Many of you know I STRUGGGGGGLED with morning sickness this time around. I find it so bizarre that a person can have two TOTALLY opposite pregnancies, but from what I hear, this is common for a lot of women. Maybe this baby is a different gender, or perhaps this is karmic payback for coming off relatively unscathed the first time around. Either way, I was seriously suffering well into my second trimester!

I did however, manage to find a few things helpful at making me feel a little better.. and what kind of person would I be if I didn’t pass that info on! That said, I am not an Obstetrics expert- these are my personal tips and tricks , all cleared by my doctor. Be sure to check with your physician to make sure these are right for you!

1.BONE BROTH:  Despite having NO desire for meat, I found that sipping a cup of Bo + Marrow’s Delicious broth really helped to soothe my stomach and provide me with some MUCH needed nutrition when I couldn’t take in (or keep down) much! If you haven’t “Broth-ed” yet, you are missing out! There are so many incredible benefits bone broth provides, it is an excellent source of collagen, essential for healthy skin, hair and nails as well as joints. It’s also ideal for optimal gut health, aiding in common digestive problems, which most pregnant women have. I love the Chicken and Beef Flavors Best.

2. GINGER: I know this is not news to many of us. Ginger helps with Nausea. But instead of going for the Ginger Ale which can be loaded with sugar or aspartame (not ideal at any time, especially during pregnancy) I opted for Organic Super Ginger Tea from David’s Tea and Ginger Kombucha by True Buch or Rise. With both pregnancies I have found myself SO INSANELY thirsty, so drinking any of these three was super helpful, not to mention settled my stomach a great deal.

3. EXCERCISE: I know what you are thinking. How can you exercise when you are sick?? I won’t lie, some days were much harder than others! But I actually found that being in a challenging fitness class helped to keep my mind off of feeling ill. The endorphins were also crucial in giving me an extra bit of much needed energy to be able to play with and take care of my little guy! I realize vigorous exercise is not possible for all people during  pregnancy, but If your body is used to regular, intense fitness and your doctor has cleared you, it is actually much better for you and your baby to try and maintain the level of fitness you had prior to becoming pregnant. As always, it is important to listen to your body and not push beyond what you can do. I like to mix up my workouts so I have been doing Orange Theory, Spin Classes as well as Barre classes at Barre Body Studio. I recommend telling the instructor ahead of time if you are unsure of your limitations, they can provide you with appropriate modifications!

4. VEGGIE SMOOTHIES: Okay, for this one, I DEFINTELY had to force myself. All I wanted (when I had an appetite) was bread. But unfortunately consuming carbs and carbs alone lead to two things that are never good: weight gain and nutritional deficiency. As tempting as it is to throw caution to the wind and binge on whatever we want when we are pregnant, this is actually one of the WORST things a person can do for themselves and their child. Being pregnant is uncomfortable and challenging enough by just bearing the increasing weight of a growing baby, placenta, fluid etc. Adding additional weight from indulging is not recommended by Obstetricians. In fact, most physicians recommend only taking in an extra 300 calories a day. Plus, not eating a balanced diet that includes lean proteins, fruits and vegetables can actually exacerbate nausea and fatigue. So, as tough as it was, I REALLY tried to get something nutritious and healthy into my body for lunch, this was often in the form of a fruit + veggie smoothie. My favorite recipe is pretty simple:  Kale, Spinach, 1/8 avocado, Almond or Cashew Milk, and a handful of frozen berries. I also added a few of my juice plus capsules and a scoop of protein powder (approved by my doctor- check with yours if you want to add this!).

I know that everyone’s experiences with pregnancy are SO different, so understand that of these suggestions may not work for you. Hopefully though, you were able to get a few new ideas to help you! Remember, that these are just what worked for me, and to consult your doctor before making any changes to your pre-natal routine!

Do you have any tips and tricks to dealing with first trimester woes? If so- I’d LOVE to hear from you! Send an email to rivercitysister@gmail.com or message on Instagram @rivercitysisters!