10/14

#SupermommaSecrets: How to Survive Morning Sickness

Let’s just admit it – the first trimester of pregnancy can really suck. YES, you are incredibly happy at your initial amazing news, but once the “good news glow” starts to fade, it is replaced with the icky green glow of morning sickness.

Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m so aware how blessed I am to be pregnant in the first place. It was not easy to get pregnant this time around. I’ve got to say, it is a bold face lie calling it “morning” sickness!! I was sick as a dog all day long. My first pregnancy I called it “afternoon sickness” but during this pregnancy, I was ill 24/7. My food aversion was so bad this time around I would run from the table. My husband ordered me French fries at a restaurant. Normally they’re one of my favorite special treats, but for now, not so much. I looked at those fried babies like they were inedible aliens!! Salmon was a serious no-no as well. I told my girlfriend to go ahead and eat her lox and bagel but call me from the next room when she was done! Even brushing my teeth would gag me.

I feel like with the first trimester you get the short end of the stick on this whole pregnancy thing. You have to be on the hush-hush and can’t tell anyone you are pregnant. Yet you feel fat and your favorite jeans will no longer zip. The exhaustion is beyond anything and you can imagine. You consider yourself lucky to stay up past 7:30pm.

Do I sound bitter? Maybe just a touch, but I’ve got some #SupermommaSecrets for you. They’ll help you sail through that first trimester green nausea glow and all…

Something stinky this way comes

Your sense of smell goes into overdrive when you are pregnant. I swear CSI should hire pregnant ladies to sniff out crime! Smells that never used to bother you will and you won’t be able to get rid of them to save your life. I suggest keeping a tiny bottle of essential oil in your purse as your scent weapon against a smelly world. I personally like orange or bergamot.

H20

Being dehydrated can contribute to nausea. Make sure you are drinking a sufficient amount of water. If you are feeling particularly gaggy and can’t even get water down, then try chewing on some ice chips. (Don’t get mad, dental community!!). Also try eating something salty – that will trigger your thirst and help tackle some of that nausea, too!

Going the holistic route

I’m a big fan acupuncture and did it to help my fertility. Both acupuncture and acupressure can be incredibly helpful in addressing the morning sick ick. They make acupressure wristbands specifically for expectant moms. Taking 25 Vitamin B6 every 8 hours has shown to reduce morning sickness symptoms as well. Up your B complex with brewers yeast, which is super yummy sprinkled over fresh popped popcorn. Looking for a good popcorn recipe? I’ve got one for you right here!

Ginger: oldie but a goodie

Ginger is one of the universally recommended cures for your early pregnancy woes. From ginger cookies to ginger chews find yourself some ginger and I promise you it will help. I like to kick it old school with a can of good ole ginger ale and some crackers. I also love a mild herbal tea with ginger and lemon. But be careful not to overdo it. I was a gingerholic for my first pregnancy, so I wasn’t really feeling it for my second.

Snack Attack

There are also some theories that you need to keep a little food in your belly to keep the queasiness away. I’m typically not a snacker, so this was completely foreign to me. But, I do have to say, this tip definitely works! So this girl started carrying snacks in her purse, car and even kept a jar of almonds on my nightstand. Literally eat a couple bites before you get out of bed in the morning. It will help. I promise you. The key to this trick is to get the snacks in the belly before it starts to rumble.

Be Prepared

Be prepared for the worse case scenario. Unfortunately, barfing happens. Keep a spare outfit in your car or at the very least a toothbrush, mouthwash and/or mints in your purse. Peppermint is actually great for nausea. So grab a mint before the accident occurs.

You will survive the first trimester and for some of you lucky ladies out there, you skip the nausea completely. I am SO envious of you! But for the rest of us mere mortals, we will stick to snacking, hydrating, acupuncture … whatever it takes!! I hope my tips are helpful and if you have any to share with me, please send them along!! You know Momma loves her tips and tricks.

If you are still working on the getting pregnant part, then be sure to check out my fertility smoothie video I recently shot with my guru of all things pregnancy, Lori Bregman with our friends over at AOL.