Any tips for a newly pregnant nurse?

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I'm six weeks pregnant and I work in SNF/LTC. The morning sickness is starting to kick in and I have to work evening shifts. Any tips on how to make it through the shift and deal with the nausea and tiredness? I know the second trimester will be much better but 6 more weeks of this might kill me! :bluecry1:

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Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Oncology.

Be really agressive about eating, drinking and sleeping. I learned from pregnancy #1 and managed to keep the nausea to a minimum this time. Stay hydrated and don't let your stomach get too empty. Be very greedy with your sleep. Well, that one wasn't as much of an option this time around with the toddler.

As for the fatigue, just fight through it as much as possible. There's not a whole lot you can do other than keep-up on your sleep. (and you will still feel like your body's made out of concrete) Keep your vitamins down if you can. The iron and b-vitamins will help a little bit.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

When I was in the stages of morning/ALL DAY sickness, sucking on lemon drops or lemon war heads really helped for some reason. Drinking lemonade also helped (but only half-strength). I also drank mint/peppermint tea or ginger tea. But stay away from chamomile as it is contraindicated in pregnancy.

I don't know if it is beneficial or not for everyone, but it helped me.

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Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Oncology.

Oh, yeah. I forgot about the Preggie Pop drops and scribble is right about sour things for some reason.

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Flight.

well... my words to you are this...

fist off.. congrats~

secondly... is this your first pregnancy?

if it is... then you just have to *take it as it goes*

if it is not your first pregnacny... do what you did before to make it better... pickles...ice cream... whatever!!...

lol... im just being silly...

take your prenatal vitamins with whole milk...

eat as tolerated..

drink a lot of fluids... stay away from caffiene..

and once again.... CONGRATS!!!

since you work evenings... ya might try having a sprite or 7-up w/ your pickles and ice cream.. or maybe substitute something like saltines w/ peanut butter..and milk... that will give ya good protien and calcium...

just take what ya can... your body will know what it wants and what it needs.... i seriously was joking bout the *pickles and ice cream*... :)

good luck to ya.... i wish you the best!!!

:cool:

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Specializes in OB, NICU, Nursing Education (academic).

Lemonade and potato chips (together).....highly recommended (by me).

You could also try sea-bands. They are little accupressure things you wear on your wrists. They look like exercise sweat bands; you can usually find them at drug stores with the antiemetics. They are originally for sea sickness, but helped me during my 2nd pregnancy; I didn't know about them for the first one.

Good luck!

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I am having a horrible time with all day morning sickness with this one (#5). I've tried all the home type remedies, teas, etc. I'm on meds now...seem to help a bit...it was a wonder drug with my last pregnancy

I also suggest using Vicks salve if the odors get to you. Helped a bit with me.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

Apparently, ginger is good for nausea. If there is an Asian market near you, they should have candied ginger, crystallized ginger, or ginger candy. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods also sell ginger candy.

Congratulations!

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Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.

Zofran. :)

My ob/gyn prescribed it for me when I was pregnant- I loved it. I wish they had the dissolving kind then. Just make sure you have good insurance coverage first!

She didn't want to prescribe phenergan since it'd make me so tired.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I had all day nausea for the first 26 weeks. Zofran IS expensive, but for me one phenergan before I went to bed lasted nearly all the next day.

I got lucky on that one. I don't know why it worked so well for 24H, but it did. And I slept like a BABY.

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Specializes in PICU/NICU.

I had "all day sickness" with my first and I will have to agree with others as to the small amounts all through the day- never let your stomach be empty! Ginger snaps are great! Anything dry like crackers/ cheezits and try to eat protein as early as possible- boiled egg/cheese as soon as you can stomach it! Those things really helped me.

With the second one I had full blown hyperemesis. Took the sublingual zofran for a while and progressed to a zofran pump... point is- don't feel bad if the crackers don't help. Do what you have to to keep yourself hydrated and don't feel guilty if you need meds! Just take them!

Oh and CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Keep us posted on your pregnancy!:yeah:

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Specializes in LTC.

When I was became pregnant I was working as an aide in LTC (my daughter is one year old and I still work at the same place as an aide). At the time I was working the dayshift. I would vomit on the way to work (I walked so it worked out okay LOL). I was soooo stinking tired. I looked like crap and felt like crap. Pretty soon an evening shift opened up. I went to evening shift (which is actually my "home" shift, I've worked all the shifts, but it's my one shift that I feel like I'm home on, I was hired on that shift). So then I threw up in the morning. But no more feeling like crap most of the day at work. I then felt like crap before work but still!

Tips: Drink water first thing. And then throughout the day. Eat things that will come up easier....Don't drink milkshakes, or drink milk....that stuff tastes NASTY coming up.

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