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Morning Sickness [remedies for emesis gravidarum]

September 30, 2010 By 36 Comments

I had it for both of my pregnancies – unrelenting, all-day nausea + vomiting. For 4 months.

My appetite disappeared (but I HAD to eat or I felt worse). My skin turned pale. I lost weight. All I wanted to do was lie perfectly still and hope with all my might that I would fall asleep. [It was that bad].

Needless to say, my first few months of pregnancy were not glamorous and radiant. I was in survival mode, trying every possible remedy (except prescription medications – I didn’t feel comfortable with that).

Since my last pregnancy, quite a few natural remedies have come out or become more popular. As far as I know, this is a comprehensive list. If you know of any others, please leave a comment.

acupressure bands for morning sickness Morning Sickness [remedies for emesis gravidarum]Acupressure bands ($5-$20)

Marketed and manufactured by a variety of companies, these drug-free brands utilize pressure to bring nausea relief. These bands are also commonly used as a natural remedy for motion sickness. I tried them for my second and third pregnancies with little success. [Pictured: Psi Bands]

beaute de maman dietary supplement for pregnancy related nausea Morning Sickness [remedies for emesis gravidarum]Beaute de Maman Dietary Herbal Supplement for Pregnancy Related Nausea ($15.99 for a box of 30 capsules)

These tasteless, odorless capsules are all-natural and use a combination of Ginger, Vitamin B6, Vitamin D, & Lime to counteract nausea. The instructions are to take one capsule twice a day.

b natal therapops Morning Sickness [remedies for emesis gravidarum]B-natal Therapops or Lozenges ($15.99 for 28 pops or lozenges)

According to the website, Vitamin B6 is the only scientifically proven treatment that consistently works to alleviate the nausea and vomiting of morning sickness. Choose between a cherry pop or a green apple lozenge.

organic morning wellness tea Morning Sickness [remedies for emesis gravidarum]Earth Mama Angel Baby Organic Morning Wellness Tea ($5.97 for 16 tea bags)

100% organic and certified kosher. Blended with stomach settling ginger root and spearmint, a safe hint of peppermint, and soothing chamomile and lemon balm with just a twist of orange peel for flavor. Drink your nausea away (no, not THAT kind of drinking…Tea, people!).

mommys bliss morning sickness magic Morning Sickness [remedies for emesis gravidarum]Mommy’s Bliss Morning Sickness Magic ($14.99 for 60 capsules)

Contains Ginger, B-6, Red Raspberry Leaf, and Folic Acid. Take one flavorless veggie capsule four times in a 24 hour period. Works to actively PREVENT (as well as treat) nausea. 100% all-natural. Look for improvement of symptoms within 3-5 days.

native remedies good morning mama Morning Sickness [remedies for emesis gravidarum]Preggie Pops and Drops ($3.97 for 7 pops or $5.50 for 21 drops)

Naturally-flavored lollipops and lozenges, formulated for pregnant women. Available in: Sour Lemon, Sour Raspberry, Green Apple, Sour Tangerine, Peppermint, Spearmint, Lavender, and Ginger. [Side Note: I've never understood the Lavender flavor. Eeewww.]

morning sickness alleviating lip balm Morning Sickness [remedies for emesis gravidarum]Tranquil Tummy Saltine Crackers With Ginger ($9.95 for a box of 12)

I pretty much lived on Saltine crackers for my first trimester so it makes sense that a company would market them as a morning sickness aid – with a boost of ginger (which is world-renowned as a digestive aid).

Other common remedies include: sucking on lemons, eating or drinking ginger, and avoiding an empty stomach.

Note: I’m not pregnant (at least, I don’t think I am). ;)

Note2: It was all worth it. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Did you experience morning sickness? If so, did you try any of these remedies? Which ones worked for you?

* There are affiliate links in this post.

