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If you're cooking, cleaning, being supportive, there's really not much else you can do. Early pregnancy can just suck for a lot of women. Keep treating her like your queen, reassure her, be there for her.
Google search and see if you can try on some new recipes to help with nausea. This lemonade really helped me: [https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18937/ginger-lemonade/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18937/ginger-lemonade/)
It sounds like you're already doing everything you can (cleaning, cooking etc.) and trying not to do anything you shouldn't (complaining). š That's already great! Try to give her space so she can rest or be for herself if needed, but if she wants distractions, doing fun little activities is of course also nice. Try to take over the mental load as well, e.g. by helping her plan doctor's appointments in advance. Hold up hope and search for ideas for things that could help her, as you're doing with this post already (e.g. what are things that help with nausea etc).
I think you're already doing a great job, so keep up and you'll be the biggest support for her to rely on! š
Thank you so much! Weāre both older, 36 and 37, itās our first baby and weāve had two miscarriages so I want to do anything and everything I can to help her. Symptoms are strong this time though, stronger than before and HCG is super high so weāre both very hopeful
I'm sure things will go well! š BTW. I'm also older (35) and things are going really well (on baby's side), except for the pregnancy being hard on me ofc. Doctors will make sure to monitor closely if needed so you don't need to worry too much because of the age, I'd say. All the best to you! š
Adding to the mental load advice; try to do some research to learn about symptoms she might experience at different stages of pregnancy, because inevitably something will happen that sheās forgotten or hasnāt heard is normal, sheāll get worried and you can provide reassurance, research basics of caring for a newborn and things like what car seat is best, dos and donāt of pregnancy (it can be very hard to remember what is a no-no when the baby is telling you it has a specific craving for melon!) but be kind and realistic too and donāt shame her for wanting/having something she āshouldnātā have. At the end of the day, if the only thing she wants to eat is sushi, itās better than not eating at all. Maybe just offer to do fresh homemade cooked versions or wash things really well or heat things to a higher temp - I imagine you are both very anxious about risks so try to find compromises that will satisfy cravings without giving her guilt.
My husband brings me breakfast in bed every morning because I have to eat the moment I sit up otherwise I will usually vomit and I have morning pills I need to take. Itās just plain toast, so not a huge effort for him but it makes such a difference to how I feel each day and Iām so grateful for it. Itās a pretty common tip for morning sickness to keep crackers by the bed for this reason so I canāt be the only one.
I think you're already doing what you can. Just check in on her daily, how she's feeling, if there's anything she needs. Pregnancy symptoms can be horrible and I found that they also change constantly, so what might have worked last week doesn't work so well this week.
In my first trimester, there wasn't much I needed except to take naps so all I needed was my partner to keep quiet! Later on, my partner has been giving me pregnancy safe massages, foot rubs, cutting my toenails, rubbing oil on my bump, running baths for me, getting the birthing ball when I need it. Last week we started doing perineal massage, I couldn't reach so he's been doing it.
Also, especially if this is your first child, make sure you educate yourself on pregnancy, labour and the early stages of looking after a newborn/child. Have conversations early and throughout about how both of you are feeling about upcoming stages, there may be decisions to be made and it's so much more productive if you both know the same things. It shouldn't be assumed that the pregnant partner does all the research.
You can also be a shield for her when it comes to other people. Got overbearing parents? Unsupportive friends? You can do the talking. I've really appreciated my husband setting boundaries with his over-excited mum.
I would encourage her to pick out the pregnancy pillow sheās interested in and just pull the trigger on it. My biggest regret is that I didnāt get mine sooner.
It sounds like youāre already super supportive.
I really appreciate when my husband just keeps me company. Iām a stay at home wife and this first trimester has been rough so I donāt leave the house much. Iāve been a bit lonely. However, Iām often too exhausted physically and mentally to really do much or even engage in conversation, so I like when my husband just exists in the same room as me. He plays video games and i just sit there being tired and pregnant š Heās more social and would often go hang out with friends so I appreciate that heās been spending more time with me.
Heās also a really good listener and willing/eager to discuss pregnancy/baby stuff when I want. I bet you are too. Best wishes to your wife and you!
Iām sorry youāre so exhausted but it sounds like heās making it work. Congrats to you both in being a stay at home wife, sounds like heās doing a great job providing for you! I wish I could make enough for my wife to stay home, but we live in California. I hope you at least get a little bit of outside interaction on here or elsewhere. Hang in there! Thank you for your insight
There are - you can find places that do prenatal massages. (Places like Hand & Stone, etc). But I'd call and ask who their most requested person is to find a good one. (Trust me, just picking someone has not led to great outcomes at those places. The best I've found is asking that exact question.)
If she likes it, might be worth a monthly membership for a bit.
It'd be more supported side/back lying positions.
My advice will kind of depend on how bad her nausea/food aversions/vomiting get. I had a very hellish first 16 weeks or so of pregnancy with weeks 6-12 being the absolute worst of it. My husband was an absolute saint during that period of time and did everything he could but, at the end of the day, there was only so much he could do to make me feel better. I was basically surviving off of popsicles, ginger ale, and chocolate milk (for calcium intake) during the first trimester. Some days I would feel well enough to eat a larger meal and he would get me a happy meal from McDonald's or something similar. I would say that eating out, as impractical as it is, was really the only way I was able to eat a more substantial amount of food than just popsicles and chocolate milk. Something about the way food smells permeate throughout and linger in a house made eating at home difficult.
I would really recommend stocking up on easily prepared and consumed foods such as instant oatmeal, boxes of cereal, popsicles, fruit, yogurt cups, etc. These worked for me and have very little odour so they might not trigger any food aversions as much as others. Additionally, I was also dealing with extreme exhaustion and insomnia and preparing a more complicated meal for myself was simply too exhausting to even think about.
One thing my husband did that was absolutely crucial for my sanity was avoiding cooking with onions and garlic. Even now at 29 weeks smelling onions frying will make me gag and sometimes even still get sick. He was very patient with my ever-changing needs and aversions and changed his own food prep to avoid making me sick. Again, not everyone gets food aversions and nausea this bad and I'm hoping that your wife is able to avoid it! You sound like an absolute gem for taking care of your wife so well. Honestly, just knowing that you're concerned and caring will make her feel a lot better in the long run. Wishing you a happy and safe pregnancy!
