The Hunger
February 22, 2008
Okay so I am emerging again from my near-narcoleptic state to post another damn run-on sentence entry and you know what I think I posted a lot of run-on sentence entries when I was pregnant before so I wonder if I should go ahead and make "punctuation aversions" an official pregnancy symptom on my still-to-come, just-hammering-out-a-few-final-details pregnancy calendar blog over at AlphaMom, because hey! It's my pregnancy guide and I CAN INVENT WHATEVER SYMPTOMS I WANT. FARTING. THAT'S A SYMPTOM. ALSO EXCESS EAR WAX, WHILE WE'RE AT IT.
What the fuck was I talking about? I got thrown off by all that punctuation. Oh, right, differing pregnancy symptoms between this one and my first, like the complete lack of puking (I really do believe I did have a stomach bug two weeks ago, although I'm sure the rising pregnancy hormones didn't help things any) and only the barest waves of post-prenatal-vitamin queasiness, which I cannot lie is freaking me out a little because last time I was so unbelievably miserable I lost over 10 pounds the first trimester, while this time I am eating us out of house and home and THIN MINTS THIN MINTS THIN MINTS! Followed by NACHOS! And then I want some PEPPERONI SLICES! And then more 85% off clearance rack Valentine's Day candy! And then I am STILL HUNGRY NOM NOM NOM I think I shall make some cauliflower and broccoli gratin (with ham!) and then eat the entire thing straight out of the casserole dish while sitting on the kitchen floor and eying the box of Tagalongs, because YOU ARE NEXT, MOTHERFUCKERS.
And yet I am still really very nervous about Monday's ultrasound, because I am unsure where the line between "crazy pregnant lady" and "fat whore pig who was just waiting for an excuse" lies. I am more comfortable with puking than with gnawing on the refrigerator handle, is all.
So if anyone has any experience with different pregnancies = different symptoms, particularly of the morning sickness variety, I sure would like to hear about it. My boobs would also appreciate it, since they are tired of me mashing on them to make sure they are still vaguely sore because otherwise I have nothing to BELIEVE IN ANYMORE. EXCEPT FOR THE DOUBLE-STUFF OREOS.
(Oh! And while I do like to imagine that my readers are the sort-of types who always have fabulous parties to attend on Oscar night -- perhaps parties where you dress up as obscure indie-film characters and everybody wears elbow-length gloves on principle -- but if you ARE going to be watching them at home this weekend, we're throwing a virtual Oscars party over at Mamapop [virtual = a swinging sexy time for the social anxiety disorder set!] and I would love it if y'all would stop by and join me, Sweetney, Mrs. Kennedy, Her Bad Mother, JenB and a slew of other hilarious people, either for just the red carpet fashion snarkfest at 7 pm or for the awards at 8 pm or both or just to hear the running list of Foods Amy Consumes During the Telecast and Then Cries About Because Now They Are Gone and She Can't Eat Them Anymore.)
All three of my pregnancies were totally different. With my first, I just felt kinda uneasy, nothing a Saltine didn't fix right up. With my second, I was so sick! With my third, I didn't even feel pregnant. Pretty much every symptom was totally different, and it wasn't because of the baby's gender, because I have two girls and a boy, and the two girl pregnancies were so different.
With one, I had migraines, with another, I had depression. With one, my ankles swelled up, and with another, nothing.
Don't read anything into your pregnancy symptoms, I think they are just random.
Have you tried the Oreo Cakesters? Yum!
I think they're all different. First pregnancy: nauseated all day every day, puked a few times, boobs so sore that the wind made them hurt, baby girl.
Second pregnancy, never sick a day, didn't realize I had boobs, only puked once when I got food poisoning, baby girl.
Third pregnancy, sick once or twice, boobs slightly tender, never puked, baby boy.
The only thing they all had in common was that around the middle of the first trimester I went through periods of being prone to fainting, I gained enormous amounts of weight, and the babies ranged from 8 lb. 1 oz to 8 lb 2-1/2 oz and all looked exactly alike. Except for that external plumbing on the third one.
