First Trimester Remedies
By: Shelby Williams
What has helped my first trimester nausea and fatigue? Not much lol but I know that a few of you are in the same boat as me so I wanted to give you anything that could possibly help. These aren’t any new profound discoveries but a few things that have helped me.
First off, remember that this is only temporary. I have had a few mantras that I repeat to myself as I am chasing my toddler around and trying not to vomit. I try to remember that this is all so worth it and that I just need to move through it. Also, that the nausea and fatigue is a sign that my body is doing what it supposed to do! This is all normal and millions of women do this every day! Side note, women really do go through so much and are just so strong :)
My mantras:
“The only way out is through”
“This is only temporary”
“SO many women have done this before. You can do it too!!!”
Things that have helped with the nausea & fatigue:
Eat something SMALL every 2 hours. This is so annoying to me. Who has the time?? And it is against all my instincts to eat toast at 9:30pm but it really does help to keep something on your stomach at all times. Don’t eat big meals, this will make you feel worse.
Drink electrolytes upon waking (don’t chug - just a few sips). I just make a big thing of electrolytes and slowly sip on them all day. For some reason, it seems to help calm the nausea and helps so much with my energy. I use LMNT.
Gentle movement throughout the day. If you can’t tell from the above, it is all about balance. If I exercise too hard or in the heat, I end up feeling way worse and am so sick the rest of the day. If I lay around all day, I feel way worse as well. Some stretches/gentle yoga, walking, etc. is what feels best and helps with the nausea and fatigue.
Find a prenatal that works for you. Some made me feel more nausea. The popular brand Ritual made me burp sooooo much. I use the brand Needed. They also have have a powdered prenatal you could put in oatmeal or a smoothie too. Make sure to take on a full stomach.
Find what food works for your tummy. I really enjoy eating healthy with carbs, protein, and healthy fats at each meal. Right now, all I can eat is carbs! I try to sneak in some protein where I can but I am giving myself a break now and just eating what I can stomach. To try to stay semi healthy right now, I try to find healthy versions of cereal, add collagen to my oatmeal and pancakes, add any healthy fats/protein to my meals if I can stomach them, and reduce sugar where I can.
Unisom has helped me quite a bit. It is technically a sleep medication but is used for nausea in pregnant people. I was taking it day and night when my nausea was at its worst. It was better to be tired than vomiting. Be careful when taking this for sleep, it can be addicting. Again, do what you need to do to survive though!
I needed some caffeine to help me have the energy to move around, which in turn helps with the nausea. At first, I was so sick, I detoxed from all caffeine unintentionally (wow that was rough!!!). Then, I started to add back some iced tea and coffee because I needed the caffeine to have any energy at all. Like I said above, I needed to move around a little to feel better. I was feeling worse laying around all day and that just wasn’t feasible with my toddler.
If you can, focus on your nighttime routine and try to get as much sleep as possible! This will help with the debilitating fatigue and nausea. Get in bed early, take magnesium glycinate, read, dim the lights and get cozy. Set yourself up for success!
Lastly, give yourself a break. Your body is going through so much. You need to give your body rest and love and nourishment. If you are reading my blogs, you probably like to eat healthy and move your body. It is ok if you haven’t been doing this. I teach exercise classes for a living and haven’t lifted a weight in weeks. Do what you can, and you will feel better soon and back at your normal routines. I know I will get back to exercising as soon as I feel good! Yes, it is important to stay healthy during your pregnancy, but sometimes you are just in survival mode. Right now, I am getting on my mat, doing a few stretches and 360 breathing (look it up - it is the best pregnancy core exercise), and putting a hand on my belly and heart, breathing deep and connecting with my body and baby. I know this is only temporary and I will be strengthening soon enough! YOU GOT THIS MAMA! You are not alone. Let me know in the comments what has helped you?