Filed Under: Babies Tagged With: , , , ,

Tuesday Tours: What’s Happening on the Web

September 29, 2010 By 7 Comments

j02933381 Tuesday Tours: Whats Happening on the WebWelcome to “Tuesday Tours: What’s Happening on the Web” where I serve as your tour guide and showcase the best contests, freebies, deals, and reads for moms on the web…all in one convenient location.

Announcements

October 9th is National Costume Swap Day…and you’re invited!

Thanks to Holly Hanna for ranking Metropolitan Mama as one of the 50 Best Blogs by Women.

I am also honored to be on Kristin’s list of 10 Mom Blogs I Can’t Live Without.

Good Reads

Kristen writes persuasively about The Fight for Dinner.

Love reminds us of the power of our words: 1 little, 2 little, 3 little blessings…

From The New York Times: Teaching Doctors About Nutrition and Diet.

From TIME Magazine: America Is Officially the Fattest Developed Country in the World. Obesity is epidemic (and something must be done).

Miscellany

Fascinating & Innovative: Tiny Hotel Rooms Right on the Airport Concourse.

See this gorgeous photo of babywearing in parliament.

I recently stumbled upon Project Vote Smart. Find out which candidates are most like you.

How do you read (Kindle, iPad, Hardcover)? Re-think The Future of the Book.

I may sign up for The Pink Ribbon 7K (but that means I have to actually – you know – start running again). Anyone with me?

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*** If you have a contest or an announcement that you think might be a good fit for Tuesday Tours, e-mail me at stephanie@metropolitanmama.net.

Filed Under: Tuesday Tours Tagged With: , , , ,

Children: Nuisance, Novelty, or…Cherished Contributors to Society?

September 27, 2010 By 27 Comments

wedding pillar Children: Nuisance, Novelty, or...Cherished Contributors to Society?Yesterday, we attended my cousin’s wedding at a historic mansion downtown. Our 4-year-old held her breath when the bride walked down the steps (she always waits for the exact moment). Our 18-month-old emptied out the contents of my bag throughout the ceremony – in and out, out and in.

We chatted with lots of people – grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, childhood acquaintances, and schoolteachers from bygone years. I always find it fascinating to watch the ways that people interact with children.

The majority of people ooh and ahh at outward appearances. They tend to talk ABOUT children: “Oh, look at her blue eyes!” and “Doesn’t she have the sweetest smile?” and “Where did you get that adorable dress?“

These same people are often the ones who complain about the baby riding beside them in the airplane or the family dining adjacent them in the restaurant. They turn up their noses at the slightest peep or inconvenience. How dare a child run or smell flowers or squeal with delight when *I* am trying to enjoy this golf game/conversation/glass of wine?

hair blowing in the fan Children: Nuisance, Novelty, or...Cherished Contributors to Society?But then…there are a few treasured individuals who SEE children as the smart, compassionate, critical thinking, and good-hearted people that they are. You can recognize them right away because they talk TO children. They often will kneel or sit on the floor, getting eye-to-eye. They seem unbothered by the fact that children like to explore and question and dance (even when there isn’t any music). They have warm smiles and a spring in their step, a little bit of Peter Pan in their hearts.

There was one couple in particular that stuck out to me last night. The gentleman squatted down and shook hands with my little girl, with sparkling eyes. The woman knelt down and said, “It’s nice to meet you.” Genuinely interested.

I want to be like that.

After all – Who I am to presume that my grown-up conversations about the weather, politics, and parenting are more significant than what a child has to say? Such arrogant foolishness. In fact, the truth is that children are intensely interesting. They have much to contribute. They are often wise, rarely unfeeling.

Yet our culture dictates that adults are what matter. Our voices triumph. We shoosh away little voices with “not right now” or “I’m talking to so-and-so” or “sit still and wait.” Ours is a grown-up world, full of cynicism and superficiality.

It gives me goosebumps to think about this: What would the world be like if we acknowledged, celebrated, and protected children? What would it be like if we truly listened to them? I’d like to find out (wouldn’t you?).