I do think that with each succeeding pregnancy the symptoms show up earlier. And you show up earlier - I was still wearing normal clothes, albeit with the top button of my skirts undone, when I felt the first baby kick. By the third, I pretty much got up the morning after and put on maternity clothes. Everything happens faster, perhaps because you are so much more aware of each symptom.
Except the last two months. They still last five years.
my pregnancies were complete opposites. if i had it with one, i didn't with the other. i even carried one high and one low-both girls, btw.
I didnt have the faintest trace of morning sickness for my first pregnancy. And my boobs were so damn sore that I couldnt even hug anyone.
This time around, to hell with morning sickness, this is ALL DAY LONG SICKNESS and have been way for the latest 25 weeks - I'm 29 weeks pregnant now. Nausea has been so bad that I couldnt function at all and my doctor finally took pity on me and put me on Diclectin - a godsend. Oh and my boobs dont hurt at all this time around.
Different pregnancies, completely different symptoms for me.
1st pregnancy--terrible want to die morning sickness
2nd (right now)--terrible want to die morning sickness until the OB recommends supplimenting calcium and B6 and now I am feeling good and back to the boob mashing. Still sore? Yep. Now? Yep. What about now? OUCH! and frequent trips to the ladies room to check for spotting (none yet).
I cannot wait until I can feel this kid move! Neither can my boobs, or anyone else in the house who likes to use toilet paper.
I didnt have the faintest trace of morning sickness for my first pregnancy. And my boobs were so damn sore that I couldnt even hug anyone.
This time around, to hell with morning sickness, this is ALL DAY LONG SICKNESS and have been way for the latest 25 weeks - I'm 29 weeks pregnant now. Nausea has been so bad that I couldnt function at all and my doctor finally took pity on me and put me on Diclectin - a godsend. Oh and my boobs dont hurt at all this time around.
Different pregnancies, completely different symptoms for me.
I have to jump in on the comment bandwagon because I think I have the exact same due date as you. (I haven't been to the doctor yet, but if those online calculators are right...) Anyway, I keep expecting fo the nausea to set in as well, but it hasn't yet. I am exhausted and hungry and the boobs feel heavy and sore but no food aversions and no puking...so either its too early yet or maybe its not going to happen. I'm hoping for the latter.
My first pregnancy (girl) I had horrible morning sickness. Every smell ever made me want to die...including good old boiling water. The only foods i could handle in the first trimester were super bland carbs (plain bread; plain pancakes; plain bagels, no cream cheese)The second time around (boy), virtually no morning sickness and absolutely had The Hunger. I'm not normally much of a meat eater but came home from the grocery store one time with six different packages of beef.
And, can I say how happy I am that other people had the excess ear wax? I really thought I was the only one whose ears went crazy during pregnancy. I googled it a thousand times and nothing...i feel like less of a freak now!
My first pregnancy (twin boys) I didn't have any symptoms. No nausea, no sore boobs, but I was intensely hungry.
My second pregnancy (one girl), I was sicker than a dog most of the first trimester.
I've only been pregnant once (17 weeks so far) but the tiredness? That vacation we took to Hawaii back in December might have been cooler if I wasn't asleep on the couch the whole time. And oh the hunger! Enough to turn me from vegetarian to omnivore.
I need to go eat another hamburger now..
I think excess earwax is pregnancy related. Both times I was pregnant I had to have my ears flushed out because I had so much wax in them. Gross.
Both times I was pregnant I was sick as a dog but the first pregnancy was ever so slightly worse. I had to have a few rounds of IV fluids put in that time. The first one my boobs hurt like a mofo and the second one they didn't hurt at all. No two pregnancies are alike I guess.
I am exactly the opposite when it comes to the food. I have aversions to everything. EVERYTHING. Every day the list of what I can eat is different. Today it is soup (provided there is no meat), yogurt, and Fiber One bars. I'm constantly hungry, but I can't choke down enough food to fill me up. I don't have morning sickness unless I eat the foods to which my brain says DANGER DANGER. And then that time a couple days ago when I had a delicious glass of milk and ten minutes later absolutely had to have six pickles. That was horrible.