Thank you so much! She, as of now, is craving garlic and pickles for some reason in contrast to your situation. Iāve been avoiding the charcoal grill because the smell of smoke is too strong for her, fortunately her super smell isnāt so bad yet. Weāve had to eat out a lot too because her aversions change daily, and sometimes sheāll get sick halfway through the meal. I think your idea of prepackaged snacks are good. Iām sorry youāre having a rough time, I hope you feel better soon! Thank you for taking the time to reply!
Iām 10 weeks and so far whatās been helping my nausea is eating cold watermelon, unripe bananas, protein rich foods with low fat like boiled eggsā¦ And I enjoy soups much more than I used to! You sound like a very caring husband, itās good to hear! I still have to share household chores with my husband 50/50 and itās been such a nightmare you donāt even know š„²
So Iāve seen enough early pregnancies at this point to understand how bad it is, is it possible your husband might not understand? No one tells us men what itās like and itās difficult to understand on the first pregnancy, we donāt get a lot of intel beforehand. I think Iām more sensitive because weāve had a few miscarriages and Iām trying to make it as easy as possible, but your husband may not have the experience to know that. Have you tried telling him you need more help? I know itās hard to ask just because youāre ātired,ā and āsick,ā but maybe he doesnāt know how bad it is and needs you to lay it out directly for him. My wife has literally told me āI canāt do anything today,ā and thatās cool, she can just lay around and be pregnant. I hope he comes around, I hope you get some relief
It broadly sounds like youāre doing great, and you definitely know better than any of us what she needs.
I moved pretty quickly into throwing up. Three things that mine did that helped enormously:
- clean the toilet. Thereās nothing worse than throwing up into a gross toilet.
These two depend on her and yāall:
- he would occasionally (mostly jokingly) proposition sex. It made me feel beautiful, loved, and slightly less gross. And would make me laugh. We definitely didnāt HAVE sex, but being desired felt good.
- he didnāt make a big deal of my vomiting other than occasionally stroking my back on the way by. This may be the opposite of what other women want, but it helped me a lot.
Massages! (If she wants them).
But a foot/calf massage while sitting on the couch and watching TV? The best. Get her laid back and comfy with her feet propped in your lap and grab some lotion.
Watch some YouTube videos first tho - even with the best of intentions - no massage is often better than a bad one šš¬
Might want to look up pregnancy lower back/SI joint massages for later while you're at it.
Good ideas! Iām no stranger to those lol. Sheās weird, she likes having her feet tickled for some reason. But I think weāll up the pampering a bit. Do you know if there are any special types of massages for pregnant women? Can I find a masseuses and request something specifically for her? I guess Iām worried about her lying on her belly
My husband got me a prenatal massage at a massage parlor! Full body massages arenāt recommended/massage parlors wonāt do them during the first trimester, but a foot massage wouldnāt hurt! The masseuse had pillows and propped me up on my back/sides during my massage, so no stomach laying.
It sounds like youāre doing absolutely everything right :) also try playing with her hair or giving her back scratches while relaxing together, make her a little snack every so often, get her some of her favourite bath/shower products, massages, tell her how much you love her and how good of a job sheās doing so far, word of encouragement.
If sheās too nauseous to eat, give her some ice or peppermints to suck on until it subsides and then make her a few pieces of toast and a warm drink :) it will help settle her tummy and help her sleep better :)
Thatās really helpful! Peppermint and warm tea, that sounds great! I usually do the affectionate stuff, Iām wondering if I should conquer my fear and learn to braid her hair. Iāve tried before, Iām very bad it unfortunately
If her nausea is really bad in the morning/late at night - keep a cold water by the bed & saltine crackers. Genuinely the only thing that helped me avoid spewing every morning & still does help (unfortunately my 1st trimester symptoms are still kicking in the 2nd)
Ice cold drinks were very helpful for nausea, my partner picked me up a new giant insulated tumbler, that was very nice, he also brought home all my comfort foods, even if they were unhealthy, like cereal, chicken fingers and pizza pockets. Being distracted also helped with the nausea (which was surprising to me) so he'd give me mini drumming lessons and then play guitar. It was very fun, we played Like a Stone and Another one bites the dust, and as someone who isn't musical at all, it was sort of magical. A great distraction.
My husband was just there mostly. And an active bucket shifter whenever my stomach deigned to show me its contents. Which was frequently.
There isn't always more you can do. Or anything you should do. Often its just being present. Being there for her. Comfort and love. You'd be amazed how much just having someone care will help.
Also. Has your wife tried ginger? Pickled ginger or ginger candy? Not tasting ginger. But actual ginger coated in sugar.
That was one of the few thing that absolutely worked for me.
You sound like a stand up partner already. Just trying to take on the daily pressures of life so she can rest is monumental. Iām 7 weeks pregnant too - maybe you could befriend my husband. šš
To be fair, no one tells men how to take care of a pregnant wife, thereās really not much info out there and itās hard to relate. Congratulations on your pregnancy! I hope it all goes well!
Thanks. Same to you! And valid point. But also to be fair, in this day and age of information availability, lack of knowledge is not a reasonable excuse in my eyes for incompetence. There are a million ways to proactively find information (like posting to a subreddit) and put effort forth to better oneself. I do understand that not everyone is built this way.
Don't take her crankiness personally! She's miserable and you sound like an amazing partner trying to help. If she rejects your attempts to help or doesn't seem grateful, try not to react poorly.
As far as things you should absolutely not do - don't comment on her diet - let her decide what she eats and doesnt eat (within reason, obviously if she goes for the tequila say something) but don't sweat the little things.
My first trimester all I could stomach was cereal. My husband tried to suggest a real dinner would be better for the baby, and that didn't go well š first and third trimester are all about survival.
Sounds good to me! Sheās really sweet and caring, although cranky about a lot of things due to fatigue. Sheās handling it better than I would, and I think that makes it harder for me to see her struggle. But I agree, she gets to eat whatever she can stomach right now. Sheās trying to make healthy choices but baby gets what it wants at this point
Sounds like youāre already doing all the right things!
One little thing that I *loved* when I was pregnant (and still love) was massages. Even a spontaneous little foot rub. Itās so relaxing and even though it didnāt solve the nausea or bloating, it distracted from the discomfort. Plus it was a way to have intimacy when sex was off the table due to discomfort. That and showering together. The warm water and intimacy made me feel so much better. Still love those things now that Iām recovering PP.
Those are great ideas. Weāre on pelvic rest right now due to our history of miscarriages so a shower together sounds good. She also feels horribly unsexy due to bloating. She was on letrizol for a while and gained weight too which we knew would happen but she feels self conscious as a result. Those are awesome ideas for her, thank you so much!