Think back to your childhood. Can you think of an adult who you were always excited to see because they noticed, appreciated, and valued you?

Filed Under: Miscellany Tagged With: , , , ,

Fact: I wear jeans almost every day

September 26, 2010 By 148 Comments

dressbarn jeans Fact: I wear jeans almost every day

Reason #1: Jeans are comfortable, flattering, and fashionable. I sometimes see moms that successfully pull off the stretchy yoga pants and tee look with confidence, but I always feel sort-of grungy in that get-up.

Reason #2: I run around our great room daily, as my girls laugh and yell: “Chase me!” I play “Duck, Duck, Goose.” I jump across pretend oceans to escape pirates and sharks. Such is life with an 18-month-old and a 4-year-old. Don’t get me wrong – I like pencil skirts and flouncy dresses too, but…they’re not particularly conducive to the life of a young mother.

Reason #3: Jeans are extremely versatile (thus, they are very affordable if you look at them from a cost/per wear perspective). If I buy a well-fitting pair, I can wear it a hundred different ways. With tank tops, fancy blouses, even dresses. [I might try to bring back the dress-over-jeans look].

Dressbarn (a clothing retailer with over 800 stores nationwide) recently sent me shopping and I have to admit that I was a little bit skeptical. I’ve always kind of thought DB was for…ahem…older women. Shockingly (to me), I found a pair of embroidered jeans for $29.99 and a blouse-y peasant top for around 30 bucks (see picture) within 10 minutes of walking in the store.

P.S. DB just announced their online shop. You can now buy the brand’s clothing online for the 1st time ever. Click each image for more details:

belted tweed pencil skirt Fact: I wear jeans almost every day plaid peacoat Fact: I wear jeans almost every day glittered evening dress Fact: I wear jeans almost every day

Do you shop at dressbarn (why or why not)? What do you wear on most days?

WIN IT! One winner will receive a $25 dressbarn gift card. To enter, leave any topic-related comment on this post prior to Monday, October 4th at 11:59 p.m. All generic comments like “Enter me!,” “Love it,” and “Cool stuff!” will be disqualified. Winner must provide a US mailing address.

* Dress Barn provided me with 1 outfit for review purposes and is also providing 1 gift card for the giveaway.

*UPDATE* The winner is #90 Annette D. Congratulations!

Filed Under: fashion, Giveaways Tagged With: , ,

Buy One Ad on Metropolitan Mama, Get One Ad for Charity (FREE)

September 26, 2010 By 3 Comments

sipping a smoothie Buy One Ad on Metropolitan Mama, Get One Ad for Charity (FREE)Do you have a small business, an etsy shop, a product, or a service that you’d like to promote to thousands of moms and moms-to-be from all over the U.S.?

Consider purchasing an advertising spot on Metropolitan Mama this fall…and gain excellent exposure to an audience of intelligent, social media savvy, and involved mothers.

Because I am passionate about promoting good people and good causes, I’m running a special advertising campaign to help you spread the word about both your business AND your favorite non-profit, church, or school.

For every ad you purchase, you’ll receive an ad for your favorite charity.

Please contact me at stephanie@metropolitanmama.net to discuss rates and available packages. I look forward to working with you!

Filed Under: Blogging & Social Media Tagged With: , , ,

My Wedding Dress, Part II

September 23, 2010 By 44 Comments

driving away as mr and mrs My Wedding Dress, Part IIThere was one redemptive moment of the night: Driving off as husband & wife. Tim & I together. Going to sleep in his arms and knowing I would wake there in the morning. THAT was magic – peace. Peace is the word I used to describe our marriage in that 1st year. Peace is the word I would use today.

