Speaking of babies…
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Speaking of babies…

44 commentsOctober 19, 20052 min read
Written by Domenico Bettinelli

I know many of you have been waiting for this since the wedding in August, and so it can finally be told: Melanie is pregnant! And yes it is a honeymoon baby.

We’re very excited and happy, of course, but we’d appreciate your prayers. Melanie is suffering morning sickness, except it’s not morning sickness, it’s all-day, 24/7 morning sickness. It’s not just “bad, but well gut it out” sickness. Today the doctor prescribed anti-nausea medication so that she can keep fluids down (never mind food!) and won’t dehydrate. She’s going to be fine, but it’s hard on her. Now you know why I haven’t been blogging much during the day. In addition to editing Catholic World Report and coordinating religious education at my parish, I’m also taking care of Melanie, cooking for her and getting her water (since she can’t open the fridge without gagging) and doing housework and all that. But I say it’s good training for when the baby comes!

Obviously, we’ve known for sometime, but Melanie said, “Can you wait to put it on the blog?” We’ve told family and friends, but we just wanted to wait before telling the whole wide world. We hope you all understand.

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44 comments

  • Congratulations Dom and Melanie!

    I am quite concerned about the morning sickness. Do you have Marilyn Shannon’s book “Managing Morning Sickness”? It’s put out by the Couple to Couple League (CCL) (http://www.ccli.org). If you need it really fast, email Rob’s address and I’ll give you the directions to my house, because I have five copies.

    Basically, the trick is to balance fat, protein, and carbohydrate in the meals, so that the blood sugar and insulin levels stay steady and nausea isn’t triggered. (Although Melanie probably can’t think of food now, always having a little something in the stomach helps reduce the nausea.) In one of the anecdotes in the book or the CCL newsletter (I forget which), a morning sickness sufferer – who couldn’t get off the couch – called Marilyn. She came up with the suggestion of canned cashews, and the woman was able to at least function again. It can be trial and error to see what works.

    Another article in the CCL newsletter mentioned that the sea sickness wrist bands are effective in reducing the nausea.

    I sound more clinical than practical because this problem did not affect my only pregnancy to date. (I only had slight food aversion and felt full more quickly at meals.) I will keep Melanie and you in my prayers.

    Pax Christi,
    Christine Quagan

  • Congrats to you two!  Parenthood is a wonderful state of being, for all involved (and 6 hours sleep doesn’t seem insufficient after awhile too wink

  • Hey Dom, ovulation weddings produce honeymoon babies!

    Our first daughter was born exactly ten months after our wedding day.

    I’m sorry Melanie is so ill.  Now you have to endure all the advice from your readers.  Ugh. 

    Congratulations!

  • Wonderful news!  But my sympathies to Melanie.  I had the same problem when pregnant.  Trust me, Melanie, it’s worth it, and the nausea medications can be a great help.  I hope they work for you.

  • Mazel tov (but good try, Dennis! <g>)!

    And never mind finding out the baby’s sex, for Heaven’s sake! Sheesh.

    Christine? I’m glad you signed your post! If I’d read it without your signature I would’ve been up all night trying to figure it all out. wink

  • Congratulations to both of you, and God Bless.  Hoping the morning sickness (who named it that when it’s often more like “all-day sickness?”) passes soon.

  • Congratulations to both of you!  First of many, I hope!

    Your homeschool adventures will begin soon, too!

  • Congratulations!  We look forward to ssing the new “Dom Jr.” or “Princess Melanie” in the spring.  I hope Melanie is able to oversome morning sickness.  I remember my sister having it and it was no fun for her.

    I have always like the name Michelangelo. Goes well with Bettinelli. Or Benedetto, after the new Pope.

  • Oh goody!  Now we get to name the baby!!

    My funny brother was always good at coming up with three rhyming names – first, middle, and last. 

    For a boy, how about Telly?

    For a girl, how about Bette Nelly Bettinelli?  Lovely!

  • Nonsense! Genevieve is a great, solid name.

    I am so tickled for both of you. Seems like those who love God are invited to suffer in extraordinary ways—Melanie by morning sickness, Dom, in love, having to watch helplessly. Count on the prayers of the Mystical Body, dears. We owe you!

  • Wow.  That was fast.
    Congratulations!
    Usually, the morning sickness calms down after awhile.  The suggestions above are all good.

  • Congratulations Dom and Melanie. I’m sorry that you’re feeling ill Melanie. I had “morning” and “evening sickness” through the first 12 weeks of all of my pregnancies, ‘tho I was never bedbound until #5. It’s terrible and there’s no way to describe it. You say you’re nauseous and that sounds so lame, but I used to say (in darker moments) that if men had “morning sickness” there would be national task forces to investigate its cause, commissions, scientific studies, the UN would be involved, etc.
    But in good moments I realized that to give life, there is a cost and it’s a cost very much worth the effort. Hang in there dear lady. It will pass and the reward (the baby) is worth EVERY minute of the illness.
    Life is a gift from God. Isn’t He wonderful?? I can’t wait to see pictures of the baby!
    Regards, Lily

  • Wonderful news Dom!  If the baby is a boy (and all that morning sickness leads me to believe that is may very well be) how about naming him after one of his grandfathers?

  • PS If and when your first born is born on May 19th and is a girl you have my express permission to use my name (My mother thought it was unusual in 1970…). However, as with most other dates in history, everything happens either May 18 or May 20th…
    (sorry for the double post)

  • Congrats—I remember with my first child, I couldn’t stay inside Church for the entire Advent season as we had an incense-happy priest. Saltines and warm water were my friends for a while.

    As for figuring out the sex before they’re born, it doesn’t really matter. My own opinion was that if this baby was taking over my bodily processes, I’d want to know everything I could find out… if I could find out what their favorite colors were before they were born, I’d do it. But most importantly, I just loved looking at the faces on the ultrasound, and it’s kinda difficult to =not= know the sex and watch the ultrasound. Well, particularly with boys.

  • I vote for Genevieve (it’s my daughter’s name).  St. Genevieve is the patron saint of Paris and her feast day is January 3rd (just in case you’d like to know). wink

  • Congrats—couldn’t happen to a nicer couple!

    BTW, it’s a girl—problems with morning sickness always means it’s a girl.

    [Seriously, we were told that—brace yourself for bushels of folk wisdom on pregnancy.  Everybody has some insight they are willing to offer—and I do mean everybody.]

  • Congratulations Dom & Melanie ! May this be the beginning of a beatiful Catholic family of many blessings.

    May 13 ??? perhaps Fatima Bettinelli ??

  • The Bells of St Genevieve!  I totally forgot about that recording.  I’m sure I’ve heard it before.  Thank you, John, for reminding me.

  • Thanks to all of you for your prayers, kind wishes, and advice. I am feeling better since the doctor put me on medication (promethazine, for those of you who asked), though each day has its ups and downs.

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