I was so, so sick with my first pregnancy I actually had to quit my job, because I would just spend about 50% of my time hanging out over the porcelain. It started at about 3 weeks pregnant, and didn't stop until I was about 4 or 5 months along.
With my second pregnancy, eight years later? Nothing. Nada, zip, zero. As a matter of fact, I was almost three months pregnant before I even knew for sure that I *was* pregnant. (The tests prior to that were negative, so I attributed my 'lateness' to stress, etc.) But I was not sick at all with my second, not even a little bit queasy (although the heartburn hit later, just as it had with the first.)
Two prior pregnancies, both identical, both girls. Nausea hit on almost the same day of each and went away almost on the same day. Sore boobs, normal weight gain, some food aversions (red meat EW, french toast YUM!). This time with baby #3 (due Oct 13!) the nausea hit AGAIN on almost the same day. Hopefully it will leave earlier or at least at the same point, at about 12-13 weeks. No puking, just constant (or occasionally crippling) nausea, but as a previous poster pointed out, keep eating and you might keep the nausea at bay. My OB said to stick to dry carbs (toast, crackers) and sugars (ginger ale, hard candies). My acupuncturist said to slice ginger root and boil it for 30 mins, then let it cool and drink as tea. It worked marginally, but it didn't really make a dent on the most nauseous days, although neither did the acupuncture, btw. Just hang in there! Good luck on Monday - I just saw a heartbeat at 6w1d - amazing!
Oh, and one friend told me a good tip. If you kept a pregnancy journal (I was given one titled, oddly enough, The Pregnancy Journal) you can keep track of baby #2 in the same journal just use a different color ink. That's how I know when the nausea hit with each pregnancy and other cool comparisons. Although baby #3 is making the entries look a little messy...
Don't worry too much. I was really sick my first and second pregnancy (both boys) and then not sick at all my third. so of course I thought i was having a girl. but no. all boys (all HEALTHY boys). and all pregnancies are different (to quote my OB/GYN).
IMHO, you are preggers with a girl and she is already PMSing, hence the crazy food love ;) When I was pregnant with my DD, I tried to explain what it was like when you satisfy a pregnancy craving- it's like nothing else! Kind of like eating when you're very hungry, combined with afterglow and the dingdingding of a slot machine when you win. Although I am Italian and kind of still feel that way about food!
Here's what my great-grandma told my mom when she was pregnant with me- if it smells good, eat it, because that means the baby wants it. Buon appetito!
IMHO, you are preggers with a girl and she is already PMSing, hence the crazy food love ;) When I was pregnant with my DD, I tried to explain what it was like when you satisfy a pregnancy craving- it's like nothing else! Kind of like eating when you're very hungry, combined with afterglow and the dingdingding of a slot machine when you win. Although I am Italian and kind of still feel that way about food!
Here's what my great-grandma told my mom when she was pregnant with me- if it smells good, eat it, because that means the baby wants it. Buon appetito!
Well this is only my first pregnancy, but I will share anyway. I only threw up three times in my first trimester. Twice because I accidentally gagged myself while brushing my teeth. And while I could only tolerate the one elusive food of glory (that happened to change every...three seconds) I was able to eat like a normal person and only lost 2 pounds. The only food I could not stomach at all ever was a chicken salad sandwich. I'm in my 33rd week and still can't even look at that junk without wanting to barf.
I can't add anything more enlightening than all above - so I will just say "ditto." Same in some ways, different in others. The kids, however, are totally different in personality. Not sure how they are related.
The first time, I was not too sick, but had the occasional moment of pukiness. This time I threw up every damn day until 18 weeks, and still have moments of nausea. (am 21 weeks now) Not fun. So every time is different. Eat what you want, you are in baby-making-machine-mode. You need to fuel the fire!
