What to feed first trimester wife?

What to feed first trimester wife?

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Somewhatfoolish

Original Poster:

4,653 posts

193 months

Thursday 13th April 2023
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Mrs Foolish at about 10 weeks. Not having a great time with morning sickness and basically doesn't like anything, but also doesn't want bland foods. Most things I've made in last fortnight have been vomited (I have been the usual cook for several years so this is not my cooking!). Any non-obvious suggestions?

Have bought some cyclizine online to see how that goes as well but I think at best it will slow vomiting, not any nausea/general food aversion reduction.

Mrs Foolish being highly inconsistent and random in a womanly way, but so far perfectly sane and as always lovely so not concerned about her mental health. But she needs to eat!

anonymous-user

61 months

Thursday 13th April 2023
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Chilli con carne?
Chicken kiev?
Scotch egg?

Somewhatfoolish

Original Poster:

4,653 posts

193 months

Thursday 13th April 2023
quotequote all
pocketspring said:
Chilli con carne?
Chicken kiev?
Scotch egg?
No chance with any of them dude. I've made all three on non preggers occasions without success!

(Btw my local farm shop - officially the best farm shop butcher in the uk it appears - is selling the middle one as kyiv atm. Not really relevant to anything but I just love said shop so much: https://www.broomhousedurham.co.uk/ )

MentalSarcasm

6,083 posts

218 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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My pregnancy nausea wasn't as bad as your wife's, as I never vomited, but it was near constant (generally started around 10am and would continue until I went to bed) and was accompanied by an unpleasant taste in my mouth, so I sympathise with her being unwilling and unable to eat much. If I ate nothing then my nausea would be worse as I was hungry, but at the same time most foods really did not appeal.

In all honesty I wouldn't worry too much about cooking main meals for her if she's repeatedly vomiting them back up. Instead focus more on regular smacks and smaller meals. I ate a lot of mini Cheddars and garlic bread as they were both strong flavours, as was anything with salt and vinegar. It really is just about survival and getting a few calories in, so don't worry about balanced diets and the like and just try to find something she can nibble on that won't come back up as soon as it hits her stomach.

Also the key thing is to reduce the risk of dehydration from regular vomiting. I found orange juice cut through the taste in my mouth really well and didn't make the nausea worse. I bought the small cartons with individual straws, so I wasn't trying to get through a large glass and could just take small sips.

smifffymoto

4,771 posts

212 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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What ever she wants.

It’s not your job to tell her how or what to eat.

Ambleton

6,947 posts

199 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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My wife couldn't eat much and it's very very draining for both you and her. Even the smell of cooking was enough to set my OH off.

I'm sure you've tried all the obvious... But my wife went through phases of the below where she'd only eat pretty much one thing for 24-48hrs. It was a total lottery what she was going to wake up wanting and I was at the supermarket nearly every day.

Prior to being pregnant she'd been a vegetarian for 7yrs so the meat was a real curve ball. Just wanted/needed it.

Toast/butter
Teacakes
Pasta with a plain white/cheese sauce
Cottage pie ready meals
Salmon
Plain ham sandwich
Plain Roasted chicken slices/chunks/breast
Ice lollies
Prawn crackers
Ready salted crisps/pombears
Nice biscuits
Melon
Onion rings

You might find raw ginger helps. Get her to stick a small slice of fresh root ginger under tongue or between lip and gum.

If she really can't keep anything down incl fluids for more than 48hrs then get to A&E and they'll get her on a drip/anti sickness meds.

My wife never went in for a drip but had two different anti sickness medicine from the GP. The first one did nothing for her. Can't recall the names.

Badda

2,902 posts

89 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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smifffymoto said:
What ever she wants.

It’s not your job to tell her how or what to eat.
Exactly. You sound like a farmer discussing a pregnant sheep.

Bill

54,267 posts

262 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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Badda said:
smifffymoto said:
What ever she wants.

It’s not your job to tell her how or what to eat.
Exactly. You sound like a farmer discussing a pregnant sheep.
It might help if you read the thread. smile

My wife found a couple of biscuits before getting up helped as once she was up it was too late.

