How am I Hungry, AGAIN?!

So, morning all-day-sickness is really kicking my butt this week. From migraines to nonstop dry-heaving, I've been compromised and it's no fun. I try to tell myself the nausea is in my head. I believe myself for five minutes, and then promptly gag upon opening the refrigerator.

What's worse is that the only time I'm not nauseous is when I'm eating. I realized today, Oh THIS is why pregnant women gain so much weight... because the only way to curb the nausea is by eating! Not to mention, no sooner do I finish eating and I'm hungry again - you know, that churning empty feeling in your stomach? Where is all the food going? To my ass, that's where. Because I know our ripe little Raspberry isn't really getting that much of it just yet.

And what to eat? All these books talk about "Eating Healthy While Pregnant." Well, I'll tell you what, my Pink Lady Apple tastes a whole heck of a lot worse than a chicken sandwich on the way back up.

Here are some tips I've collected about keeping morning all-day sickness at bay:

• Eat complex carbs first thing in the morning - even in bed, if you'd like. (You can keep crackers by your bed for this purpose).

• Eat smaller meals more frequently. You're supposed to always have a little something in your stomach vs. letting it get empty, or overstuffing it. 

• Smell or suck on lemons - or squeeze some in your water if that sounds more humane. (Don't ask me why, but we read this in "Dude, You're Gonna Be a Dad" and for some reason it sounds like a decent idea). 

• Ginger: Ginger Tea, Ginger Root, Ginger Ale, Ginger Snaps. Anything with Ginger is supposed to help. 

• Sea Bands: Those pressure-point bands that are generally used for motion sickness. I tried these in December when I was nauseous and had to fly and I think they worked. Even if it's psychosomatic, I don't care. If it works, it works. I don't care why.

• Vitamin B6 (Talk to your doctor before starting any supplements). 

• Find what works for you! Diet Coke has been helping me, even more than Ginger Ale! I know artificial sweeteners and caffeine are standard pregnancy concerns, but I am controlling my "usage" and feel comfortable with how much I'm drinking - about a can on the days that I drink it at all and I space it out throughout the day. The point is, the same way everyone's bodies are different, your remedies might be different too. Experiment a bit. Find what works and make the most of it!

Here are some websites with more tips for morning sickness relief.

• American Pregnancy Association
• Parenting.com Tips
• BabyCenter Tips

Lastly, here are some fun comfort food recipes from the experts at WhatToExpect.com. Maybe I'll try a couple of these this week. If I can stop heaving long enough to boil some water.

Happy Heaving. :)