Life
Pregnancy brings on a number of annoying discomforts, but few are as infuriating as morning sickness. This special hell of hormone-induced nausea isn’t always a morning thing, either. Many pregnant persons experience it all day long; some for weeks, others for months, and a few unlucky souls deal with it for the entirety of their pregnancies. If your partner is currently enduring this seemingly endless form of misery, you better believe there are more than a few romantic things you can do for someone experiencing morning sickness. Now is your time to shine, you non-pregnant partners.
Nausea was one of first tell-tale signs I was pregnant. I didn't necessarily throw up, though, and, honestly, that almost made it worse. Feeling constantly sick, but having no reprieve (even if it's for a few minutes while my head is in the toilet) was excrutiating. My nausea was exacerbated by smells, too. And, lucky me, I developed this superhuman ability to smell every single thing within a 15 foot radius. It was the absolute worst. Things that normally smelled enjoyable — like a light perfume or a block of fancy cheese — suddenly made me want to hurl. And the things I normally didn't enjoy — like the smell of cooked fish or sweaty socks — sent me straight to the bathroom to upchuck what little I was able to hold down.
While it’s been years since I last experienced this terrible byproduct of a fertilized egg burying itself into my uterus, I still recall what it was like and have all the sympathy in the world for those currently dealing with the horror that is morning sickness. So, partners, please take this list into consideration, because you have no idea how bad the mama-to-be in your life has it. Not. A. Clue.
Leave The House With Anything That Has Any Scent Whatsoever
When pregnant, many people (myself included) are able to detect smells from a mile away. That means when you open that can of tuna in the next room, your pregnant partner can smell it as if they were standing right next to you.
Please make sure trash is taken out regularly, and no one cooks anything strong in the house. Perfumes and colognes are also verboten.
Order Delivery For The Time Being
Just accept the fact that there will be no cooking in the house. Maybe even no eating in the house. Stick to plain rice, and maybe a salad or something, if you do have to eat around your pregnant better half. Almost everything you'll want to cook will undoubtably smell terrible and make your partner want to puke, so order in and wait for that terrible morning sickness to (hopefully) pass.
Switch To Unscented Cleaning Products
Once you removed all those flowery scented items, replace them with unscented products. Unscented is better anyway, especially in the event anyone with an allergy comes around.
Stock Up On All Things Ginger
When you're dealing with a bad case of morning sickness, ginger is your friend. I survived by eating a steady supply of ginger chews, but I know other pregnant people prefer ginger tea or other such products. Be a good partner and make sure there’s ginger stuff around the house and at all times.
Shut Down The Smokers
If you’re a smoker, STOP RIGHT NOW. Pregnant folks shouldn’t have to deal with being around cigarette smoke, or around someone who just smoked and smells like an ashtray. This is called third-hand smoke, and it’s gross and awful and will probably trigger their nausea. Do your best to prevent smokers from coming anywhere near your pregnant partner, especially while they’re nauseous as it can very well make them puke.
Slowly Feed Her Snacks Throughout The Day
While it can be hard to eat while experiencing morning sickness, your nausea can be exacerbated if you go too long without eating. Keep simple snacks like saltines, salted (and unsalted nuts), and fruit around to keep your beloved preggo person fed... and at least not too miserable.
Let Her Sip On Home-Made Nectars
I swear, my husband used to make this apple-cucumber juice for me in my first trimester that was the only thing I could hold down for a while. Figure out what juice-y concoction your partner enjoys, and surprise them with it.
Make Sure She Has All The Time To Relax & Unwind
Mamas-to-be have plenty to stress about, but if she’s allowed to take a little time off from other responsibilities while enduring this terrible morning (and afternoon and evening) sickness, it makes it much more bearable. See if she can take a short work break, or, at the very least, help out around the house so she can take a nap.
Double-Flush Every Single Time
Everything smells worse when you’re pregnant. So after you’ve used the restroom, give a courtesy flush (and maybe leave the fan on, or find some kind of masking spray that doesn’t smell like crushed flowers and rotten tropical fruit).
Keep The Toilets & Bathroom Floors Sparkling
At some point, morning sickness goes from nausea to vomiting. But throwing up into a dirty toilet bowl has got to be one of the worst things in the world. Make sure to keep your bathrooms pregnancy-friendly by giving them a good scrub down... weekly. It is appreciated!
Put Your Favorite TV Shows On Hold
While smells and tastes will often push a nauseous person over the edge, simply talking about or looking at certain things can trigger nausea, too. For example, if your favorite go-to show is Grey's Anatomy, you might want to hold off until the morning sickness has passed. Some pregnant partners can't stand to watch medical dramas because of all the blood and guts. Some can’t do war movies, either. Hell, some can’t watch the damn Food Network. You know your partner better than I do, but just be cool about what you say and watch to avoid further puking.
Check out Romper's new video series, Bearing The Motherload, where disagreeing parents from different sides of an issue sit down with a mediator and talk about how to support (and not judge) each other’s parenting perspectives. New episodes air Mondays on Facebook.