SteveStrange

4,934 posts

220 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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Regardless of everything else, morning sickness at 10 weeks is rough. We only had it from about 25-30 weeks onwards. I hope she can find something that agrees with her.

Badda

2,902 posts

89 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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Bill said:
It might help if you read the thread. smile

My wife found a couple of biscuits before getting up helped as once she was up it was too late.
I read the thread smile

When my wife was pregnant with hyperemesis, she knew what she could and couldn’t tolerate. I tried to help where I could but didn’t ask strangers what I should feed her.

Douglas Quaid

2,440 posts

92 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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Badda said:
Bill said:
It might help if you read the thread. smile

My wife found a couple of biscuits before getting up helped as once she was up it was too late.
I read the thread smile

When my wife was pregnant with hyperemesis, she knew what she could and couldn’t tolerate. I tried to help where I could but didn’t ask strangers what I should feed her.
The man is trying to help his wife. If you didn’t ask for advice that’s your business but he is trying.

Bill

54,267 posts

262 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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Douglas Quaid said:
The man is trying to help his wife. If you didn’t ask for advice that’s your business but he is trying.
Precisely. The title could be better phrased but they're clearly struggling.

bunchofkeys

1,128 posts

75 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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Tangerines

The morning sickness was strong with my missus, but somehow she was ok with these little orange jobbies and really liked them.
Oddly, she wasn't a fan of them before or after birth.

oddman

2,796 posts

259 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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Bill said:
Douglas Quaid said:
The man is trying to help his wife. If you didn’t ask for advice that’s your business but he is trying.
Precisely. The title could be better phrased but they're clearly struggling.
Agree does sound like he's fattening his stock for market but as he's made clear, he's the cook in the house. Makes it worrying and frustrating. Even if she was the cook, she might not be able to tolerate doing it.

Has she been booked in yet? Midwife will have seen it all before. Fluids and small frequent amounts of simple bland foods probably the best.

Google hyperemesis gravidarum and don't take any risks

ATG

21,369 posts

279 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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Badda said:
Bill said:
It might help if you read the thread. smile

My wife found a couple of biscuits before getting up helped as once she was up it was too late.
I read the thread smile

When my wife was pregnant with hyperemesis, she knew what she could and couldn’t tolerate. I tried to help where I could but didn’t ask strangers what I should feed her.
Maybe his wife doesn't know, hence he's asking on both their behalfs?

deckster

9,631 posts

262 months

Friday 14th April 2023
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I feel for you both - severe morning sickness is no fun for anybody and can get serious (ISTR that Princess Kate was hospitalised for most of her third trimesters).

My wife always swore by a jam sandwich first thing, as at least it tasted nice coming back up.

Somewhatfoolish

Original Poster:

4,653 posts

193 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
Thanks for both the suggestions and the defence all, ATG etc has it right - she jussst doesn't know and it's a bit of a bugger. I appreciate I did word it a bit weirdly but in truth I always word things a bit weirdly. I don't know why, it's just the way I write. I have been told it's quite distinctive.

Saw the GP today and got some prochlorperazine.

Today's supper was (on Mrs Foolishs' request) a bizarre concoction of super noodles with slow-cooked mutton. I wish I was making that up. Which was barely eaten (and I mean who would eat that really wtf). And then what felt like half an hour about an "I'm feeling fine oh no I'd better take this test oh no the line is fainter" thing along with me repeatedly explaining hook effect. Oh well.

Some good ideas here though and I will be passing them on. It is appreciated. Thanks again.

Somewhatfoolish

Original Poster:

4,653 posts

193 months

Friday 14th April 2023
quotequote all
MentalSarcasm said:
Also the key thing is to reduce the risk of dehydration from regular vomiting.
This is my greatest concern. She has never been much of a drinker and also is a massive salt consumer. And is 1/3rd my size so not much reserves. Just like me she hates sweetners which makes getting drinks problematic in first place. Maybe could get liquid from salad? But she probs won't eat it.

anonymous-user

61 months

Saturday 15th April 2023
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Sounds like soups maybe the way to go.

Sheepshanks

35,040 posts

126 months

Saturday 15th April 2023
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What about the usual things to eat when nauseous- ginger biscuits, porridge, plain rice etc?