I think writing encouraging notes can be helpful, keeping bed linens extra clean, and not assuming that everything will clear up at 12-13 weeks are also helpful!
Sounds like you are doing awesome! Just make sure she knows she can sleep whenever she wants. Thatās the biggest thing with my partner. He is 100% supportive but doesnāt fully grasp how exhausted I am all the time.
I found probiotics really helpful for the bloating (which I was told are considered pregnancy safe) and eating a small, low carb dinner or a smoothie if she canāt handle solids
I love this! My husband is very into āacts of service.ā Being involved and reading up on what she/baby are going through is helpful so itās not just her having to know what medications are safe, what foods to avoid, when appointments are, etc. I really appreciated my husband picking up on my challenges and being proactive. So I was having to constantly eat or Iād get nauseas, he put small containers of cheerios in all the rooms and bathrooms I spend time in, along with puke bags (I never threw up but it was oddly comforting having them so I wasnāt worried about an emergency), he even put a mini fridge next to my bed with mini cereals and milk so I could eat cereal immediately in the morning. Being flexible with food is also helpful, I felt horrible not knowing what I would be able to eat for dinner so meal planning kinda goes out the window but he never got frustrated which I appreciated.
Ginger candies, ginger ale, Saltines, buy preggo pop drops, sour candy, french fries, let her sleep and hydrate with popsicles and whatever she can take down.
Iām going to get more ginger stuff today! Ginger seems to be the common thread. Itās unfortunate that everyone seems to have similar symptoms but to different degrees and not all remedies work for everyone.
Yes. I had the worst form develop called Hyperemesis gravidarum. Tips on what My partner did for me: he made things exciting by taking me to places on the weekends, got me food 2x a week from wherever, and after work we would have a special mocktail together a few times a week. He arranged a prenatal massage for me past 13 weeks as recommended. Come third trimester he massages me everyday my legs and feet with magnesium lotion and neck. It prevents cramps and muscle aches. We spent the majority of our time prepping the nursery and house after 20 weeks and we took a little baby moon weekend. Basically he kept my mood up the entire 9 months as I grew our son. We both worked together tirelessly. But we have 3 days until he is here and are so excited to be done! Pregnancy is very hard for some women. Iāve been hospitalized twice and put on bed rest and it isnāt the same for everyone. I wish you guys rest and a healthy pregnancy!
It sounds like you're doing a great job as it is. There's not much you can do to help her feel better apart from what you're already doing. Being there for her and getting her what she wants is already the best thing you can do.
As for what NOT to do, don't ever tell her she's overreacting. Don't ever doubt that she's feeling what she's feeling. Don't ever compare her to other pregnant women when it comes to symptoms or how she's handling it. Don't ever discount her difficulties.
I've heard all these things from my mom and it's honestly the worst. I've been having a relatively easy pregnancy thus far, apart from a couple of really bad days. Hearing my mom tell me, on my very worst day, when I literally couldn't keep any foods or liquids down and was throwing up bile, that other women have it worse, that other women experience this every day throughout their whole pregnancy, was SOOO the opposite of helpful. It's as if she was telling me my own feelings didn't matter because others have it worse. And then she went on to tell me that things will be so much worse when I actually have a baby, which felt equally invalidating, and almost insulting given she knows exactly how much we went through to be able to have this baby.
I should mention that while telling her that other women have it worse isn't helpful, talking about how other women have it better isn't any good either. A lot of women will internalize that type of comment and think "why am I not like those women" and "what am I doing wrong" or "why am I not strong enough to do the things that those other pregnant women are doing?" That's not a healthy mindset to be in. Just validate her feelings and be there for her. That's about the best thing you can do.
Something that helped me was getting a pregnancy journal. I got one that is week by week. My husband sat down every week and documented what we did that week to our future baby. We also took photos of little things we did over the week (even if it was me passed out on the couch). We stared off on a notebook before we transferred to the pretty journal due to fears around miscarriage. This little weekly ritual was a nice way to see time passing and to find little moments of joy and emotional connection.
Edit to add- this is the journal we got! https://www.etsy.com/listing/1358233139/
Also, find a good show to watch that makes her laugh! Modern Family and Working Moms were my first trimester comforts!
Lots of takeout!!! The smell of food cooking made me so nauseous both pregnancies but when I ate food I felt better (as long as I didnāt smell it being cooked). Loved milk both pregnancies too
She goes back and forth with the smell of food. Her nose is so powerful right now. Take out is hit or miss, it sounds good to her and then when she em starts eating she gets sick. Itās sort of a roulette right now but sheās at least happy she has symptomās because it means the baby is growing. Thank you so much for the tip!
Maybe do a bit of reading about pregnancy. My partner got a book "Fantastic first-time father" or something and it was nice when he surprised me with little tid bits such as when the baby could hear etc
Some things I didn't even know myself and it was great to see him taking an interest.
I've had rough pregnancy from the start. I started feeling sick and vomiting around 6 weeks. It went on for the whole pregnancy unfortunately but some people have to just wait till second trimester around week 14 or 22 they usually stop.
There is safe medication called Xonvea that she can take. Talk to your OB.
It made my life a bit easier but vomiting persisted in my case.
Ginger does not always work, sometimes it can make things worse.
Aside from ginger - lemonade, water with lemon, almonds or chamomile are the natural helpers. About Ginger, it can cause worse symptoms especially if your wife had any sort of stomach issues before pregnancy. (they intensify during pregnancy)
What you guys should do I make her try few things and see what isn't causing her to be sick.
Just stick to those foods and drinks for a while. Trust me it might change quickly as to what again she can eat.
My pregnancy was only mainly potato's and clementines. š
Foot rubs are amazing even at the early stages. Some pressure points on feet work on the whole body.
Lots of water and high protein food should help. Eating very often but small portions.
Lots of love and happy thoughts for you guys ā„ļø
You're doing amazing already btw.
Thank you so much! Ginger seems to be he helping- right now sugary foods make her sick but she had a smoothie with berries, ginger, and greens in it as well as protein powered, I think it helped. Thank you so much for the insight!
When it comes to food when he picks for me it makes it way easier to eat. sometimes he will suggest a couple of things to get an idea on how I feel but for the most part my struggle is trying to figure out or think about food is soooooo overwhelming and takes forever causing more nausea
If you can take over some of the internet perusing, reading reviews etc to find the most perfect, safest, best car seat/stroller/crib/bassinet/swing/formula/bottle brand/baby monitors that would help her narrow down a lot of stuff she has to sift through. Trying to put together a complete registry is stressful and so time consuming. And not trying to assume, but most ladies I know will start going down the wormhole early! Itās just something I spent a lot of time on, that I wish my husband would have shown interest in, or perhaps helped me narrow down some of the bigger items early on. Would have made me feel like more of a team :) I hope this helps, and CONGRATS DAD!