I had differing symptoms! First one (boy) sick from 6-14 weeks with the worst. nausea. ever. Boobs were sore early on. Was tired, but nothing I could not handle by going to bed at 8:30 every night.
Second one (girl) got sick right at 6 weeks with what was definitely the new definition of worst. nausea. ever. It lasted until 12 weeks but was compounded by the toddler diapers and meals and was so debilitating, I had to have my mom come and help out with the first child because I could not deal with the smells of poop or chicken nuggets. Also, extreme narcolepsy in the late afternoon. Boobs were less sore, and not sore until later than with boy child.
So not to bear bad news, but you might not be in the sickness stage yet. It might be lurking. I, like you, actually thought "Maybe there is something wrong because I am not sick yet." The next day, it dropped me like a brick.
Well, I can't help you out with the whole puking thing, because I didn't have morning sickness with the first or with my current little strawberry sized leech. However, with my first I didn't really have any cravings, and this time I'm having wicked crazy craving and aversions (omg my husbands deodorant is going to kill me in my sleep). Also, no sore boobs this time... actually... no real symptoms at all except for the crazy eating. 12 weeks and I've only gained a pound, so maybe it is all going straight to the babe!
I'm 16w pregnant with my second baby. I did nothing but vomit, eat, vomit during my 1st pregnancy. All that puking and I still gained a few pounds. This time around I want NOTHING! to do with food. The sight, the smell, the taste - eww. I haven't puked once, but I honestly feel like I might die I am so dizzy and nauseous. The only thing I can eat without feeling bad are fruits and veggies. I have never ate a healthy piece of food in my entire life and now that is all I want! I've lost 10 pounds. I eat three meals a day but I'm hungry all the freaking time! It's weird how similar yet so different pregnancies can be :)
Ah, I just polished off a box of Thin Mints myself.
My first pregnancy (boy) I had mild morning sickness in the am from about 6 weeks to 13 weeks. No puking. I lost 7 pounds no longer drinking (ahem) and b/c I had no interest in sweets.
This time around, I was nauseaus from 6 weeks until just about now (12 weeks) 24 HOURS A DAY but still didn't puke. And when I wasn't feeling ill, all I wanted was chocolate and mayonnaise. So, pretty different. Maybe a girl this time?
after enduring 10+ months of it, I can promise you flatulence is a symptom.
My babies are around your age, but honestly, every pregnancy is different, even for the same woman. A few can rely on puking and such every time, for most, it's a different thrill ride each time. I was hyper-sensitive to foods and smells with my first (the boy) and oh God I got carsick if I wasn't driving. The second time around I had a cast iron stomach, no queasiness, but was so tired the first trimester I don't know how I did it with a toddler underfoot. Oh, and then there was the spectacular 3rd trimester heartburn with the girl, instead of the massive flare-up of allergies the first time with the boy. All seemed like a big deal at the time, but in retrospect, really wasn't. Don't judge this pregnancy by the first one, it won't be just the same.
I can only give one example and that's my mum. With my brother she wasn't sick at all except right at the beginning and ate whatever she liked. With me she puked from start to finish - even throwing up while in labour. She carried a sick bucket with her everywhere. That may be more info than you actually needed.
What the hell kind of friend am I?! Dearmotherfuckinglord, you're pregnant! And WOOOT! And then WOOOT some more! And, while I'm at it, Fucking WOOOT!
God, Amy, I'm both thrilled and feeling a wee bit "Where the hell have I had my head shoved up the past several weeks, hrm?"
Not that you need even more input but my pregnancies were about as different as could be. With LB I was all "ICE CREAM!" and with O I was all "BEEF! I want a whole COW!" And dude, I hate beef.
I'm right now setting aside all of Monday to refresh your page and see your ultrasound because WOOOOT (Wait, did I say that already?) for more cuteness of Amy and Jason!
XO
I am 14 weeks along and have hardly any symptoms, except for my skin breaking out. No puking, no nausea, minimal tiredness. Oh, some food aversions (like to bacon...delicious, delicious bacon! SOB!). Boob soreness stopped after 2 weeks.
