Pregnant, eek! (and a couple of questions)

[AmandaVT]

Well the title says it all. I just found out I'm pregnant. We're a little surprised as we've been not trying, not preventing for almost 4 years now and haven't gotten pregnant in that time. DS will be 6 1/2 when this new little one is born - big age difference! My questions:

 

1. Morning sickness has started and I'm not even quite 6 weeks! Is the Unisom/B6 combo still the go-to? I've been sipping on water with lemon juice and eating crackers and cheese, but it's not helping. Suggestions?

 

2. The age difference is seeming huge at the moment, does anyone have experience with this sized difference? And anyone that wants to tell me it's normal to freak out a bit when they find out feel free to chime in!!!

[zoobie]

1. The Unisom/B6 never worked for me. Zofran did somewhat, which helped with #3 during the worst weeks. The biggest thing is to never let myself get hungry. I eat something with a little protein/fat (PB crackers for example) before I get out of bed and let it settle a few minutes. I also have ice water constantly by my side in an insulated container. 

 

2. We have a big spread. My oldest 2 are 22 months apart, then there's almost a 7 year gap. My youngest will be 22 months apart too. So far the age gap has been great for us. The big kids love their baby sister and are actually very helpful, especially DD. DS loves making her laugh. He's such a clown, and it's been amazing seeing him (the baby previously) fawn all over her. The hardest part for me is activites, trying to entertain little one (soon to be ones) at big kid things, and during school. My toddler is several handfuls! ;)

 

Congrats! Hope it's a smooth nine months! :)

[texasmama]

There are five years between my first and my second kids.  It was lovely.  :)

 

I used a Reliefband during my last pg.  It delivers shocks to an acupressure point.  It was annoying but surprisingly effective.  If I was not wearing it during all waking hours, I threw up.  It was not cheap but so worth it.

[Indian summer]

I wore seabands and that worked for me.

[FaithManor]

Congratulations! I know it's disconcerting, but it's going to be great.

 

My oldest is 5 and 3/4ths years older than our next. She LOVED having that baby brother and was a big helper. I think your ds is likely to do the same. For the most part, they have had a good relationship. She was so far ahead of him that there was no sibling rivalry or competition. The baby slept a lot while I homeschooled her and at six years of age, it didn't take much to get 1st grade done during all of those longish nap times. It worked out very well. By the time he was old enough to begin school work, she was a very motivated 6th grader who worked well independently and liked to help him too. She often had him on the couch reading aloud or having him read to her. He also benefitted from all of the literature that I we were reading and discussing, history too. To be honest, many early concepts came more easily to him despite the fact that she was naturally the better student, simply because he was a young sponge that was catching on to many things as he listened to me educate her.

 

We have four total. I can honestly say the youngest has the easiest...years, and years, and years of the older sibs working, discussing, reading, working, all around him and he absorbed a large portion of it.

 

Once you get past the morning sickness and have some time to adjust, I think you'll probably feel better. My only advice is that if baby will be due at an inopportune time, that you plan ahead for natural breaks in your curriculum at that time, or work a little through the summer and plan it so you are ending a curriculum about the time you'll need to be off. That will make transitioning back into school work easy because it will feel like it has been a summer vacation or long holiday break, and you won't be picking back up in the middle of something.

 

For what it's worth, my sister is 13 years younger than I, almost 14, and we ADORE each other and did not have an adversarial moment. Ha- ha...here's a story on me:

 

I was a serious pianist, studying and practicing for auditions into some pretty competitive music schools and uni's. So, when she was a baby/toddler, if my parents left me to babysit her, once she was beyond napping for long periods, I would put her in the high chair, strapped in well, take the tray off, and pull her up tight to the upright piano. She would "play" it happily. Meanwhile, I would be at the baby grand drowning her out with my Beethoven Sonatas, and what not. She would play until she got tired and then lean over and go to sleep on the pillows I tucked in on either side of her. My parents have pictures, and they are pretty precious because if I had the top propped up on the grand, they could sneak into the house and photograph us, and I didn't hear them!

 

Interestingly, my sister became proficient at the piano - though not at my level - and developed an extraordinary soprano voice. She also played violin, and though she didn't major in music in college, took lessons all the way through and performed with many of the vocal groups. I feel that I did my part! :D

 

Again congratulations, I think this is likely to turn out very, very well for your family!

[MooCow]

The unison b 6 combo kept me alive. So did bubbly water. I burped a lot, which seemed to help, plus it entertained my two children. Dd is six and half years older then youngest ds. It was fine. Congrats!

[momto10blessings]

Don't have much to add, but wanted to say congrats! What a blessing!

[trulycrabby]

Congratulations! :)

 

My doc gave phenergan for nausea, but that was 10 years ago. I think zofran has replaced it as DOC for nausea, but of course your obgyn will know what is safe to prescribe.

[trulycrabby]

Congratulations! I know it's disconcerting, but it's going to be great.

