I’m pregnant and I feel sick!

Actually, morning sickness is somewhat of a misnomer. The nausea, fatigue and vomiting that may accompany pregnancy can happen anytime of the day or night. I can attest to that. Mine would come in waves, during the afternoon and in the evening. Just found out you’re pregnant and not feeling too good? Welcome to your first trimester!

Dr. Marjorie Greenfield, ob-gyn and author of The Working Woman’s Pregnancy Book, says 70 percent of women experience nausea early in pregnancy and about 50 percent experience vomiting. “It’s very, very common, but it’s also incredibly varied,” Greenfield adds. “Lots of people are sick all day, some are sick mostly in the evening, and others are sick if they haven’t gotten enough sleep.”

Morning sickness can start as early as six weeks into pregnancy and tends to peak around the eighth and ninth weeks. But this too shall pass. Typically, pregnancy-induced nausea lifts when you hit the second trimester at 12 to 14 weeks.

In the meantime, we have advice on how to manage those unpleasant pregnancy symptoms.

Take a break

Early in your pregnancy you may often feel tired and dizzy. Your head hurts. You may feel so fatigued that it’s hard to get yourself to work. Your body is making a baby and this is why it’s working overtime and making you feel less energetic than usual. Consider taking some much needed rest. Maybe even ask for a leave during your seventh to eighth week, which is when morning sickness tends to peak. Your body is going through major changes and if you’re not feeling too good, it’s asking you to slow down. Give in.

Identify triggers

Maybe it’s your husband’s soap or cologne that makes you feel like hurling. Your coworker’s cologne may also set off a dizzy spell. Whatever odor it is, remember that morning sickness is often smell-associated.

Miriam Erick, author of Managing Morning Sickness: A Survival Guide for Pregnant Women explains, “estrogen is the hormone that’s responsible for the sense of smell, and if you’re a high estrogen hormone person – like when you’re pregnant – you have the radar nose of pregnancy. Ugly smells, smells you can’t get away from, and potent smells will make you nauseous.”

Identify what smells bother you and simply avoid them. Ask hubby to change to unscented soap. Bring around a bottle of lemon extract to take a whiff when you can’t open a window or leave the area. Citrus smells are great for counteracting strong odors.

Drink up

Staying hydrated is standard advice, but it becomes even more important when you’re pregnant and in the throes of morning sickness. Dehydration aggravates nausea. It may be hard to drink up when you can hardly keep anything down in your stomach, but you have to find ways to keep the fluids coming in. Take small sips. If water tastes like metal to you – like it did for me when I was pregnant – then put in some lemon juice to make it more palatable. Drink it iced, warm or hot, whichever way helps it go down, enjoy your drinks that way. Some women manage by crunching on ice chips. I found that ginger ale helped settle my stomach. To avoid the sugar that goes with that, try good old ginger tea. For some reason, many pregnant women claim ginger ale or ginger tea is very helpful for counteracting morning sickness.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for more pregnancy symptom soothers!

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