How To Survive the First Trimester

If you think about it, the first trimester is kind of sucky. Sure, the pure elation you probably felt when you first found out you were pregnant was fantastic, but as that feeling wanes a bit and all of those fun pregnancy symptoms show up, you may catch yourself feeling less enthusiastic about the next 9 months. But, trust me, it does get better once you hit the second trimester.

In the meantime, let’s tackle the top 3 first trimester woes, and what to do about them.

Meet my new best friend, the toilet. The majority of women experience perhaps the worst pregnancy side effect, the dreaded nausea. Don’t be surprised if your “morning sickness” actually starts in the afternoon, evening, or lasts all day. Here’s what you can do about it:

1. Candy may be your friend. You can try ginger chews, or even preggy pops. I just kept some regular hard candies in my purse.
2. Eat smaller meals more often throughout the day. This will keep that nausea at bay.
3. Regular nausea remedies can help too. Ginger ale, snacking on saltines, etc.
4. Having trouble keeping anything down? Be sure to let your doctor know. They may be able to prescribe something to help.

I’m…..so………sleepy……zzzzzzzz. Your body is working in overdrive to support that tiny little bundle of joy growing in your belly. And, that means that you’re going to be tired. I mean, really tired. Like “I just ran a marathon” tired, but you’ll feel that way ALL the time. Here’s what you can do about it:

1. Make like a 90 year old lady. Seriously, go to sleep at 7pm if you feel like it. No one will judge.
2. It seems counterintuitive, but light exercise like walking can help you through that “I’m going to pass out” sleepiness.
3. Meaty, meaty, meat-meat. Protein will give you longer-lasting energy and help you feel less tired (but, because of that dreaded sickness, you may not feel like a big, ‘ol slab of meat right now!)

Not being able to go…you know. So, no one really wants to talk about it, but constipation is common during pregnancy. Your body slows down your digestive system (to allow for greater nutrient absorption to feed that growing baby), but this also means that you’re left with some rather uncomfortable trips to the bathroom. Here’s what you can do about it:

1. Is your prenatal vitamin to blame? Some of them have large amounts of iron in them, which some people need and others do not. Check with your doctor about switching to a prenatal with little or no iron.
2. Drink lots of water and eat lots of fiber. Don’t knock prune juice – it definitely does help.
3. Stool softeners are your friend. Ask your doctor which one they recommend (generally, laxatives are a no-no during pregnancy, but some stool softeners are fine).
4. Get moving. Not that you will feel like it AT ALL, but light exercise can also get your digestive system moving.

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Jennifer and her husband, Robert, live in Tidewater, Virginia, and welcomed a beautiful baby girl named Seraphina on November 8, 2013. Besides expounding on the amazing/scary/life-changing topic of pregnancy, Jennifer is the full-time blogger behind Not Your Momma’s Cookie, where she tries to make cool treats and frequently shares embarrassing stories.