The first trimester of my pregnancies sure aren't a walk in the park. Granted, I don't vomit (which I will forever thank God for) but I do feel extremely tired – like wild African elephant that's been shot with five tranquilizer darts before movement to captivity tired. Seriously, seriously tired. On top of that, the constant nausea is wearing. I've used a few tricks this go-round that have really helped to alleviate some of the aching in the ‘ol belly, but regardless of home-remedies, the nausea still lingers until around week twelve.
Forget about eating chicken. Or feeling that deep satisfaction after a good meal. Instead, it's back to the post-flu diet of granola, toast, crackers, bananas, and cheese. Mild foods that sit easily on the belly.
The constant hunger is also a battle – because I don't really feel like eating anything – and yet every ninety minutes, I get that low-blood-sugar-feeling and start scavenging through the cupboard like a hungry rodent.
After acquiring a snack that won't satisfy my mind but will satisfy my belly (at least for the next hour and a half), said tranquilized-nauseous-elephant wanders over to her favorite, squishy chair. Said squishy chair happens to sit in the late morning sunshine from the window (a really bad combination for a tranquilized elephant who is trying terribly hard to stay awake to begin with.
Tranquilized Mommy monster sits and nibbles on her cheese.
Before long, the three year old comes over. “Whatcha got, Momma? Can I have some?” Sure baby. Of course. Here. Eat my cheese. It's not like I need it.
Then the one year old spots the cheese. Oooh. He loves cheese.
All of the Mommy elephant's cheese is soon consumed by her small army, only a few lone crumbs linger on the floor. Big bites of the cheese are washed down with delicious raw milk from Sally Belle, only to be spit up and spilled on the couch pillows.
“Maybe the dog will be kind enough to lick it off once he comes inside”, tranquilized Mommy thinks. Because Lawd knows she doesn't have enough energy to get up and wipe it up herself.
Still-hungry Mommy manages to muster enough of her still-depleting-energy to take off her tennis shoes so that she can further curl up in this deliciously comfortable (and sunny) chair she is enjoying at the moment. But wait… what's this?
Even she is appalled at the horrendous choice of socks and shoes. One brown sock, with a tennis shoe. One black sock, with a tennis shoe. Both socks are Stuart's work socks. Neither of them is a good choice to wear with sneakers.
She'd hang her head in shame, but she's too tired. And hungry. And nauseous. So instead, she lowers her foot back down and wears them, exactly like that, for the rest of the day.
It's only at this point that the fully sedated elephant Mommy realizes that her youngest baby is without clothes. Again. It wasn't until the oldest shouted “Mommy, Owen's playing with his ‘thing' again!” that she even realized her children were still in the room. She was, after all, sedated with this pregnancy hormone.
She stared at baby elephant. Should she get up and put clothes on him? Was it physically possible to pull herself out of this chair and it's warm sunshine, walk with her mismatched socks and horrendously chosen tennis shoes, to the bathroom – almost 20 feet away? Forget about it. He can be naked. He can play with his thing. She didn't care. As long as, for this brief moment, she could sit.
Even with her eyes at half-mast, Momma could still see the toys peeking out from the computer desk. Perhaps, she should get up and put them away? They were, after all, the tip of the iceberg – no less than 1,592,375 lego pieces littered the floor under her feet.
Alas, she passed on that fun endeavor.
Her eyes were opened once again to half-mast when Princess “Rapunzel/Georgia/Cinderella/Elsa/Anna” requested a viewing of her newest dance.
Even a tranquilized-nauseous-hungry Momma elephant can't pass up the opportunity to watch this newest dance (for the 6,183 time that day). These moments, are as they so often remind us, fleeting.
Though luckily, when you watch something 6,183 times in a single day, it becomes pretty etched in one's mine.
Sneak attack from ground level. Sleepy, pregnant elephants aren't very fast on their feet and one year olds capitalize on such slow response times. He knows. Oh, he knows. He knows he can snatch things from my hand when I'm in my hormone-induced-coma. He also knows that I'm too lazy to get him dressed on occasion. But he loves the nakedness, don't let him fool you.
The baby elephants are beautiful. And kind. They are happy to give their Momma plenty of snuggles, kisses, and belly rubs to make her feel better.
And even though she's pretty sure she'll never recover from the loss of energy she feels at this moment, and she's pretty sure she'll never be able to eat chicken again, and she's pretty sure that she'll always have to eat pieces of bread at 2:00 a.m., and she's pretty sure that the nausea with never-ever-ever-ever go away, she knows it will.
She knows that in a few weeks, she'll forget the pain. She'll get a bit more energy. Feel a bit perkier. She'll start to think, “Oh, now that wasn't SO bad. I guess I could do it again.” She'll eagerly look forward to the baby's movements. She'll anticipate the birthday and start picking out names.
And then she'll go through childbirth again.
And seriously question her sanity.
The end.
Ginger
Ha, when I was in my first tri with my daughter I was so tired I stopped knitting. I thought I would never knit again and started trying to figure out how I could sell all of my yarn! (I have a decent stash) Luckily I didn’t sell any yarn before I managed to bounce back.
Sveta Dunlap
This was seriously awesome. You are such a good writer! I know it’s hectic, but I love the creativity put into here. ๐
Shaye Elliott
Thanks Sveta!
Rebecca C.
