How to be an Expert Puker

I started to write this post on New Year's Eve, and finished it tonight! A month later. That's lightning speed in Pregnancy Time!;) Haha. So, enjoy. Also, just a disclaimer, the picture at the end and pretty much any online are taken on a day{s} that I was feeling nice and drugged and better than most and didn't get as sick until later in the day! Funny how deceiving pictures can be sometimes, but for full disclosure, last week my hubby commented on the pajama pants I had worn for 4 days straight and asked {sweetly} if I was planning on changing or showering anytime soon. Haha! This time is rough, Mamas. So beautiful, and rough. So if you're going through something similar, this is for you!;)
XO

As I sit here on New Year’s Eve in between throw up sessions, I thought it would be fun to write a little post all about puke. Because nothing is more fun than that, right!? It seems like most articles are trying to help you prevent throwing up, but sometimes it’s just not an option! Also, in case you’re new here, I’m not throwing up for the same reasons that many of you cute friends miiiight be throwing up on NYE. My reason is because I’m with child. Not with alcohol. But either way, HERE are my tips for being an Olympian Puker!


1. If all you’ve had for the day before throwing up is water [or applesauce,] then do it in the sink. If you’ve had more than that…then don’t. Trust me, girl. I wouldn’t say this grossness if I didn’t think it was necessary! Hahaha. [Okay, well is any of this truly necessary? No, but we don’t have filters here. We’re all friends.] The reason for the sink is that I feel like it puts less pressure and lets you support yourself better when you’re in the midst of it. Oh, and you’re not hanging on the toilet. And instead of staring at it, you can run the water and pretend like it didn’t even happen.;)


2. If you’ve had a lot of food and not a lot of liquid and you KNOW that throwing up is imminent, drink a glass of water! It’s so miserable, I know! But when it saves your throat because there’s a little bit of lubrication to help that toast come back up, you might be glad you did!


3. A lot of people will say, “When I throw up, I feel better afterwards!” In my case, this isn’t always true since it’s usually a constant string of nausea and throwing up throughout pregnancy, but the truth to that statement is…that if I know I’m going to throw up for sure and it’s almost time to eat, I will wait to eat until I’ve done it at least once. IF on the sometimes occasion that it does make me feel at least a little bit better, I know that I need to replenish as soon as possible. My sweet doctor is most concerned about fluids, which is why she has me on IV therapy, but I always feel better if I’m able to keep something down. That icky weak feeling that you get from being depleted is no fun, so while it’s not always avoidable, I’ve tried hard this pregnancy to eat when I can. So, while you maybe can’t always prevent it, part of being an expert puker might be timing it right! Haha! Which brings me to the next one…


4. Drink when you can. I mean, obviously, right? But here is the craziest paradox. The times I feel the absolute LEAST like eating or drinking are the times I need it MOST. So many times after I have left the hospital from getting IV’s, I have felt hungry. After being replenished, it’s like my brain can focus on something else besides the nausea, and I get the munchies. When I’m more hydrated, I feel like I can eat and drink more, and vice versa. It makes no sense, but maybe someone else will be like that, too!


5. Okay, I guess this is kind of a prevention one, but Diclegis or any other type that will work for you! I'm not someone who loves taking medicine....even Tylenol is rare, but sometimes you need to do what you need to do! This is the first time I have tried deliberately to be consistent with some kind of medication. I tried Zofran with our first baby once or twice, and I felt weird. It gave me a headache and made my tummy hurt with constipation, so I ditched it pretty quickly. I have heard that it has done wonders for others though, so I wouldn’t totally write it off without trying it!:) Phenegran is another common one, and I’ve had it in IV’s before and it KNOCKS me out. I spent the night in the Hospital with Phenegran in my IV, and I legitimiately felt drugged! Haha! Diclegis makes me sleepy too, but I can’t even say it’s on the same scale as the Phenegran! Haha! The Diclegis has been a big blessing to me, even to just take the edge off. I still throw up with it, but it gets me to functioning level and cuts the amount of times down. When we’re talking about throwing up multiple times per day, spending hours in the bathroom or over a garbage bag, I will TAKE those times being cut down. It means more time for snuggles. Over the past 5 years of being pregnant and pukey, I’ve learned how to function on a bare minimum level, but it’s nice to have some extra help, so I’ve been grateful for the Diclegis this pregnancy since I've never found anything before that can help even a little bit!