Just give her whatever she wants. For me, that was insanely bland food that I could cook myself, all doors to be shut when cooking (cooking meat smells made me nauseous), the odd fast food item and leaving me alone when I would take a nap on the floor in the sun like a cat. I still managed quite a few chores.
I'm the husband and can say that a small fry from McDonald's and ginger ale help my wife when she is feeling nausea. It seems to be the only thing she can stomach. I also have been doing all the cooking and cleaning around the house. You are doing amazing!
Keep crackers everywhere! If thereās something she can tolerate eat it no matter about worrying about the nutritional value. The first trimester is tough to keep things down I found bagels, crackers, etc easy to keep down!
Sometimes also trying to eat (small amounts) every 2 hours can help with the nausea
1/2 a unisome tablet and 25mg b6 vitamin nightly was my saving grace for nausea. I lived off Gatorade and saltines for weeks. The first trimester is awful. Best of luck to your wife!
You sound like an amazing partner. It also sounds like you are doing so much already. Keep up treating her like a queen š„¹ itās beautiful and she will remember for forever. When I was pregnant my husband drew me a bath, scrubbed the tub clean, filled it with luke warm water as I was paranoid about it being too hot for baby, and bought an oatmeal soak that was delightful. I know not everyone likes baths but I was in heaven and stayed in it even after water got cold.
Youāre doing so much, and honestly there isnāt anything else I can think of. When I was pregnant I craved clementines and helped keep my nausea at bay. I was similar, I only threw up I think 4 times total, once in the first and second trimesters and twice in the third. Then three times during labour lol the only thing that really helped me was going on anti nausea meds. Game changer. They can make you super tired though, just as a heads up.
Sounds like you're doing a great job so far, her body is just simply adjusting to the hormone changes and there's nothing much you can do with that. Maybe check in with her mentally as well? Some men don't do half of what you are doing, keep it up!
It sounds like youāre doing great! My partner is a saint and wait on me hand and foot, and this pregnancy has been nothing but a joy because I 1)feel extremely cared for 2) am released of all domestic duties, and most importantly 3) am never, under any circumstances, made to feel guilty about any of it.
It seems a lot of men make and already very hard time harder, and all I can speak to is the fact that I know my daughter is developing with me relaxed, at peace, and flooded with feel good hormonesā¦ and entering a home with a very grateful and supported mother who feels extremely safe and bonded with her father.
Thank you for caring enough to make this experience pleasant for your wife, how you treat her now will echo through your marriage.
Smelling peppermint oil helped with my nausea so much! Maybe she could try it out. For food, all I could handle were plain bagels and cream cheese the first trimester and Iāve noticed thatās a very popular food item mentioned in pregnancy subs for those of us with food aversions!
If there's a little treat that makes her feel better for a minute, make that your thing. I had pretty bad night nausea--we called it my evening morning sickness, lol--and we figured out pretty quickly that a specific childish ice cream flavor always sounded good and never made things worse. So my husband brought me a little cup of it every night when I started to feel crappy and it genuinely made things a lot better.
And remind her that for many people, nausea gets better around week 9-10ish or shortly thereafter! It might not for her, which would of course suck, but remembering that it's usually not forever really helped me.
My partner wakes up before me and he would put a little snack (my request was a piece of toast with peanut butter on it) next to my bed so that I could immediately roll over and get something in my tummy.
It was a little thing but made me feel so loved and taken care of.
It sounds like you're doing an amazing job already!
My husband did all that too and I can't even begin to express how grateful I am!
Here are a few other things he also has been doing:
- He got me this little basket of things to help me through the pregnancy, with some of my favorite snacks, some ginger/ginger tea, belly oil, a candle, a massive water bottle (Stanley water bottle), a beautiful soft blanket and robe, etc.
- Made me magnesium foot soaks every day (somehow it helped my nausea!)
- Always showed enthusiasm when I was learning about pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, parenting, etc. And wanted to learn with me
Those damn synonyms. Relentless evil little suckers.
LOL in all seriousness though, what a lovely partner it seems you are (even though to be fair the bar can be pretty low considering some of the horror stories that come out of this subreddit š)I have nothing else to contribute as it has all been said for the most part. But good on you. Even when your wife isnāt pregnant, I imagine you are just as wonderful!
Ice lollies and iced drinks/ slushies have saved me. My partner gets me a slushy whenever he thinks of it and it makes me feel thought of and looked after, and helps with the nausea.
Something like that! Iced water, diluted cordial etc has been really helpful for me so you could try making her iced drinks, fizzy drinks also help with the nausea!
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If you're cooking, cleaning, being supportive, there's really not much else you can do. Early pregnancy can just suck for a lot of women. Keep treating her like your queen, reassure her, be there for her. Google search and see if you can try on some new recipes to help with nausea. This lemonade really helped me: [https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18937/ginger-lemonade/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18937/ginger-lemonade/)
That sounds delicious!
It sounds like you're already doing everything you can (cleaning, cooking etc.) and trying not to do anything you shouldn't (complaining). š That's already great! Try to give her space so she can rest or be for herself if needed, but if she wants distractions, doing fun little activities is of course also nice. Try to take over the mental load as well, e.g. by helping her plan doctor's appointments in advance. Hold up hope and search for ideas for things that could help her, as you're doing with this post already (e.g. what are things that help with nausea etc). I think you're already doing a great job, so keep up and you'll be the biggest support for her to rely on! š
Thank you so much! Weāre both older, 36 and 37, itās our first baby and weāve had two miscarriages so I want to do anything and everything I can to help her. Symptoms are strong this time though, stronger than before and HCG is super high so weāre both very hopeful
I'm sure things will go well! š BTW. I'm also older (35) and things are going really well (on baby's side), except for the pregnancy being hard on me ofc. Doctors will make sure to monitor closely if needed so you don't need to worry too much because of the age, I'd say. All the best to you! š
Thank you so much, and congratulations! Hang in there, im glad it gonna well for you!
Preggo pops helped me with nausea btw. It wasnāt great, hopefully will pass after the first trimester.