I empathize with the sentiment on the first trimester, but what gets me EVERY time is the realization that I will have to get the baby out somehow (!). And every time it hurts. Then we do it again. We must really love babies and the “baby elephants” they turn into. Thank you Jesus for the blessings.
Chritina
*grin* in first trimester with my last I would drag myself out of bed, fix breakfast for everyone, sleep on the couch while the girls watched Cinderella on re-peat, and then make lunch and we would all go down for naps. But I didn’t share my cheese, lol. I told them I was growing a baby, and I had to eat extra to grow a baby, and sometimes I would just hide my head in the fridge and eat it, so we wouldn’t have to talk about it. God bless you sister!
Shaye Elliott
This made me laugh!
Heidi
I hear you. But maybe you left out the instant frustration at being woken up by a book thrown in your face? That might just be my problem, though.
Corey Eifert
Oh Shaye I hear ya! I don’t even have baby elephants and I felt like I could genuinely sleep 20 hours a day. I feel SO horrible complaining about the nausea and the exhaustion and the headaches because I have not puked…at all…I am ever so grateful. Seriously though I am at 15 weeks now and I may be able to consider some chicken, fully cooked, definitely in some kind of sauce so I am not fully aware that it is chicken. Maybe. Can’t wait for you to join me in the feeling better months. I will let you know when I find those ๐
Rebecca winter
Oh this brought back many memories. I can remember being so tired and queasy with the second while trying to take care of the first (a busy 2 year old) and teaching preschool. Thank goodness God makes us strong enough to make it through…they are now 10 and 13…still feels like yesterday. Hang in there!
Beth
I remember those days so vividly. Our 3rd pregnancy started when our second baby was just 3.5 months old (oops!). I remember a few months into the pregnancy my little one had become rather mobile. Scooching and rolling, and then crawling soon after, of course, and me wondering how she’d gotten 4 stairs up and tumbled down. I was sitting right there, straight up in the middle of the living room floor watching her move around. But somehow, I fell asleep sitting straight up in the middle of the floor, day after day after day. I counted my lucky stars when my 5 year old would come home from school and follow her around while I tried to stay awake. Any mother can relate and feel your pain and sleepiness. Hang in there!
Nikki
So excited for you and your new little one! I read somewhere that magnesium oil spray ( I get it on Amazon) can help with pregnancy nausea. I’m past the baby bearing stage ๐ but I use it for other things and I find it indispensable. Really hope you are better soon!
Shaye Elliott
I’ve been using magnesium oil – I think it’s been a big help! Thanks for thinking of me! ๐
Rose
I loved this post. (((hugs))) to you, from another exhausted mama elephant (whose {3rd} baby is 8 months old already!).
inass
I loved this little girl, but she is cute with her dad , baby pillow and baby bottle. HAHAHA!!!
Jenn
Oh, this is my life right now, too. Luckily my oldest is mostly independent and can be very helpful when he’s in that mood to be (and he’s an awesome big brother, except when he’s not ;)).
How do you milk dairy animals in this condition? We have only chickens and rabbits and most of the time my husband is in charge of those chores (what, -35C?!?!…your turn again).
It’s always nice to be reminded that you are not alone on this crazy journey and that there are others out there who can sympathize and feel your pain.
Lanae
I just found your blog and am enjoying it so very much. I laughed so hard when I read this post. I have five little baby elephants and am amazed and how quickly I forget all the pain and discomfort that come with each addition. Oh so worth it though. Hang in there and thank you for making me smile tonight!
Nim
Congratulations on your third little blessing! And good luck hanging in there through the all-day-sickness trimester! I was the same with each of mine, constantly nauseous unless I was actually in the act of eating, or for the 3 seconds after waking! Thank heaven for granola and toast!
Such a gorgeous and delightful blog. I came for the raw milk tips, and stayed to read on! Nice work.
Now I just have to figure out how to milk my alpacas.
Joy
Thanks a lot, girl!
I’m officially still in pj’s, reading this, and am off to grab another cup of coffee.
Such a bad wifey today.
Maybe ‘other half’ will want coffee and Amish cookies for supper….while we watch Longmire.
One can dream.
Until then, I will refresh my coffee and finish reading the page……
Rachel from Anderson
Just came across this old post at the perfect time. I’m 8 weeks pregnant with my 4th child. My third is just 7 months old. Thanks for being so real. I am definitely in the nausea induced coma state right now. I don’t feel one bit guilty for sending the 6 and 4 year old outside to play for hours, then bringing them in for a movie or 3. Hey we have to do whatever it takes to make it out of the first trimester right?!
And cooking?! I don’t think so. Its a lot of peanut butter sandwiches, cheese sandwiches, and quesadillas around here for the kids. Thanks The Lord my dear husband can cook.
I know we all survive the nausea, but in the thick of it we never think we will make it out alive.
Thanks for being real.
Catrina
Shaye,
I love you! I seriously could’ve written the first 5 paragraphs of this, to the word!! I’m currently in my first trimester of pregnancy with my second and can relate to everything from the exciting 5 food diet, to the kiddo wanting whatever food I’ve managed to get for myself, to the need to eat every 90 minutes; not to mention the constant nausea and exhaustion, fun fun!!! Thanks for this, I needed it and I needed to laugh ๐ You’re great and God bless!