6. Going in the car? Take a bag or a cup with you. Every time. Better yet, just leave it in there! Haha! My hubby is accustomed to pulling over, usually without me even having to say anything because he can tell. But, there are also many a time where we are on a freeway or in a canyon and can’t just “pull over now.” In those instances, those tools are handy dandy. Even last week when we found out the gender of our baby, we pulled over several times on the way there, and several times afterwards. I try as hard as I can to not let it stop me from going places. Sometimes I’m just plain too tired and exhausted and know it’s going to be an extra rough one, so I will sit whatever it is out, but usually I just know ahead of time that it’s likely to happen and it doesn’t ruin my day or evening or date night out. I use a baby wipe to wipe my running mascara and reapply. Or don’t. Usually don’t. Haha! So those items are key! Not saying that you won’t ever hypothetically miss the cup and puke in your hubby’s car that is way nicer than yours is! Not sure who did that a couple of weeks ago!;) Hahaha! So maybe carry baby wipes too. Even on date nights with no baby in sight.:)






I hope one of these things can help someone! Since you definitely wanted to spend your evening talking pro puke tips! I know they are said kind of light-heartedly, and I know it’s hard. If you are going to have to go through this super sickness, just dream about delivery day when you push out a baby and all the puking with it, and then try to be present in the moment and take care of yourself as much as possible, knowing it’s not forever! This is the first pregnancy ever that I’ve called a babysitter over occasionally because I can’t function and need to puke in peace. And I don’t regret it one bit. My kids know that look when I’m about to throw up, and they are so sweet, but they enjoy the break with a sitter every so often too! I posted on my Instagram last week about this subject asking for advice on the subject, and loved everything everyone had to say, so THANK YOU! If there is something that YOU have found to be a miracle-worker for your pregnancy sickness, leave a comment below!:) And, know you’re not alone! So many Mama’s do this to varying degrees, but the amazing thing about women is that we just do it. We somehow find it in our magical unicorn baby-growing selves to do it. Whether that means grabbing a packet of saltines or going in for IV’s and puking until delivery day, we all sacrifice in countless ways to bring these sweet babes into the world, and we can do hard things.<3

XO

Sarah






Alright fellow Mamas who get morning-scratch that-ALL DAY and NIGHT sickness during pregnancy, {😂} whether at the beginning or the whole time, this is for us. We've talked about it before here, but I thought it was time to get real open and honest about all this fun stuff.😉 I started writing this article on New Year's Eve, and well, 31 days later here we are! Cheers!😂 I usually refrain from giving "advice" because I don't feel qualified to be an advice-giver, but it's all in good fun! And maybe even and hopefully slightly helpful! On thedaintypear.com I'm talking about my 6 tips to being an expert Puker! Let me know what you think, and maybe we can be Olympian 🙊 Mamas together!🏅👊🏼 Link 👉🏼@thedaintypear.🍐 Love all you ladies! #thedaintypear #tdppregnancy

A post shared by Sarah Clark ||The Dainty Pear🍐 (@thedaintypear) on

"Changes and a History"

Originally Posted on my other website called, "Composed Mommy," before deciding to move everything to one page!<3 I still thought it was important to share a little bit of history!
XO
Sarah