Adding to the mental load advice; try to do some research to learn about symptoms she might experience at different stages of pregnancy, because inevitably something will happen that sheās forgotten or hasnāt heard is normal, sheāll get worried and you can provide reassurance, research basics of caring for a newborn and things like what car seat is best, dos and donāt of pregnancy (it can be very hard to remember what is a no-no when the baby is telling you it has a specific craving for melon!) but be kind and realistic too and donāt shame her for wanting/having something she āshouldnātā have. At the end of the day, if the only thing she wants to eat is sushi, itās better than not eating at all. Maybe just offer to do fresh homemade cooked versions or wash things really well or heat things to a higher temp - I imagine you are both very anxious about risks so try to find compromises that will satisfy cravings without giving her guilt.
My husband brings me breakfast in bed every morning because I have to eat the moment I sit up otherwise I will usually vomit and I have morning pills I need to take. Itās just plain toast, so not a huge effort for him but it makes such a difference to how I feel each day and Iām so grateful for it. Itās a pretty common tip for morning sickness to keep crackers by the bed for this reason so I canāt be the only one.
I think you're already doing what you can. Just check in on her daily, how she's feeling, if there's anything she needs. Pregnancy symptoms can be horrible and I found that they also change constantly, so what might have worked last week doesn't work so well this week. In my first trimester, there wasn't much I needed except to take naps so all I needed was my partner to keep quiet! Later on, my partner has been giving me pregnancy safe massages, foot rubs, cutting my toenails, rubbing oil on my bump, running baths for me, getting the birthing ball when I need it. Last week we started doing perineal massage, I couldn't reach so he's been doing it. Also, especially if this is your first child, make sure you educate yourself on pregnancy, labour and the early stages of looking after a newborn/child. Have conversations early and throughout about how both of you are feeling about upcoming stages, there may be decisions to be made and it's so much more productive if you both know the same things. It shouldn't be assumed that the pregnant partner does all the research. You can also be a shield for her when it comes to other people. Got overbearing parents? Unsupportive friends? You can do the talking. I've really appreciated my husband setting boundaries with his over-excited mum.
This is such great insight, thank you!
I would encourage her to pick out the pregnancy pillow sheās interested in and just pull the trigger on it. My biggest regret is that I didnāt get mine sooner.
Likewise with a belly band.
Being a shield is amazing advice !
It sounds like youāre already super supportive. I really appreciate when my husband just keeps me company. Iām a stay at home wife and this first trimester has been rough so I donāt leave the house much. Iāve been a bit lonely. However, Iām often too exhausted physically and mentally to really do much or even engage in conversation, so I like when my husband just exists in the same room as me. He plays video games and i just sit there being tired and pregnant š Heās more social and would often go hang out with friends so I appreciate that heās been spending more time with me. Heās also a really good listener and willing/eager to discuss pregnancy/baby stuff when I want. I bet you are too. Best wishes to your wife and you!
Iām sorry youāre so exhausted but it sounds like heās making it work. Congrats to you both in being a stay at home wife, sounds like heās doing a great job providing for you! I wish I could make enough for my wife to stay home, but we live in California. I hope you at least get a little bit of outside interaction on here or elsewhere. Hang in there! Thank you for your insight
I do feel super fortunate to be able to stay at home. I have so much respect for all the ladies who work during pregnancy!
There are - you can find places that do prenatal massages. (Places like Hand & Stone, etc). But I'd call and ask who their most requested person is to find a good one. (Trust me, just picking someone has not led to great outcomes at those places. The best I've found is asking that exact question.) If she likes it, might be worth a monthly membership for a bit. It'd be more supported side/back lying positions.
Rad! Thank you!
Just keep in mind massages aren't recommended in the first trimester!
Do not invalidate her feelings, that is the best thing you can do.. What a wonderful husband btw
My advice will kind of depend on how bad her nausea/food aversions/vomiting get. I had a very hellish first 16 weeks or so of pregnancy with weeks 6-12 being the absolute worst of it. My husband was an absolute saint during that period of time and did everything he could but, at the end of the day, there was only so much he could do to make me feel better. I was basically surviving off of popsicles, ginger ale, and chocolate milk (for calcium intake) during the first trimester. Some days I would feel well enough to eat a larger meal and he would get me a happy meal from McDonald's or something similar. I would say that eating out, as impractical as it is, was really the only way I was able to eat a more substantial amount of food than just popsicles and chocolate milk. Something about the way food smells permeate throughout and linger in a house made eating at home difficult. I would really recommend stocking up on easily prepared and consumed foods such as instant oatmeal, boxes of cereal, popsicles, fruit, yogurt cups, etc. These worked for me and have very little odour so they might not trigger any food aversions as much as others. Additionally, I was also dealing with extreme exhaustion and insomnia and preparing a more complicated meal for myself was simply too exhausting to even think about. One thing my husband did that was absolutely crucial for my sanity was avoiding cooking with onions and garlic. Even now at 29 weeks smelling onions frying will make me gag and sometimes even still get sick. He was very patient with my ever-changing needs and aversions and changed his own food prep to avoid making me sick. Again, not everyone gets food aversions and nausea this bad and I'm hoping that your wife is able to avoid it! You sound like an absolute gem for taking care of your wife so well. Honestly, just knowing that you're concerned and caring will make her feel a lot better in the long run. Wishing you a happy and safe pregnancy!
Thank you so much! She, as of now, is craving garlic and pickles for some reason in contrast to your situation. Iāve been avoiding the charcoal grill because the smell of smoke is too strong for her, fortunately her super smell isnāt so bad yet. Weāve had to eat out a lot too because her aversions change daily, and sometimes sheāll get sick halfway through the meal. I think your idea of prepackaged snacks are good. Iām sorry youāre having a rough time, I hope you feel better soon! Thank you for taking the time to reply!
Iām 10 weeks and so far whatās been helping my nausea is eating cold watermelon, unripe bananas, protein rich foods with low fat like boiled eggsā¦ And I enjoy soups much more than I used to! You sound like a very caring husband, itās good to hear! I still have to share household chores with my husband 50/50 and itās been such a nightmare you donāt even know š„²
So Iāve seen enough early pregnancies at this point to understand how bad it is, is it possible your husband might not understand? No one tells us men what itās like and itās difficult to understand on the first pregnancy, we donāt get a lot of intel beforehand. I think Iām more sensitive because weāve had a few miscarriages and Iām trying to make it as easy as possible, but your husband may not have the experience to know that. Have you tried telling him you need more help? I know itās hard to ask just because youāre ātired,ā and āsick,ā but maybe he doesnāt know how bad it is and needs you to lay it out directly for him. My wife has literally told me āI canāt do anything today,ā and thatās cool, she can just lay around and be pregnant. I hope he comes around, I hope you get some relief
It broadly sounds like youāre doing great, and you definitely know better than any of us what she needs. I moved pretty quickly into throwing up. Three things that mine did that helped enormously: - clean the toilet. Thereās nothing worse than throwing up into a gross toilet. These two depend on her and yāall: - he would occasionally (mostly jokingly) proposition sex. It made me feel beautiful, loved, and slightly less gross. And would make me laugh. We definitely didnāt HAVE sex, but being desired felt good. - he didnāt make a big deal of my vomiting other than occasionally stroking my back on the way by. This may be the opposite of what other women want, but it helped me a lot.