I have been lurking on your blog for awhile. I can't even remember how or when I found it. I love reading your posts and usually laugh out loud or something. I also have a boy named Noah with speech problems and I have an 8 week today little girl name Sofia. With Noah I was sick 24 hours a day with his pregnancy and gagged all the time. With Sofia I had some bad moments but nothing bad and I was so starving just like you describe. It will be interesting to see what happens
First pregnancy, I had no symptoms at all. My boobs were slightly sore - but that's it. I gained 18 pounds (boy was 8.5, placenta was about 1, water 5, fat the rest). I walked out of the hospital in jeans.
Second pregnancy... sea sick for the entire time. Not puking mind you... just really woozy. Breasts hurt like an m'fer and I gained 30 lbs. BAH!
With all this advice, you'll agree most pregnancies are different.
Here's a tip - I could not get enough fruit "stuff" with one of my sons. Cookies, pies, cakes, danish, etc. Lots of lemon, cherry, blueberry - you name it. My son has always loved fruit AND vegetables, more than baked goods or candy. So you eat those rasberry zingers, apple turnovers - you get the idea. Start the baby out the proper way.
4 pregnancies, 2 girls, 2 boys. With the girls I was tired, bone tired, wanted to die tired, but little nausea, and wanted to eat constantly, just like you describe. Seriously. It was like we had a teenage boy in the house for as little time as it took to go through the groceries. As the pregnancies went along, I looked fat more than pregnant, my butt got huge, I turned huge. Emotionally mostly pretty manageable, though more prone to crying than anything.
With the boys I puked my guts out, lost between 8-12 pounds with each pregnancy, I wanted to eat and did, I just horked it back up. As the pregnancy went on, I only gained weight in my belly, just as if I'd shoved a basketball under my shirt. Butt stayed fine, if anything got smaller. But emotionally? OMFG the rage. I. Was. Pissed. All. The. Time.
YMMV, of course, but my bet is you're having a girl. Also my boobs were never as sore as the first pregnancy, I suspect due to what breastfeeding put them through. Good luck, hon.
Well ... if you even get this far ... I never had morning sickness in the first trimester when I was pregnant. I counted myself as one of the lucky few.
When I was 30 weeks, I threw up for 24 hours straight and went to the hospital for an IV and drugs to combat the nausea. Apparently, my body got the message because that was the one and only day I was sick throughout the pregnancy.
In my first trimester I craved anything GREEN and so ate many things with avocado on them.
Baby was fine, everything was fine ... YOU are fine! Enjoy those GS cookies! They sound delicious!
I had my daughter 6 years ago. I had nothing but mild queasiness with her that lasted until 13 weeks or so.
I am now pg with a boy and I ended up on Zofran until about 21-22 weeks long.
Hope that makes you feel better! I understand the anxiety. I had a sleepless night just this week as I convinced myself that baby boy wasn't kicking anymore. He is totally fine, I just have those anxiety attacks every now and again. First trimster - it was just constant.
I've only been pregnant (currently) once, but I had no morning sickness and no sore boobs. And the kid is currently kicking my bladder. So I'm sure the little tike is doing well, and enjoying all the thin mints (who wouldn't!)
NOT READING COMMENTS so don't get in my grill if i happen to repeat someone else's experience with my morning sickness.
BUT...with my first child i had no sickness unless i was within whiffing distance of a chinese restaurant. then all bets were off and the barfing commenced.
i was so cocky about how great it was to be pregnant that i got pregnant again (!!).
lo! behold! the all day sickness and bilefests and ohgod fortheloveofsatan do NOT JIGGLE THAT BED one more time or i will surely spew on you.
3rd time? more spewing, so severe that it was hospitalization time.
girl
boy
boy
so, my scientific summary of all this is:
testosterone=makes me sick
and because i am omnicient, you are having a girl.
you are welcome.
With baby 1 (a girl)....I didn't even know I was preggers until I was 13.5 weeks. Because I had no symptoms at all, escept for a little booby issue and extra peeing.
