bake. Then, when I become pregnant and start to feel sick I remind my children that this is the time when I need them. They all step up to the plate, sometimes with general reminders, and have pitched in. They have all helped out preparing lunch and dinner. Not only is this not a chore for them, they love it and are so proud of their accomplishment! In this way, I have truly seen how morning sickness has been a blessing, teaching my children how to be mature, helpful, and diligent. It has also shown them of what they are capable! For example, the other day Elyse (age 6) wanted to make something. I handed her a recipe for blueberry muffins and told her to make them so that we would have breakfast for church the next morning--and she did it! With very little assistance from me, Elyse made muffins on her own!

When I have morning sickness, I am humbled and have learned to let go of my expectations for my house. It stays generally clean, but not up to the standards I usually keep. I have learned to be okay with that. I have also been humbled when my body often revolts against my usual health-nut habits and craves french fries and cheeseburgers and loses the desire to exercise in favor of sleep. Every time, I have worried that I will permanently detest food and never want to workout again and each time has proved me wrong. So, I have learned to be okay with a short-lived diet of whatever-sounds-good-at-the-moment and that there won't be permanent damage if my children eat cereal for breakfast or peanut butter and banana sandwiches. This is just not a reason to not have another baby.

I really do feel for those mothers who throw-up for weeks and weeks. While I experience all-day sickness with no relief, I am not plagued with the threat of dehydration and an inability to move from a prone position. However, I know women who do it, who suffer through this type of morning sickness and still allow God to plan the size of their family. From what I have gathered, these women follow some of the same guidelines as we do--their family is in survival mode, they keep things simple, and their children get a great education in how to manage a home, just like mine, and are better for it.

The last thing we do to survive morning sickness is keep life simple by cutting our social down to a bare minimum. We don't entertain and we don't go visiting. It can be difficult to feel cooped up for a few months, but it is only a few months and we know that once I am feeling better we will once again have playdates and friends for dinner.

Morning sickness is one of the trials of pregnancy that can be one of the most difficult. It is my least favorite part. It knocks me off my feet every time. However, I have now begun to see the benefits of it, especially for my children. They know the price we must pay to have another baby and yet they welcome it! It blows my mind. They are eager to help out and pray for me continually. They encourage me and remind me that it won't last forever. Morning sickness has served to knit us closer together as a family because everyone must pitch in and do his or her part and then some in order for us to function. But, that's what a family is for, isn't it? I hope that one day my children do the same for each other when they experience their own trials. The body of Christ functions as a whole and when one part is unable to do its job, the other parts must work harder to keep things going. And that is what I liken our family to--the body of Christ on a smaller scale. God intended us to live in families, to experience this kind of closeness and bond, this dependence on one another. No other time does a family experience this dependence more acutely than during a "crisis". These times, while difficult, can be such a blessing as they draw us toward one another. Yes morning sickness is a trial, but in that trial there is great blessing and reward.

In Christ, Laura