It is no secret that nausea can be a part of pregnancy. This is especially evident during the first trimester of the pregnancy. I recall my nausea setting in during my second month of pregnancy and being very difficult to get used to at first. Usually, women experience nausea in the form of morning sickness during their pregnancy, however it is not uncommon for the nausea to come at different times of the day. In my case, I have had to struggle with nausea throughout the entire day. This lasted all the way into my second trimester.

Eating became very difficult, as everything made me sick. I noticed that my smell senses were heightened and that any food that had a scent to it, made me sick immediately without even tasting it. To my surprise, food was not the only trigger for my nausea because my body lotion and cleaning supplies induced the nausea as well. This is when I realized that I was in for some tough few months. Fortunately, I found ways to manage my nausea, which I am happy to share with you.

5 Tips for Managing Nausea During Pregnancy

1. East small frequent meals

A good idea would be to eat small meals every few hours. For instance, I would have a cup of Greek yogurt with a few saltine crackers, and three hours later I would follow up with an apple and a spoonful of almond butter. This way I was able to ensure that I was taking in an adequate amount of protein, which is important for the baby’s development. Of course, it can be difficult at first since all foods may seem to create nausea, but finding a few things that are nutritious and do not cause nausea is a start. I alternated with the few foods that I was able to eat without wanting to throw up until the nausea subsided and allowed me to pick foods from a wider selection.

2. Avoid foods with strong smells

Another good idea is to avoid foods that give out a strong smell. I became sick every time I smelled broccoli and fried foods. Some other foods that have a strong smell include tuna, salmon, cabbage, garlic, onions, and eggs. Your nausea could be so bad that you may need to find a healthy take-out option. This was certainly the case for me. My nausea was so bad that cooking in the house became impossible. We would cook something and shortly afterwards I would start to feel sick. If the house still smelled like the food we cooked, I was nauseous for the rest of the day. We were forced to find some take-out options. In my first trimester my husband and I purchased grilled chicken and vegetables from a local Italian market. Of course, it was too costly to keep this up, so we started grilling our own.

3. Avoid skin care and cleaning supplies with strong smells

Using cosmetic items and cleaning supplies that have a strong scent is not a good idea to begin with. However, during the pregnancy you may become very sensitive to those smells to the point where it is unbearable. I had to wear a mask when cleaning and I also had to switch my body lotion and all face care products. Also, if your significant other tends to wear a strong parfume, you may want to ask them to discontinue or to switch to something with a lighter scent. I most certainly had to ask my husband to stop using his favorite scent.

4. Drink Ginger Ale

Ginger ale can be great with meals, and it can alleviate some of the nausea. However, I must mention that a Ginger ale drink can be loaded with sugar, so consume it sparingly. Also, some stores may have the sugar free option.

5. Chew on some mint or ginger candy

Gin-Gins have been my savior during the first few weeks of my pregnancy. I purchased two bags as soon as I realized that they were helping with my nausea. Of course, after a while I had a difficult time with ginger flavors as well, but that is when I looked for the next best thing.

After ginger candy became unbearable, I started using mint flavored candy. Now, mint worked for much longer on my nausea and even when it stopped helping, it still did not make me sick, which was nice, as opposed to the Gin Gins that I could not chew towards the end without wanting to throw up. I still have a pound bag left in my pantry.

Conclusion

Nausea during pregnancy will most likely occur, however there are things that you can do to make it easier on yourself. You can start by avoiding the smells that instigate your nausea or you can chew on some mint flavored candy. What you decide to do will depend on you as an individual, as we all cope differently with discomfort. I do hope that some of my tips are helpful and ease this beautiful part of your life.

The lesson here is that you should not stock up on any remedies or foods because you do not know how long you would tolerate them for during your pregnancy. I recommend getting enough for a week or two and going from there. If it still works, you can always go get more. This tactic will ensure that you do not spend your funds on things that may just end up pilling up in the pantry because you no longer can tolerate them. I hope that my tips will be helpful to you during your pregnancy.

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