Hypersensitive gag reflex - need suggestions!

[L'sMommy]

I'm 30 weeks along and my hypersensitive gag reflex has come back and it's worse than it was in the 1st trimester! Thank goodness I got a break from it during the 2nd trimester. I am at the point that I cannot brush the back of my teeth with adult toothpaste, and I cannot brush my tongue AT ALL. It's horrible. And I'm using the toddler toothpaste, but that still makes me gag. so now i feel like my mouth is never clean and I chew a lot of gum, which since it's minty makes me want to gag after a while. Any suggestions? I don't know what to do and I cannot stand that feeling of having a dirty mouth!

On top of that, I can't help DS go potty without gagging from the sight/smell. I feel terrible about that. He keeps asking why I am choking and tells me that daddy doesn't choke when he's helping with the potty.

[speo]

I don't have any suggestions, but I had that. It was so tough!! I was constantly gagging all the time. It was so hard when I was pregnant with DS2 because DS1 was still in diapers. Those were some hard diaper changes. I was hoping he would be constipated sometimes. :wink2: Hang in there!

[Tondi G]

How about using a toothpaste with no SLS... thats what makes is foam a ton! I bought some of this toothpaste and I like it. It's mint but not super strong and it doesn't foam up like crazy.

No advise with the potty help ... not sure there is any way around it!

Do you think cinnamon gum would go over better?

[swrc00]

Switching from cinnamon to mint toothpaste helped a lot when I was pregnant with DS1.

My gag reflex also seems to be aggravated by sinus drainage. Drinking flavored bevarages helps a lot.

[L'sMommy]

I do use SLS free toothpaste. As for the potty, DH has really been stepping in to help out. Yes, cinnamon gum is definitely better than super minty gum.

[amldaley]

This will sound like I am on the Hydration Train again, but....HYDRATE. Dry mouth makes the gag reflex worse. Super, crazy hydrate.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

My gag reflex also seems to be aggravated by sinus drainage. Drinking flavored bevarages helps a lot.

:yeahthat:

no advice, other than i had this really bad when i was pregnant with DD. oddly the worst was not changing poopy toddler diapers...it was whenever i got a cold or congested sinuses (which was like my entire 3rd trimester, since DD was born in March) and i would start coughing and then gagging. nothing like trying not your hardest not to throw up while trying to rock your 1yo to sleep...i would retch so hard my stomach would be sore the next day. So i feel your pain. :hug:

as PP said, drinking water helped..a dry throat was the worst, especially during the winter with congested sinuses. when i was pregnant though room temperature water would make me gag, so it had to be ice-cold.

[PearlsMom]

I've sometimes resorted to putting Vaporub under my nose to help with potty clean up at times, or rubbing my wrist with a scent I like so that I have something pleasant to sniff when things get rough. My gag reflex isn't awful right now, but I'm 36 weeks and still puking every other day or so, aggravated by post-nasal drip (and dealing with a potty-training toddler) - so I have nothing but sympathy for you!!

DS is also so used to me throwing up that he doesn't take it personally (most episodes triggered by something unrelated to him). He tells people, "Mommy throw up in big potty."

[yaar103]

I don't remember having it in pregnancy, but then again, sleep deprivation and stress can definitely be part of pregnancy.