Hello - newbie here

[lfan80]

Hi everyone - I'm a 38 y/o F who has been suffering with emetophobia for as long as I can remember. I'm petrified of catching a virus and cannot stand to be around anyone who is sick or feeling/getting sick. I will not eat a lot when I know there is a virus going around for fear that if I do catch it, v*ing won't be as bad. I hated going out with my friends when they drank for fear they'd v*.

I am due to have my first child in 8 weeks. She was actually a very big surprise... my hubby and I weren't planning on having children (part of my decision not to have a child was my emetophobia... first morning sickness, then what if the baby gets a virus??) I know how stupid and selfish that sounds. I'm very excited to meet my little one but I cannot help thinking what kind of a mother am I going to be when she gets sick? I can handle little baby spit up. That doesn't bother me in the least. It's when she'll get older.

Any moms/dads out there dealing with this? I want to enjoy being a new mommy - not be constantly paranoid that my child will v*.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[KaydeeJayde]

Congratulations, to begin with! I hope that everything goes well with the rest of your pregnancy and with the little one! There are heaps of mothers and fathers on here who'll be able to let you know how they handle parenthood.

Me, I'll just welcome you and I hope you find all of the support and comfort in the world here. It's a very supportive community!

[olschesky]

welcome to the forum and congrats i don't have any children and am always amazed at how many emet moms there are.......so i'm sure you will find lots of help and advice here.

how was your pregnancy? did you have to deal with ms? i believe that would have been my biggest fear.....

i'm sure you will be a great mom........boy or girl??

[lfan80]

Thanks very much to the both of you! I always thought I was alone when it came to emetophobia. I cannot believe there's actually a forum with people - LOTS of people - who share in my phobia. I wish I had found this place sooner.

@Olschesky - I did feel nauseous in the very beginning but never v*ted. It was weird though because I wasn't as freaked out because I knew I wasn't "sick" - i.e. - didn't have a SV or anything like that. I still had to take deep breaths and pray each time a wave of nausea came around.

[lfan80]

Oh, and it's a girl

[Midnight Dream]

Congratulations and welcome to this site x

[easty-b]

Hi, welcome. I completely identify with what you said about not eating much when there's a virus about. I do the same and for the same reason - I think the v* may not be as bad - if there's little to come up it seems logical (in a weird illogical kind of way!)

Hope you find the support you need.