Pregnancy Pukies

There is something I always found curious about my pregnancies, particularly when compared to my sisters' (remarkably similar) and my friends' (not usually very similar.)

Now, don't hate me here. But we simply don't get the pukies in my family. Not even a little. My mom reports no morning sickness either, and she had five of us buggers. This turns out to be quite a relief because we all have some degree of puke-phobia (my oldest sister who is the one of us girls who is not a mom has it the worst of all and I hope she's stopped reading by now or she'll never forgive me!)

Perhaps my sisters will disagree with me, now that we're all past the 6 year mark since we were last pregnant they may have succumbed to revisionist history. BUT...as I recall, it just wasn't a factor. No riding in the front seat of the taxi to work (with a barf bag) like my friend who couldn't stomach the 5 minute train ride (personally I think the taxi ride may have been harder on her stomach, but since I didn't suffer from this, what do I know?)

No wondering if we were going to die puking, or ever eat again. No fear for our own sanity, nor our baby's health (truthfully, we might have had the opposite fear seeing as how ample pregnancy weight gain DOES seem to be an element of our family's genetic composition. Gee, thanks mom.)

But I have always wondered if it was just a freak coincidence or something about us that made us unlikely to get the pregnancy pukes.

Turns out there's an entire foundation dedicated to figuring out this question - the Hyperemesis Gravidarum Foundation. They are running a study to look for genes or risk factors that lead to HG, or the massive pregnancy pukes. Not just that occasional morning stomach upset, or a barf here and there, but the kind of morning sickness that you seek medical attention for.

They're recruiting more participants. You should think about participating.

Comments

[kristin]

Interesting, can't say I knew this was your experience too. I say too knowing full well that I've probably blocked some incidents, but the only time I know for a fact that I threw up while pg was with Malcolm, very early on and I had a bitch of a head cold, so it was probably more due to phlegm than baby. And now you're welcome for that vision in your head.

[jen smith]

Interesting - I never thought to ask you guys about this subject. (I wonder why.) Most women I know or have worked with have MAJOR issues with this - to where their teeth enamel is lost from the acid etc. I found out later what the girls at Safety 1st did to hide this from me - lets just say that I am grateful I didnt spend any time in the bushes in back of our warehouse! And my sister-in-law used to have to leave the table several times during dinner. Ugh!

I also had no idea that you guys were even slightly puke-averse.(wonder why that topic never came up?) And perhaps if I had known about this family trait of *not* getting the prego-pukes, I would have been more interested in experiencing the miracle of childbearing. Said only slightly tongue-in-cheek - I really think the puke phobia was a major consideration in the whole not having kids decision. (That and the fact that the man whose babies I want is likely sterile.)

Ohh and supreme laziness - I have no idea how you guys do it but I sure am lucky you did - I have the worlds greatest nieces and nephews!

[Karen]

Jen, you weren't supposed to read, you silly woman!

Yeah, we just don't get m/s. I had two close calls - once when 7 wks pg with Liam and in New Orleans and sharing a van cab back to our hotel with a woman who ended up puking in her purse behind me. That was so disgusting, but even not pregnant it might have made me have to swallow down some bile. The other was an actual stomach flu when I was about 15 wks pg with Liam and lasted for less than 24 hrs but I was certain death was imminent. I'm just not made for the pukes, really.

Otherwise, I wonder if there's a term for the pregnancy condition whereby I would open the fridge, ravenously hungry, and find nothing in there to eat. That happened to me all the time.