Helpful Tips for Managing First Trimester Symptoms
Beginnings can be challenging, even when they’re something you’ve been looking forward to and hoping for for a long time. Growing a human is hard work, and it’s important to give yourself some grace, especially if you feel like you’re falling apart.
I had terrible nausea and insomnia during my first trimester. This photo above is of me during an after-school teacher professional development while pregnant with my daughter. This has become one of my favorite pregnancy photos I have.
Authenticity has been a big part of my life since becoming a mother. The exhaustion was real; growing another person’s organs and musculoskeletal system takes immense energy. My pregnancy taught me to hold space for seemingly contradictory emotions happening at once.
While I felt like absolute shit, like I was falling apart, I was wildly grateful for my obvious pregnancy symptoms as I took them as signs this was a sticky one. Being overjoyed and exhausted beyond what I thought was possible at times has become par for the course in parenthood.
How to manage nausea?
Although the exact cause of nausea or morning sickness is unknown, it’s thought to be linked to high HCG levels. Low blood sugar may also be to blame. This could explain why morning sickness (which can last all day) is often at its worst in the morning.
Your nightly sleep session is the longest time that you go without eating as a pregnant person – and when you wake up, you haven’t “broken your fast” yet. Keeping a snack by the bed like nuts, dried fruit, or crackers to eat when you wake at night and before you get out of bed in the morning can help keep your blood sugar levels more consistent. This may also help keep your energy levels up throughout the day, leaving you less tired.
Some other things to try are ensuring you get enough protein in your diet (70-100g per day), Sea-Bands (which use acupressure points to relieve nausea), peppermint tea, staying hydrated, acupuncture, and ingesting ginger. You can also try taking Unisom with B6.
What to do for constipation?
All the progesterone your body produces slows down your digestion, which can cause constipation. The iron in your prenatal vitamins can also be to blame if you’re feeling backed up.
Staying hydrated (pretend you’re an Olympic athlete) can also help. Magnesium supplements, like Calm, may also help. There are many other benefits to magnesium in pregnancy, like helping with insomnia and supporting bone health.
How to deal with headaches?
Managing the hormonal headaches that accompany pregnancy can be challenging as your pharmacological options are limited. While acetaminophen may be safe to take occasionally, some alternative suggestions would be to consume some caffeine.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends staying under 200mg a day (approximately 12 oz of coffee).
When considering your options for headache relief, you may also want to try acupuncture or chiropractic care. When looking for an acupuncturist or chiropractor, it’s generally a good rule of thumb to find one that specializes in prenatal care, as they will know how to best support you at all stages of your pregnancy.
How to handle first-trimester exhaustion?
There’s no way of getting around it. Pregnancy, especially in the first and third trimesters, is exhausting. Aside from taking naps whenever possible, regular exercise and a well-balanced diet can help. Aiming for just 10 minutes of exercise a day, whether that’s a walk or a short prenatal yoga video, is a great place to start. Consistency is more important than duration. Keeping your body in motion can help alleviate some of the pain that may keep you from sleeping well at night.
If insomnia is plaguing you, finding ways to increase oxytocin levels can help. Oxytocin is a natural sleep aid. You’ll likely hear a lot about this hormone for its vital role in labor and lactation. It’s frequently referred to as the “love hormone.” If you’re up for it, physical intimacy with your partner or solo play can significantly reduce insomnia and improve sleep overall.
Pregnancy can be a magical time that deepens the mind, body, and spirit connection. It can bring with it profound insight and personal growth. In the same breath, it can also be uncomfortable, depressing, and even debilitating. Creating a support system around you can make it more manageable. A birth doula can support you through the more challenging moments, regardless of whether those difficulties are physical or emotional.
To learn more about what a doula can do for you, call Rose Moon Birth Services, or request an appointment online today.
