Short Answer: Avoid strong odors; try to put something bland in your stomach (if you can), and stay hydrated. If your morning sickness becomes serious enough to impact your quality of life, be sure to talk to your doctor about options.

Morning sickness – It’s a feeling only a pregnant woman can understand, and its name doesn’t accurately reflect how it can last all day and into the night. Those moms who’ve dealt with it before say the memories fade after the baby is delivered… and we’re sure in the end, it’s all worth it. But that doesn’t help much in the here and now, does it?

Today you’re in the thick of it; experiencing the vomiting, weak bladder, constant metallic taste in your mouth and even the odd cravings. While you’re suffering through, it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. To help give you hope, we’ve got answers to some of your most pressing morning sickness questions. Spoiler alert – it will get better mom, we promise.

Avoid Strong Smells

Your sense of smell is particularly heightened during pregnancy. This means even a quick whiff of last night’s garbage can trigger nausea and a run to the bathroom. Ask your co-workers to dial back on the perfume or cologne. In the presence of a strong smell, try opening a window or walking away from the scent if you can. And for those times when you can’t escape a strong odor, keep a sprig of rosemary or a bottle of fresh lemon extract in your purse. It can really help!

What Should I Eat?

While you might not even want to entertain the thought of eating, an empty stomach can trigger a serious bout of nausea. Try to eat a little something first thing in the morning, right when you get out of bed. Also, keep snacks in your bag or purse. Some foods that may help ease the nausea include:

  • Ginger (soda, candies, ale, jam or snaps)
  • Crackers
  • Pretzels
  • Popsicles
  • Plain fruits and vegetables
  • Chicken soup or broth
  • Lemons (we swear, sucking on a lemon helps some moms)

Stay away from greasy, spicy foods or those with a strong smell. Some moms say that sucking on this ginger hard candy helped them with their nausea. It couldn’t hurt to try!

Pro tip – you can use your nausea as an excuse to get out of cooking for the first trimester. Get others to do the work for you! You can make it easy for them with a pregnancy cookbook.

How Much Water Should I Drink?

One of the biggest concerns in the early months of pregnancy is dehydration. As you fight to keep food down, you can run out of the essential fluids your body needs to keep functioning. Water delivers nutrients to the fetus and allows your body to transport minerals, vitamins and hormones to the blood cells. Even worse, dehydration can actually make you more nauseous.

Experts suggest that you should drink 12-13 glasses of water each day, which is about one-two more glasses per day than when you’re not pregnant. If you are concerned that you are dehydrated, track your trips to the bathroom and make sure your urine is colorless or pale. If it’s dark, you’re not drinking enough.

Drinking more water when pregnant can also help prevent hemorrhoids and constipation, and reduce headaches and fatigue. If you aren’t a natural water drinker, try infusing water with fruit, lemons, or cucumbers. to make it more palatable. Keep an infusion water bottle handy to make this easy.

Can I Take Medication For Morning Sickness?

Before you take any type of medication while pregnant, it’s important to discuss it with your doctor. Some physicians suggest trying a combination of vitamin B6 and Unisom to ease sickness, while others may prescribe a medication like an acid reflux blocker. But we cannot stress this enough…your doctor must okay the medication first to ensure you won’t harm yourself or the baby. If morning sickness is kicking your *ss, bring it up with your doctor!

Should I Take a Day Off?

Every pregnant woman is different, and you’ll have to find the balance of what works for you. There’s nothing wrong with taking a day off when you aren’t feeling well, but sometimes focusing on your nausea only makes it worse.

Showering, getting ready and leaving the house (might) help you forget about your queasiness for a little while. Or it may make sense to stay in bed. Listen to your body. When it tells you to rest, follow the advice.

Are All Women the Same?

No, and it’s easy to want to smack your best friend when they talk about how “great” they felt during pregnancy, while you’re turning green and ready to hurl. No two pregnancies are alike. Each woman faces their own unique combination of joys and challenges.

Take care of yourself and don’t feel pressure to keep up with anyone else. How you and your baby feel are the most important considerations.

Here comes the bright side – many women find their morning sickness symptoms ease around the second trimester. So if you can hold on and use these tips to help manage the nausea, you might start feeling relief around week 14. We’re sure it can’t come soon enough!