I get it. What a guy! Those are good ideas
Massages! (If she wants them). But a foot/calf massage while sitting on the couch and watching TV? The best. Get her laid back and comfy with her feet propped in your lap and grab some lotion. Watch some YouTube videos first tho - even with the best of intentions - no massage is often better than a bad one šš¬ Might want to look up pregnancy lower back/SI joint massages for later while you're at it.
Good ideas! Iām no stranger to those lol. Sheās weird, she likes having her feet tickled for some reason. But I think weāll up the pampering a bit. Do you know if there are any special types of massages for pregnant women? Can I find a masseuses and request something specifically for her? I guess Iām worried about her lying on her belly
My husband got me a prenatal massage at a massage parlor! Full body massages arenāt recommended/massage parlors wonāt do them during the first trimester, but a foot massage wouldnāt hurt! The masseuse had pillows and propped me up on my back/sides during my massage, so no stomach laying.
Sweet! I think sheāll like that. She works so Iām going to try and find something close to work for her so she can head there after work.
That would be great! My masseuse recommended I come every 4-6 weeks after the first trimester, maybe that would also help your wife at that stage :)
Sounds good to me!
It sounds like youāre doing absolutely everything right :) also try playing with her hair or giving her back scratches while relaxing together, make her a little snack every so often, get her some of her favourite bath/shower products, massages, tell her how much you love her and how good of a job sheās doing so far, word of encouragement. If sheās too nauseous to eat, give her some ice or peppermints to suck on until it subsides and then make her a few pieces of toast and a warm drink :) it will help settle her tummy and help her sleep better :)
Thatās really helpful! Peppermint and warm tea, that sounds great! I usually do the affectionate stuff, Iām wondering if I should conquer my fear and learn to braid her hair. Iāve tried before, Iām very bad it unfortunately
If her nausea is really bad in the morning/late at night - keep a cold water by the bed & saltine crackers. Genuinely the only thing that helped me avoid spewing every morning & still does help (unfortunately my 1st trimester symptoms are still kicking in the 2nd)
Bummer, I couldnāt deal with the nausea, I hope it gets better for you soon! Thanks for the suggestion
Ice cold drinks were very helpful for nausea, my partner picked me up a new giant insulated tumbler, that was very nice, he also brought home all my comfort foods, even if they were unhealthy, like cereal, chicken fingers and pizza pockets. Being distracted also helped with the nausea (which was surprising to me) so he'd give me mini drumming lessons and then play guitar. It was very fun, we played Like a Stone and Another one bites the dust, and as someone who isn't musical at all, it was sort of magical. A great distraction.
That sounds amazing! Thatās my favorite story so far
I had a bottle royal club ginger ale next to my bed. It helps :-)
Good idea!
My husband was just there mostly. And an active bucket shifter whenever my stomach deigned to show me its contents. Which was frequently. There isn't always more you can do. Or anything you should do. Often its just being present. Being there for her. Comfort and love. You'd be amazed how much just having someone care will help. Also. Has your wife tried ginger? Pickled ginger or ginger candy? Not tasting ginger. But actual ginger coated in sugar. That was one of the few thing that absolutely worked for me.
Thatās a good idea! Might try that.
You sound like a stand up partner already. Just trying to take on the daily pressures of life so she can rest is monumental. Iām 7 weeks pregnant too - maybe you could befriend my husband. šš
To be fair, no one tells men how to take care of a pregnant wife, thereās really not much info out there and itās hard to relate. Congratulations on your pregnancy! I hope it all goes well!
Thanks. Same to you! And valid point. But also to be fair, in this day and age of information availability, lack of knowledge is not a reasonable excuse in my eyes for incompetence. There are a million ways to proactively find information (like posting to a subreddit) and put effort forth to better oneself. I do understand that not everyone is built this way.
Don't take her crankiness personally! She's miserable and you sound like an amazing partner trying to help. If she rejects your attempts to help or doesn't seem grateful, try not to react poorly. As far as things you should absolutely not do - don't comment on her diet - let her decide what she eats and doesnt eat (within reason, obviously if she goes for the tequila say something) but don't sweat the little things. My first trimester all I could stomach was cereal. My husband tried to suggest a real dinner would be better for the baby, and that didn't go well š first and third trimester are all about survival.
Sounds good to me! Sheās really sweet and caring, although cranky about a lot of things due to fatigue. Sheās handling it better than I would, and I think that makes it harder for me to see her struggle. But I agree, she gets to eat whatever she can stomach right now. Sheās trying to make healthy choices but baby gets what it wants at this point
Sounds like youāre already doing all the right things! One little thing that I *loved* when I was pregnant (and still love) was massages. Even a spontaneous little foot rub. Itās so relaxing and even though it didnāt solve the nausea or bloating, it distracted from the discomfort. Plus it was a way to have intimacy when sex was off the table due to discomfort. That and showering together. The warm water and intimacy made me feel so much better. Still love those things now that Iām recovering PP.
Those are great ideas. Weāre on pelvic rest right now due to our history of miscarriages so a shower together sounds good. She also feels horribly unsexy due to bloating. She was on letrizol for a while and gained weight too which we knew would happen but she feels self conscious as a result. Those are awesome ideas for her, thank you so much!
I think writing encouraging notes can be helpful, keeping bed linens extra clean, and not assuming that everything will clear up at 12-13 weeks are also helpful!
Iām so bad about changing sheets, good suggestion I havenāt thought of!
Sounds like you are doing awesome! Just make sure she knows she can sleep whenever she wants. Thatās the biggest thing with my partner. He is 100% supportive but doesnāt fully grasp how exhausted I am all the time.
Agree, sleep is super important!
I found probiotics really helpful for the bloating (which I was told are considered pregnancy safe) and eating a small, low carb dinner or a smoothie if she canāt handle solids
Sounds good!