With baby 2 (a boy), I puked for 3 months, lost 10 lbs (damn, I looked good), and felt like ass. For five months. And my daughter was only 5 months old when I found out I was pregnant again, so it was lots of fun puking, then carrying around the baby.
Yeah, totally different pregnancies. Totally different kids.
Both really healthy.
And I'm in NOVA, so if you want to get together and compare notes, shoot an email my way....
Surely someone has already said this, but...
Different symptoms = Different sex.
With my son I puked every single day from conception to birth.
With my daughter - never actually threw up. Just had nausea so bad I actually had to be medicated for it. I would take the constant puking ANY day.
Just remember - they are different, two different people/babies. And YOUR body is different. It's been through this before.
My first and second pregnancies were completely different. First: very sore chest (like couldn't even tolerate the shower) and barfing almost every time I brushed my teeth which was sort of counter-productive. Second: no soreness to speak of, no barfing at all, just some general waves of nausea that only lasted for about two weeks and then disappeared completely.
I so envy people who can eat and eat when pregnant. I had GD with my second and could only gorge myself on salad. It was just plain not cool.
I have a Noah who is about 6 months younger than your Noah, and I'm almost 12 weeks preggo with #2.
My pregnancies could NOT be more different so far, and it looks like you and I swapped symptoms.
With my first? I gained almost 15 lbs in the first trimester. Hun-GRY! Now! Now! Now! Now! I felt like there was a 15 year old boy trapped in my stomach, starting at ~6w.
This time? Ill. Puking. Horrible. Ill. Can't keep the prenatals down. Keep that damn food away from me, except maybe apples and toast.
I'm 11 weeks pg with my second and oh my God, this one is kicking my ass. The first one? I puked maybe three times, and that was all during the 3rd trimester? This one is making me want to die. DIEEEE.
Hey Amy -
Congrats!!
I can give you my pregnancy symptoms, although this is my first (I'm due in 5 weeks, yikes!). Anyway, no morning sickness at all, no nausea, which really freaked my out until I saw my doctor who told me that there are many women who never experience morning sickness. I was expecting to be thowing up all over the place with my luck. But no.
I had a TON of hair falling out the first trimester, and this wierd acne which started out on my neck first trimester, and gradually made its way down my chest in the second trimester, and now it's on my big belly. It's annoying, but there's nothing I can do about it. Besides, if that's the worst symptom I have, I can totally handle that!
I haven't had any cravings either. It's the world's most boring pregnancy, but I'll take it!
I wish you the best and can't wait to follow along with this pregnancy as I did when you were carrying Noah. Again, I'm so happy for you guys!!
OMG, yes, the ear wax is a symptom! I haven't said anything to anyone about it, because I didn't want people to think that I'm crazy! But I'm with you!!
Pregnancy #1: Puke-tastic up until 24 weeks, had to take Phernergan. #2, threw up a few times a week rather than 5 times a day. Feeling lots better now. Also, am hungry hungry hippo.
Totally different pregnancies so far and with this second one (I am 17 weeks) I can't stand the smell of food but want to eat everything in sight. This means I have to shove it in as fast as possible so I don't gag at the smell.
First one boy, 2nd one - I'll know in 3 weeks but I think its a girl.
baby 1 - lots o' puke, little weight gain, acrobatic fetus boy who never sat still until he was born.
baby 2 - LOTS of NEVERENDING hunger, no puking at all, the most scarily sedentary boy fetus ever conceived. He's 20 now and still hates to move.
baby 3 - not much puke, normal hunger, MASSIVE weight gain any-damn-way. female soccer star fetus who literally kicked my breath out of my lungs.
My point? I has one. They're all completely different, expect the unexpected. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
I was deathly sick w/ first 2. One was a boy the other a girl. With the third I wasn't sick, my boobs only slightly hurt and felt really good. Oooh and I craved all types of food, especially steak. Also I can help you out on your thin mint addiction. I have a case in my garage cause somehow I got suckered into being a troop leader.