My advice to brides-to-be is this*: Splurge on a great outfit (it doesn’t necessarily have to be a fancy white frock) and a really-super-awesome-artistic photographer. Document your union in crazy-cool pictures. If your money is all spent after those two things, don’t sweat it. Head for the courthouse and, if you like, celebrate w/ friends and family afterward at a laidback soiree (seriously, weddings can be so stuffy and stressful and matchy-matchy sometimes anyway).

But I can’t end on that note. My MOST IMPORTANT piece of advice is: everyone-huddle-in-tight, I-don’t-want-the-bridal-industry-to-sue-me…the wedding doesn’t actually matter. Your marriage matters. The day in, the day out. The private. The intimate. The life you live in between events and appearances.

mr and mrs our getaway My Wedding Dress, Part IIAnd, in that department? I have absolutely no regrets. As Tim put it a few days ago, “It’s nice to be able to say, ‘We’ve been married almost a decade and our marriage is awesome.’” In the early years, people looked at our intense happiness and wild romanticism and tight friendship and said, “Newlyweds!” Now, they’re not quite sure what to do with us. ;)

You see: I’d much rather have a disappointing wedding than a disappointing marriage. And our marriage is the opposite of disappointing. It’s the kind where we kiss every day. I text him at work and tell him I miss him. He knows exactly what to say when I’m having a ho-hum day. We can exchange a glance and know precisely what the other is thinking. We like road trips because we can talk for hours (mostly after the girls are asleep – otherwise, it’s chaos – you know how it is).

One day, Tim & I will have gray hair (and he’ll still have those hypnotic green eyes). He’ll take my hand at the dinner table and say, “‘Isn’t it nice that we can say…We’ve been married almost 50 years and our marriage is awesome?‘” And I’ll probably think to myself with the most secretive little-old-lady smile, “the dress didn’t matter so much after all.”

What wedding advice would YOU give to brides-to-be?

* Note: If you want a fancy dress and a big wedding, feel free to go confidently in the direction of your dreams. All I’m saying is – If you don’t have the money or the desire, that’s okay too.

Filed Under: About Me, marriage Tagged With: , ,

My Wedding Dress, Part I

September 22, 2010 By 75 Comments

bride and groom black and white My Wedding Dress, Part ISan Diego. Summer 2001. — While vacationing with my family in California, I stopped in at a ritzy bridal boutique in an upscale mall. Almost instantly, I saw IT. I don’t remember exactly what the dress looked like, but I remember it made me feel like I was walking on air. I don’t remember what was on the price tag, but I knew it was too much. Tim & I were both in college, broke and eating noodles. My parents had six kids and had expressed that they intended to keep everything thrifty (In the end, I think the entire wedding cost under $2,000).

When I got home, I looked up the dress in Brides Magazine and cut it out. I found it online and held onto a secret glimmer of hope that perhaps some mysterious benefactor would see how much that dress meant to me. But my fairygodmother never came.

bride on the steps My Wedding Dress, Part IBack home, my mom drove me to a small dive of a bridal shop in southwest Tucson. They were having a sale. I tried on an off-the-shoulder dress with beading and a train for $99. To this day, I’m not totally certain if everyone was oohing and aahing at the price or the dress. We bought it, took it home, and hung it on the back of my sister’s bedroom door. I cried that night. (And, perhaps, a few nights after that). Petty? Yes. I know.

I have to admit I was a little disheartened when money was spent on boutonnieres, bouquets, candle centerpieces, an awful officiant, and little favors (that everyone threw away).

At one point, we actually asked both sets of our parents – quite seriously – if we could elope instead. They weren’t excited about the idea and we were too young to express our wishes with confidence.

In the end, we had a wedding that was theirs (not ours). 275 people (neither of us are fans of huge affairs). Traditions that didn’t strike true in our hearts (the toasts, the cutting of the cake, etc.).

The event wasn’t us. It wasn’t what we wanted.

Don’t miss Part II tomorrow (there is a happy ending)…

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How much was your dress (and did you love it)? What was your wedding like?

Filed Under: About Me, marriage Tagged With: , ,