 

My oldest is 5 and 3/4ths years older than our next. She LOVED having that baby brother and was a big helper. I think your ds is likely to do the same. For the most part, they have had a good relationship. She was so far ahead of him that there was no sibling rivalry or competition. The baby slept a lot while I homeschooled her and at six years of age, it didn't take much to get 1st grade done during all of those longish nap times. It worked out very well. By the time he was old enough to begin school work, she was a very motivated 6th grader who worked well independently and liked to help him too. She often had him on the couch reading aloud or having him read to her. He also benefitted from all of the literature that I we were reading and discussing, history too. To be honest, many early concepts came more easily to him despite the fact that she was naturally the better student, simply because he was a young sponge that was catching on to many things as he listened to me educate her.

 

We have four total. I can honestly say the youngest has the easiest...years, and years, and years of the older sibs working, discussing, reading, working, all around him and he absorbed a large portion of it.

 

Once you get past the morning sickness and have some time to adjust, I think you'll probably feel better. My only advice is that if baby will be due at an inopportune time, that you plan ahead for natural breaks in your curriculum at that time, or work a little through the summer and plan it so you are ending a curriculum about the time you'll need to be off. That will make transitioning back into school work easy because it will feel like it has been a summer vacation or long holiday break, and you won't be picking back up in the middle of something.

 

For what it's worth, my sister is 13 years younger than I, almost 14, and we ADORE each other and did not have an adversarial moment. Ha- ha...here's a story on me:

 

I was a serious pianist, studying and practicing for auditions into some pretty competitive music schools and uni's. So, when she was a baby/toddler, if my parents left me to babysit her, once she was beyond napping for long periods, I would put her in the high chair, strapped in well, take the tray off, and pull her up tight to the upright piano. She would "play" it happily. Meanwhile, I would be at the baby grand drowning her out with my Beethoven Sonatas, and what not. She would play until she got tired and then lean over and go to sleep on the pillows I tucked in on either side of her. My parents have pictures, and they are pretty precious because if I had the top propped up on the grand, they could sneak into the house and photograph us, and I didn't hear them!

 

Interestingly, my sister became proficient at the piano - though not at my level - and developed an extraordinary soprano voice. She also played violin, and though she didn't major in music in college, took lessons all the way through and performed with many of the vocal groups. I feel that I did my part! :D

 

Again congratulations, I think this is likely to turn out very, very well for your family!

What a lovely story! It made me smile :)

[busymama7]

I am pregnant with my tenth and this article changed my life.

 

http://stevenandersonfamily.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-cause-and-cure-of-morning-sickness.html?m=1

 

I had almost no morning sickness and only threw up a couple times. I was on zofran last time and it didn't completely stop the vomitting(for reference).

[aggieamy]

Congrats!  I've never been pregnant so I can't help with the morning sickness.  

 

I can comment on the age gap though.  I have a nine year gap and we love it.  DD is so attentive on DS and just adores him.  He is always so interested in her also.  She'll sit and play with LEGOs next to him in his jumperoo and he'll just watch completely fascinated by her.  She's also a huge help.  We drove across country recently and she sat in the back and sang to him and fed him and was the best helper a mother could want.  

 

 

[Tammyla]

Congratulations.

 

I found eating a small snack and juice before getting out of bed, I kept saltines in a baggy on my nightstand and in my purse.  Oh, and cinnamon rolls were my bff.   

[LMD]

congrats! I'm no help on the first 2 points, but i hear you on the shock- totally normal. I was in denial for a while with my 4th, when i finally went for a scan i was nearly 11 weeks! (it was that much of a shock i had no idea how far along i was) just take your time and let it sink in. Congrats again!

[Jenn121]

Congrats. I can't help with the morning sickness but DD1 turned 7 two months after DD2 was born. I am now 36 weeks with #3 and DD2 just turned 6 this month. We were also not trying but not preventing.

 

 

 

ETA: took out a thought that did not make sense and my prego brain could just not say it right LOL

[Ameena]

My only advice on the morning sickness is see your Dr. There are meds {if they work for you}. I tried everything - seabands, ginger, B6 & unisom, Zofran, Pheneregen, Reglan, - eveything under the son. Nothing worked except Compazine, but you can't take it until after 13 weeks due to risk of birth defects.

 

On the age difference - it's not a big deal. I am 16 years younger than my next sibling, and it was fine. I got the benefit of being an only at home, and yet the benefits of being the youngest too.

[Cinder]

Congrats! My older two are about 3 years apart then the youngest came along when ds2 was 6.75 years old. We just say 7years apart--it's easier. This gap thing seems to run in dh's family. His mother is youngest of 3 by 8 and 10 years. Dh is youngest of 3 by 12 and 13 years. Then dd  has a 7 and 10 year gap.

 

For morning sickness, I was always told to take a tbsp of the heavy syrup from canned peaches to help settle your stomach but I never actually tried it.  (ETA: I was told it had to be the heavy syrup, that the light syrup didn't have the same effect.)

 

The big gap really helped as my ds's were "big boys" and didn't have to be watched while I tended the youngest. School-wise, dd was due around Christmas so it was the first year I bought a Sonlight core so I would have everything right there. It worked well for us.

 

[ashfern]

Congratulations!! I tried the Unisom with #4. It was horrible. My body was so tired but my mind was racing so I couldn't sleep at all. There is a 5.5 year gap between #4 & 5. The big kids all love the baby and are super helpful.

[Melissa in Australia]

:party:congratulations