Some fun changes are happening with Composed Mommy! While I absolutely love the topic of birth and will totally keep talking about it occasionally, I talked a little bit about it in the previous post, but things have shifted a little bit on this page to more of a focus on Anxiety Healing! I have had this tugging at me to do something related to Anxiety since it's something that I've been affected by since almost as long as I can remember! I vividly have the memory of sitting in first grade having my first panic attack. I felt like the room was moving and that dreaded surreal, light headed feeling. I remember my sweet teacher telling me to put my head down, and the boy across from me offered an explanation and said, "Maybe she has low blood sugar?" Haha! So cute when I think about it coming from a first-grader now, and he also happened to be my crush at school, so I appreciated the gesture. Anyway, fast-forward. All throughout school years, I wanted to sit by the door in case I needed to make a quick exit when flushed with panic and that feeling of impending doom. I avoided field trips, because they were out of my comfort area where I knew I could make a quick getaway. It didn't hold me back from doing much other than that, because I had become so used to it, that I would just take my anxiety wherever I would go, like a suitcase. I would have times where I was so good at coping with it and other times where it felt like it was taking over and at the lowest point where I would wake up with panic attacks and nightmares. I didn't have the most...stable, [if that's the word] childhood, and with a dad who was constantly on deployments with the Military, when he returned we were constantly adjusting as a family, and my parents' marriage was on more than shaky ground. I grew up feeling like I couldn't control a lot, and so in my own way, the anxiousness came from a sense of losing control, and repetitive actions or thoughts and OCD tendencies became my sense of control. When I went to college, I felt free, happy, and more in-control than I ever had been, and my anxiety almost vanished! It was amazing, and I saw everything as a new adventure. When I got pregnant with our first baby, it returned with vengeance. The hormones in my body were affecting me in a huge way, and I decided to see a therapist. I definitely went to one that wasn't a good fit for me, because there are amazing ones out there, but it helped in some ways. I started to feel better as my hormones leveled, and I found ways to cope that helped a lot. My subsequent pregnancies weren't as bad because I knew what to expect and my body had done it before and it felt like it was more quick to regulate. Anyway, I go through this history just to tell anyone seeking for help, for solace in knowing they're not alone, for the person who wants to know they're not crazy and just wants to put a name to their symptoms when they feel out of control, so that's why I share. And with more than 3 million cases in the United States per year, Anxiety is one of the most common conditions out there. More people have it than we could ever believe; all to varying degrees and everyone deals with their own trials so differently, so sometimes it's apparent, and sometimes you would never even know!:) I hope that we can learn together and that we can help open up the conversation about things like this! There is much more conversation about it now than there was even a few years ago, but it's still not commonly talked about. So grateful for you being here, and if anything resonates with you, I hope you'll find me on social media @thedaintypear, or leave a comment so we can get to know each other!:)
XO
Sarah



               

Those who you serve!


As I was making dinner for my family tonight, I remembered that phrase that I’m sure we’ve all heard, “You love who you serve.” It totally clicked as to one of the many reasons why Mamas love their kids so stinkin’ much! We give everything, day in and day out, not to mention those nights. It’s a full-time [plus] job [with amazing benefits, of course!] My salary comes in the form of a squishy two year old saying, “I love you, Mom.” and then singing Itsy Bitsy Spider and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to me. Or a 4 year old telling me all about his Lego contraption. Or a 3 year old telling me that my hair is so pretty and asking if she can change her clothes [again.] And 9 month old giggles and dimples; watching them learning how to stand, give kisses, and go up stairs. And I wouldn’t have it any.other.way. Sure, there are times when “other ways” seem really appealing, namely during those exhausted, end-of-your-rope days where you question your sanity when thinking that starting a family would be a good idea, but those feelings are short, [and usually eased by a little bit of food and sleep] and even necessary to come back to what you have and realize it’s more than you could even ask for or deserve. Today I watched 8 little eyes look at each other and laugh as we watched a movie. I wanted so badly to bottle them up and keep them this age, this stage, this way forEVER! No matter how hard these long days can be while we wait for Daddy to get home, they are also so short! My one pregnancy “complaint” [aside from being sick,] is that I don’t feel 100% to be the best mom I want to be with my usual energy and spice [and motivation] for making things fun. I don’t want 10 months of pregnancy to fly by in a fog of exhaustion and puke and simultaneously miss 10 months of perfect babies getting older and changing! So I soak up what I can, and the bright side is that sitting on the couch or floor right at their level makes the said soaking up a little bit easier! Hahaha!:)


