Surviving sickness and sleepiness (Pregnancy)

• Avoid nausea triggers. A lot of women find certain foods and smells can aggravate nausea during pregnancy. If this is the case for you, steer clear of whatever triggers queasiness. For instance, if the smells of the hot dishes in the company cafeteria turn your stomach, start brown bagging it or eating at your desk. Strong colognes or perfumes that set you off may be harder to eliminate. But if your co-worker in the next cubicle wears a particularly strong scent, see if you can enlist his or her help. For instance, you might say, “Normally, I love the after-shave you wear, but since I became pregnant, all colognes seem to make my morning sickness worse. Because we sit so close, would you consider not using any after-shave for a while?”
• Eat snacks and light meals. Crackers and other bland foods can be lifesavers when you start to feel nauseated. Once you find what items work best for you, keep a stash in your desk drawer or in your purse for emergencies. Snacking on light bites can keep your stomach from being completely empty or full, two conditions that can make nausea worse. Nibbling a few crackers before getting out of bed might keep you from feeling sick first thing in the morning.
• Drink enough fluids. Your body uses more water in early pregnancy. If you don’t drink enough fluids, it can worsen your nausea. A good goal is six to eight 8-ounce cups throughout the day. Caffeinated drinks don’t count.
• Get enough rest. The more tired you are, the more nauseated you can become. Therefore, it’s important to get a good night’s sleep. Rushing around in the morning also can make you queasy. Try going to bed earlier and getting up a little sooner to maximize the amount of sleep you get and minimize the stress you feel when preparing for your workday.

Even with a little more sleep at night, you still may notice that you have less energy during the day. This is especially true in the first and third trimesters, when you may feel tired much of the time. Fatigue is your body’s way of telling you to slow down, but this can be tough during the workday. To make it through the day, try the following:

• Take short, frequent breaks. Regular rest periods can improve your productivity, especially if fatigue is interfering with your ability to concentrate or make decisions. Even 10 minutes spent with the lights off, your eyes closed and your feet up can help you recharge. Getting up and moving around for a few minutes also can make you feel refreshed.
• Rethink your schedule. If you’re exhausted by the afternoon, get your toughest or high-concentration tasks done earlier in the day. If it takes you longer to regain energy in the morning, try to put off energydraining chores until the afternoon. You may want to see if you can arrange more flexible work hours that allow you to start work later in the day.
  Consider cutting back on commitments and activities outside the office to get more rest in the evening. If you have a physically strenuous job, it’s even more important to take it easier on evenings and weekends. If you sit at a desk all day long, though, a walk, a prenatal exercise class or a night out could be the best way to keep from feeling drained. The rule of thumb: Maintain a balance.
• Accept and use help. You may be used to cleaning your own house, mowing your own yard and running errands after work. But to get in some extra rest and relaxation, you might consider hiring services or the teenager down the street to help with cleaning or yardwork. You might even want to take advantage of online shopping sites and home deliveries to gain extra time.
  During work hours, don’t be too proud to accept help and support from co-workers. If colleagues offer to answer your phone while you close your office door to take a 10-minute nap or reschedule late afternoon meetings so that you can attend birthing classes, let them. By letting them show their support for you, you’ll strengthen the bond you share with your colleagues.