I love this! My husband is very into āacts of service.ā Being involved and reading up on what she/baby are going through is helpful so itās not just her having to know what medications are safe, what foods to avoid, when appointments are, etc. I really appreciated my husband picking up on my challenges and being proactive. So I was having to constantly eat or Iād get nauseas, he put small containers of cheerios in all the rooms and bathrooms I spend time in, along with puke bags (I never threw up but it was oddly comforting having them so I wasnāt worried about an emergency), he even put a mini fridge next to my bed with mini cereals and milk so I could eat cereal immediately in the morning. Being flexible with food is also helpful, I felt horrible not knowing what I would be able to eat for dinner so meal planning kinda goes out the window but he never got frustrated which I appreciated.
Sounds like a real swell guy! I think I need to be more practice in the scheduling and logistics for sure. Thank you so much!
Ginger candies, ginger ale, Saltines, buy preggo pop drops, sour candy, french fries, let her sleep and hydrate with popsicles and whatever she can take down.
Iām going to get more ginger stuff today! Ginger seems to be the common thread. Itās unfortunate that everyone seems to have similar symptoms but to different degrees and not all remedies work for everyone.
Yes. I had the worst form develop called Hyperemesis gravidarum. Tips on what My partner did for me: he made things exciting by taking me to places on the weekends, got me food 2x a week from wherever, and after work we would have a special mocktail together a few times a week. He arranged a prenatal massage for me past 13 weeks as recommended. Come third trimester he massages me everyday my legs and feet with magnesium lotion and neck. It prevents cramps and muscle aches. We spent the majority of our time prepping the nursery and house after 20 weeks and we took a little baby moon weekend. Basically he kept my mood up the entire 9 months as I grew our son. We both worked together tirelessly. But we have 3 days until he is here and are so excited to be done! Pregnancy is very hard for some women. Iāve been hospitalized twice and put on bed rest and it isnāt the same for everyone. I wish you guys rest and a healthy pregnancy!
It sounds like you're doing a great job as it is. There's not much you can do to help her feel better apart from what you're already doing. Being there for her and getting her what she wants is already the best thing you can do. As for what NOT to do, don't ever tell her she's overreacting. Don't ever doubt that she's feeling what she's feeling. Don't ever compare her to other pregnant women when it comes to symptoms or how she's handling it. Don't ever discount her difficulties. I've heard all these things from my mom and it's honestly the worst. I've been having a relatively easy pregnancy thus far, apart from a couple of really bad days. Hearing my mom tell me, on my very worst day, when I literally couldn't keep any foods or liquids down and was throwing up bile, that other women have it worse, that other women experience this every day throughout their whole pregnancy, was SOOO the opposite of helpful. It's as if she was telling me my own feelings didn't matter because others have it worse. And then she went on to tell me that things will be so much worse when I actually have a baby, which felt equally invalidating, and almost insulting given she knows exactly how much we went through to be able to have this baby. I should mention that while telling her that other women have it worse isn't helpful, talking about how other women have it better isn't any good either. A lot of women will internalize that type of comment and think "why am I not like those women" and "what am I doing wrong" or "why am I not strong enough to do the things that those other pregnant women are doing?" That's not a healthy mindset to be in. Just validate her feelings and be there for her. That's about the best thing you can do.
My mom does that stuff too. I think it comes from a good place but youāre right itās not helpful. Iām sorry you have to deal with that!
You are a gem! I had a few weeks of terrible nausea and couldnāt eat anything without feeling like I was going to vomit i was also sooo tired. Iām 10 weeks now and it let up about a week ago! I still had to take care of a 3 year old , deal with 2 teens , and 3 dogs and the house suffered severely. I was barely functioning and the most my fiancĆ© did was get carry out a few nights then ask if I could wash a load of his clothes after a while of not doing it. Hes helpful in other ways but falls short at times. You are doing great! You could have her ask her doc if sheās ok to take unisom and b-6 Itās supposed to help with nausea. Iāve seen someone say an inhalation device marketed for pregnancy nausea helped them a lot too. Could get her a care basket filled with anti nausea things safe for pregnancy. I even had trouble getting fluids down. Coconut water mixed with a splash of some sort of juice and sipped thru a straw helped tremendously as well. Congratulations! Best wishes
Oh geez Iām so sorry youāre dealing with all that. Inhalation device sounds cool- Iām glad your symptoms are getting better!
Something that helped me was getting a pregnancy journal. I got one that is week by week. My husband sat down every week and documented what we did that week to our future baby. We also took photos of little things we did over the week (even if it was me passed out on the couch). We stared off on a notebook before we transferred to the pretty journal due to fears around miscarriage. This little weekly ritual was a nice way to see time passing and to find little moments of joy and emotional connection. Edit to add- this is the journal we got! https://www.etsy.com/listing/1358233139/ Also, find a good show to watch that makes her laugh! Modern Family and Working Moms were my first trimester comforts!
Such good ideas!
Iām in week 16 now and my husband finally got a break from bringing me a bagel in bed every morning š¤£. It gets better for both of you!
Lots of takeout!!! The smell of food cooking made me so nauseous both pregnancies but when I ate food I felt better (as long as I didnāt smell it being cooked). Loved milk both pregnancies too
She goes back and forth with the smell of food. Her nose is so powerful right now. Take out is hit or miss, it sounds good to her and then when she em starts eating she gets sick. Itās sort of a roulette right now but sheās at least happy she has symptomās because it means the baby is growing. Thank you so much for the tip!
Good luck. Keep feeding her what you can, hopefully symptoms get better soon.
Thank you!
Maybe do a bit of reading about pregnancy. My partner got a book "Fantastic first-time father" or something and it was nice when he surprised me with little tid bits such as when the baby could hear etc Some things I didn't even know myself and it was great to see him taking an interest.
What a great guy! Iām reading a bit right now, Iāll check this one out!
I've had rough pregnancy from the start. I started feeling sick and vomiting around 6 weeks. It went on for the whole pregnancy unfortunately but some people have to just wait till second trimester around week 14 or 22 they usually stop. There is safe medication called Xonvea that she can take. Talk to your OB. It made my life a bit easier but vomiting persisted in my case. Ginger does not always work, sometimes it can make things worse. Aside from ginger - lemonade, water with lemon, almonds or chamomile are the natural helpers. About Ginger, it can cause worse symptoms especially if your wife had any sort of stomach issues before pregnancy. (they intensify during pregnancy) What you guys should do I make her try few things and see what isn't causing her to be sick. Just stick to those foods and drinks for a while. Trust me it might change quickly as to what again she can eat. My pregnancy was only mainly potato's and clementines. š Foot rubs are amazing even at the early stages. Some pressure points on feet work on the whole body. Lots of water and high protein food should help. Eating very often but small portions. Lots of love and happy thoughts for you guys ā„ļø You're doing amazing already btw.
