No Music, No Shampoo: My Morning Sickness Survival Guide and the Life-Saving Items That Kept Me Going
I started a one-month leave of absence. What followed was a grueling survival battle against morning sickness, where it felt like I was fighting against all five of my senses.
The symptoms I experienced were a parade of misery. Food would get stuck in my throat and I couldn't swallow. I couldn't keep down liquids. I felt constantly nauseous. I was dizzy. I got out of breath just moving around... What was even harder was that even my favorite music, which I always listened to, made my head spin and became impossible to listen to when it played.
The hospital told me, "If you can't drink more than 500ml of water a day, come in for an IV drip, even if you don't feel that bad," so I desperately tried to maintain the line of "barely managing to drink 500ml" every day. One day, I suddenly couldn't stand the taste of the water I usually drank, and I felt despair.
In the midst of that, the lifesaver I found after trying every drink imaginable was Suntory Tennensui Kiritto Kajitsu Pink Grapefruit & Muscat diluted with water. Strangely, this was the only thing that would go down, and I truly survived on this.
I couldn't eat any real meals. I would wait for a split second when I thought, "...Maybe I can get something down now!" and grab a few grapes or eat half a jelly cup. On days when I felt a little better, I would slurp a few mouthfuls of cold soba or somen noodles—it was a tightrope walk of a diet. My only favorite during this time was "Fruiche." It was refreshing and easy to swallow, and I repeated it many times during this period, which saved me.
And what was most painful of all was the "change in smells." Not only were the usual suspects like garlic and green onions off-limits, but every smell in the house became unbearable. My favorite fabric softener, shampoo, conditioner, body soap, hand soap, hair oil... everything that had smelled "good" until yesterday turned into a pungent stench that pierced my nose.
Furthermore, I became abnormally sensitive to the smell of people. Crowds and trains were literal hell. The perfume drifting from a stylish girl in town was nothing but a weapon. When I absolutely had to go out, I would leave the house as early as possible, walk slowly at the speed of a grandmother, and take breaks on benches many times along the way, arriving at my destination covered in wounds... that was how I spent my days.
The bedridden life supported by my husband and "chair rehab" for my return
Naturally, I was completely bedridden at home. I couldn't do any housework—no cleaning, laundry, or cooking. In my place, my husband, who must have been tired from work, took over all the housework and did his best to support me. I don't think I could have gotten through this month without him.
Even those dark days began to show a glimmer of light toward the end of my leave.
"It's almost time to return to work. I need to start moving my body little by little..."
Thinking that, I decided to start making really simple meals little by little before my return. However, I still couldn't stand for long. So I adopted a style of placing a chair right in the kitchen and working while sitting. I let go of the fixed idea that "cooking = standing" and slowly eased my body back into society.
Survival tips for the morning sickness period for moms-to-be
During morning sickness, both your brain and body are in an abnormal state. Let go of your pride, rely on those around you, and be thoroughly efficient.
When "water tastes bad," try the flavored & diluted strategy It is common during morning sickness for plain water to taste bitter or make you feel sick. Diluting fruit-flavored drinks with water to the "limit" can make the aftertaste refreshing and easier to drink.
Switch all "scented items" in the house to fragrance-free Switch your daily necessities like shampoo and hand soap to "fragrance-free" versions, or accept that you and your family will use different products (like baby products).
Give up on housework 100% and rely entirely on your partner! Throw the guilt of "I'm sorry I can't do anything" into the trash right now. If you push yourself here, you'll end up back in the hospital. Express your gratitude to your partner and rely on them as much as you can.
Before returning to work, do energy-saving rehab with a "chair in the kitchen" You won't have the stamina to go straight from a bedridden life back to a full-time job. Before returning, I recommend starting with mini-rehab that uses as little energy as possible, such as "putting a chair in the kitchen" or "folding laundry while sitting."
Just being alive is a perfect score during morning sickness. Let's take it one step at a time, turning our gratitude for those around us into strength.
(Next time, I'll finally finish my one-month leave and return to the workplace. I'll share how I managed my duties as a nurse.)