Besides the serving our babies and husbands with things that may seem routine, we also serve by the little sacrifices that we make. Big or small; whether it’s the pregnancy: carrying, nourishing, and caring about them long before even meeting; or once they are born and growing: choosing them over other things, putting their needs as a priority no matter how tired or haggard we may feel! Haha! Moms serve is so many ways, and I think it just makes our capacity to love grow bigger and bigger. We love those who we serve, and starting in the home feels like a pretty great place to cultivate love. <3






XO





Sarah

Ris and Bre

Bow ties for all my boys {that can double as bows for all my girls!} These handmade babies are made by the beautiful girls at @risandbre! {They also made my red plaid skirt & Pear's jumper from a few posts back on my Instagram page @thedaintypear and the next blog post down!} I'm in awe of those with sewing talent because it's something I do NOT have! Hahah! That's okay, we're all special in our own way.;) Hahaha! More pics at thedaintypear.com🍐 {in profile!} Also, no ads here, just a fan! Love sharing other companies with you that I support!:)


XO
Sarah





Sunday!

When I first did a Sunday thought on Instagram today, I started with a quote by Elder Uchtdorf, but I thought I would change it and share what has been in my heart today. A phrase from this Hymn hasn't left my mind, "He lives, my kind, wise, Heavenly Friend," and I hope someone needs this, too! Happy Sunday, friends!

1. I know that my Redeemer lives.
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead.
He lives, my ever-living Head.
He lives to bless me with his love.
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed.
He lives to bless in time of need.

2. He lives to grant me rich supply.
He lives to guide me with his eye.
He lives to comfort me when faint.
He lives to hear my soul's complaint.
He lives to silence all my fears.
He lives to wipe away my tears.
He lives to calm my troubled heart.
He lives all blessings to impart.

3. He lives, my kind, wise heav'nly Friend.
He lives and loves me to the end.
He lives, and while he lives, I'll sing.
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
He lives and grants me daily breath.
He lives, and I shall conquer death.
He lives my mansion to prepare.
He lives to bring me safely there.

4. He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
"I know that my Redeemer lives!"
He lives! All glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:
"I know that my Redeemer lives!"







A few minutes ago, this picture had a different quote/caption, but I thought I should share what has been in my heart today. A phrase from this Hymn hasn't left my mind, "He lives, my kind, wise, Heavenly Friend," and I hope someone needs this, too! Happy Sunday, friends! 1. I know that my Redeemer lives. What comfort this sweet sentence gives! He lives, he lives, who once was dead. He lives, my ever-living Head. He lives to bless me with his love. He lives to plead for me above. He lives my hungry soul to feed. He lives to bless in time of need. 2. He lives to grant me rich supply. He lives to guide me with his eye. He lives to comfort me when faint. He lives to hear my soul's complaint. He lives to silence all my fears. He lives to wipe away my tears. He lives to calm my troubled heart. He lives all blessings to impart. 3. He lives, my kind, wise heav'nly Friend. He lives and loves me to the end. He lives, and while he lives, I'll sing. He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King. He lives and grants me daily breath. He lives, and I shall conquer death. He lives my mansion to prepare. He lives to bring me safely there. 4. He lives! All glory to his name! He lives, my Savior, still the same. Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: "I know that my Redeemer lives!" He lives! All glory to his name! He lives, my Savior, still the same. Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: "I know that my Redeemer lives!" #thedaintypear #tdpsundaythought #tdpmotherhood More on thedaintypear.com.💕🍐
A photo posted by Sarah Clark ||The Dainty Pear🍐 (@thedaintypear) on 

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