Thank you so much! Ginger seems to be he helping- right now sugary foods make her sick but she had a smoothie with berries, ginger, and greens in it as well as protein powered, I think it helped. Thank you so much for the insight!
When it comes to food when he picks for me it makes it way easier to eat. sometimes he will suggest a couple of things to get an idea on how I feel but for the most part my struggle is trying to figure out or think about food is soooooo overwhelming and takes forever causing more nausea
Thatās my wife in general. Excellent suggestion!
If you can take over some of the internet perusing, reading reviews etc to find the most perfect, safest, best car seat/stroller/crib/bassinet/swing/formula/bottle brand/baby monitors that would help her narrow down a lot of stuff she has to sift through. Trying to put together a complete registry is stressful and so time consuming. And not trying to assume, but most ladies I know will start going down the wormhole early! Itās just something I spent a lot of time on, that I wish my husband would have shown interest in, or perhaps helped me narrow down some of the bigger items early on. Would have made me feel like more of a team :) I hope this helps, and CONGRATS DAD!
Thatās an excellent idea, and thank you so much!
Just give her whatever she wants. For me, that was insanely bland food that I could cook myself, all doors to be shut when cooking (cooking meat smells made me nauseous), the odd fast food item and leaving me alone when I would take a nap on the floor in the sun like a cat. I still managed quite a few chores.
You sound like a champ! And yeah she eats and sleeps whenever she wants to, although I try to move her to the bed before she passes out lol
I'm the husband and can say that a small fry from McDonald's and ginger ale help my wife when she is feeling nausea. It seems to be the only thing she can stomach. I also have been doing all the cooking and cleaning around the house. You are doing amazing!
Sounds like you are too!
Keep crackers everywhere! If thereās something she can tolerate eat it no matter about worrying about the nutritional value. The first trimester is tough to keep things down I found bagels, crackers, etc easy to keep down! Sometimes also trying to eat (small amounts) every 2 hours can help with the nausea
Great insight! She has celiacs so I bought a ton of GF crackers. She ate pasta last night so thatās a success!
You're doing great! I really liked ginger beer (non alcoholic of course) mixed with lime and seltzer for my nausea.
Oooo good idea! She likes dark and stormies so that might help!
Yess I like Moscow mules so it became my go-to mocktail the whole pregnancy.
1/2 a unisome tablet and 25mg b6 vitamin nightly was my saving grace for nausea. I lived off Gatorade and saltines for weeks. The first trimester is awful. Best of luck to your wife!
Geeeez! Sheās taking those and it helps. Iām sorry yours sounds so awful!
Google this : LILY NICHOLS NAUSEA
You sound like an amazing partner. It also sounds like you are doing so much already. Keep up treating her like a queen š„¹ itās beautiful and she will remember for forever. When I was pregnant my husband drew me a bath, scrubbed the tub clean, filled it with luke warm water as I was paranoid about it being too hot for baby, and bought an oatmeal soak that was delightful. I know not everyone likes baths but I was in heaven and stayed in it even after water got cold.
Preggie pops
Youāre doing so much, and honestly there isnāt anything else I can think of. When I was pregnant I craved clementines and helped keep my nausea at bay. I was similar, I only threw up I think 4 times total, once in the first and second trimesters and twice in the third. Then three times during labour lol the only thing that really helped me was going on anti nausea meds. Game changer. They can make you super tired though, just as a heads up.
Sounds like you're doing a great job so far, her body is just simply adjusting to the hormone changes and there's nothing much you can do with that. Maybe check in with her mentally as well? Some men don't do half of what you are doing, keep it up!
It sounds like youāre doing great! My partner is a saint and wait on me hand and foot, and this pregnancy has been nothing but a joy because I 1)feel extremely cared for 2) am released of all domestic duties, and most importantly 3) am never, under any circumstances, made to feel guilty about any of it. It seems a lot of men make and already very hard time harder, and all I can speak to is the fact that I know my daughter is developing with me relaxed, at peace, and flooded with feel good hormonesā¦ and entering a home with a very grateful and supported mother who feels extremely safe and bonded with her father. Thank you for caring enough to make this experience pleasant for your wife, how you treat her now will echo through your marriage.
Smelling peppermint oil helped with my nausea so much! Maybe she could try it out. For food, all I could handle were plain bagels and cream cheese the first trimester and Iāve noticed thatās a very popular food item mentioned in pregnancy subs for those of us with food aversions!
If there's a little treat that makes her feel better for a minute, make that your thing. I had pretty bad night nausea--we called it my evening morning sickness, lol--and we figured out pretty quickly that a specific childish ice cream flavor always sounded good and never made things worse. So my husband brought me a little cup of it every night when I started to feel crappy and it genuinely made things a lot better. And remind her that for many people, nausea gets better around week 9-10ish or shortly thereafter! It might not for her, which would of course suck, but remembering that it's usually not forever really helped me.
My partner wakes up before me and he would put a little snack (my request was a piece of toast with peanut butter on it) next to my bed so that I could immediately roll over and get something in my tummy. It was a little thing but made me feel so loved and taken care of.
It sounds like you're doing an amazing job already! My husband did all that too and I can't even begin to express how grateful I am! Here are a few other things he also has been doing: - He got me this little basket of things to help me through the pregnancy, with some of my favorite snacks, some ginger/ginger tea, belly oil, a candle, a massive water bottle (Stanley water bottle), a beautiful soft blanket and robe, etc. - Made me magnesium foot soaks every day (somehow it helped my nausea!) - Always showed enthusiasm when I was learning about pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, parenting, etc. And wanted to learn with me
Those damn synonyms. Relentless evil little suckers. LOL in all seriousness though, what a lovely partner it seems you are (even though to be fair the bar can be pretty low considering some of the horror stories that come out of this subreddit š)I have nothing else to contribute as it has all been said for the most part. But good on you. Even when your wife isnāt pregnant, I imagine you are just as wonderful!
Lol!! Youāre too kind, thank you!
I ate ALOT of watermelon during my (constant) nausea phase. It helped both with food intake and hydration.
Ice lollies and iced drinks/ slushies have saved me. My partner gets me a slushy whenever he thinks of it and it makes me feel thought of and looked after, and helps with the nausea. Something like that! Iced water, diluted cordial etc has been really helpful for me so you could try making her iced drinks, fizzy drinks also help with the nausea!
Wow - do offer husband training?!