When I found out I waspregnantlast October, I was on the heels of a running kick.
A week or so before I got my positive test result, Id PR’ed atthe Newport Half.
Earlier that year, in April, Id runmy first marathonin Boston.
Getty / Juanmonino
I told myself Id keep running while pregnant.
After all, exercise during pregnancyassuming your doctor has cleared you for itis not only healthy but recommended.
Then week six came, andnausealike I never knew existed hit me hard.
Exercise became difficult, especially running with all of its pounding.
I had to give up running during my whole first trimester.
Its something Im realizing most people who are or have been pregnant have dealt with.
Everyone has their own strategies for making it through.
Always be prepared with snacks.
If I got even momentarily hungry, it was a day-ruiner, Jackie J., 31, tells SELF.
To combat this, Jackie followed what she calls the ABE rule: Always Be Eating.
Both of these sensations can feel even more wildly uncomfortableand nausea-inducingthan usual when yourepregnant.
If constant grazing helps you avoid these feelings, have at it.
Never leave home without antacids.
Constant snacking can come with a catch: dreadedheartburn, which is even more likely when youre expecting.
Entersymptomslike a burning chest and bitter taste flooding your mouth.
These kinds of meds work to neutralize the stomach acid underlying heartburn, theMayo Clinicexplains.
To further fight heartburn, Dr. Minkin recommends elevating your head while yousleep.
Let gravity be your friend and help keep the acid in the stomach, she says.
Give yourself a break whenever you’re free to.
Pressing pause to breathe through pregnancy issues like nausea can be helpful if youre able to swing it.
The point is, you might feel seriously exhausted when youre expecting, especially to start.
Taking little moments of rest for yourself whenever you might might help.
Listen to your body.
Everyone’s advice about morning sickness was to eat crackers and bread and simple carbs.
But carbs made it so much worse for me, Anna P., 32, tells SELF.
I realized pretty quickly that my body needed a lot more protein, and the fattier, the better.
Bacon turned out to be a lifesaver!
Having an egg sandwich with bacon every day helped fight morning sickness like nothing else, Anna says.
Expertsdont fully understandwhy pregnancy cravings happen and what they might mean.
But if one specific food helps you find relief from morning sickness, thats great, Dr. Minkin says.
5. give a shot to find a mantra or mindfulness practice that works for you.
For some people,mindfulnesscan be helpful in dealing with the new stresses of pregnancy, Dr. Dawson-Chalat says.
Move in whatever ways are helpful and safe for you.
Exerciseactually helps me overcome the nausea, Laura T., 31, tells SELF.
I’ve done everything from long walks to lifting at the gym.
Maybe it’s just a distraction, but it helps.
The distraction factor can definitely be beneficial when all you could focus on is first-trimester suckiness.
All movement is good, whether its walking, swimming, dancing, elliptical, yogait all counts.
Talk to your doctor about any medications that can help.
The first trimester of both of my pregnancies were complete opposites.
With my son, I felt so good.
With my daughter, it was unfortunately a different story, Sarah M., 33, tells SELF.
I had debilitating nausea and vomiting from four weeks to 20 weeks.
It was the only thing that helped, she says.
Dr. Minkin explains that vitamin B6 and doxylamine succinate can be a winning combination for assuagingmorning sickness.
They can be an option if youre seriously going through it, however.
If your morning sickness is really affecting your lifephysically or mentallyconsider seeing your ob/gyn to discuss your options.
