The Effect of Scents on Mornings Sickness

Posted on Oct 15, 2013 | About Morning Sickness Category | | Print This Article

Morning sickness is generally one of the earliest symptoms of pregnancy. Many expectant mothers discover that there are some scents that nauseate them before they even know they are pregnant. In fact, the nausea these scents cause is often their first clue that a baby is on the way.

Some of the scents that are most likely to send you running for the bathroom in your first trimester include:

Food odors. Any food odor has the potential to trigger morning sickness, but the most common offenders are heavy or spicy foods.
Gasoline. If you’re feeling sick at the pump, it’s not just the price of gas. Have someone else pump for you when you can.
Coffee. Unfortunately, the time you’re most likely to experience morning sickness – in the morning – is also the most likely time for coffee brewing. Suggest that your significant other pick up his cup of Joe on the way to work instead of brewing it at home.
Scented candles. They smell nice, but many of them can trigger a bout of morning sickness.
Perfume. Unfortunately, you can’t avoid all perfume. If you’re stuck by someone whose perfume is making you nauseous, the best you can do is politely explain the situation and move away.

Every pregnancy is different. Some women don’t experience morning sickness at all. Others experience morning sickness regardless of how cautious they are to avoid the types of odors that bring on morning sickness. In a typical pregnancy, you will be bothered by some odors and not bothered by others. Once you’ve determined that a particular odor aggravates your morning sickness, do your best to avoid it.

While many scents bring on bouts of morning sickness, others can bring you relief. Some of the most common scents used to treat morning sickness include:

Peppermint
Spearmint
Lavender
Lemon

The quickest way to get relief from morning sickness using aromatherapy is to put a couple of drops of lemon juice or peppermint, spearmint or lavender essential oil on a hanky. Bring it up to your nose and breathe in slowly and deeply. You can also use essential oils in a diffusor to help prevent morning sickness before it strikes.