I Have Severe Emetophobia — Here’s How I Survived the First Trimester of Pregnancy

In the past few years, there has been no under-$20 product that has helped me with my anxiety and panic attacks as much as this little fan. I used it on my wedding day, I used it on my flight to my honeymoon, and I've used it all throughout my pregnancy. Like many others, when I feel anxious or nauseous, I start to overheat — this fan not only cools me off, but the wind on my face provides external stimulation that acts as a distraction. It fits perfectly in my purse or bedside table, so I can easily access it all the time. It also has a long battery life, works as a power bank (for phones or other devices), and functions as a flashlight.

I've tried meditating in the past and it never worked for me. I even took a "Mindfulness and Meditation" class in college (recommended by my therapist at the time) to try to help with my anxiety and the most I got out of the class was a once-a-week uncomfortable nap. That's why I was surprised when I actually enjoyed Breethe, an app that has meditation, relaxation sounds and music, stories, hypnotherapy, and more. I primarily use the app for moments of very high anxiety/panic and to help me drift off to sleep. There are a number of different experts who have recorded meditations, so you can find one that suits your preferences. Although they don't have any meditations specific to emetophobia, they do have some on health anxiety, which I've found very helpful.

If you have emetophobia, you're going to hate this one, because I'm going to talk about throwing up. For me, it feels a lot more traumatic to throw up in the toilet (I don't know why) than to throw up in the trash. Throughout my pregnancy, I have had a small wire mesh wastebasket that I used regular grocery bags in, and I kept it next to my bed — using it for tissues, snack wrappers, any other trash I might have nearby. I also used my tiny trash can the three times I've thrown up. For me, this worked well because I threw up early in the morning and it felt a lot easier for me to just replace the plastic bag and move on — plus, the trash can is so small I was able to carry it around the house with me to ease my anxiety.

If you're reading this article and you don't have emetophobia, you might be incredibly confused as to why dog poop bags are on this list. If you have emetophobia, you probably know exactly why they're here. When you're constantly afraid you might throw up, one of the things that can ease that anxiety a little bit is knowing you have a plan if you do need to vomit. Dog poop bags were that plan for me. I have a dog, so I had no shortage of poop bags, and I put them in every pocket, purse, and bag I could find. I never wanted to be in a situation where I didn't have something on hand I could use if I needed to throw up, so these were the perfect solution. For the record, I never needed to use them, but I felt better knowing I had them available.

This kit provided numerous products I needed during the first trimester, like a large water tumbler, acupressure wristbands, and acupressure ear seeds. Staying hydrated when nauseous can be a challenge, but I made sure my water tumbler was filled with ice cold water that I could sip on throughout the day. Accupressure wristbands were a must-have for me; I wore them almost nonstop during (and after) the first trimester. I didn't notice a huge difference when wearing them, but it was enough to be noticeable. Ear seeds are a great option for many people, especially because you can apply them and leave them on for multiple days. I liked the ear seeds, but I found them uncomfortable to sleep with, so I didn't use them as much as the wristbands.

When I say I tried almost every morning sickness remedy out there, I mean it. Some of the most highly recommended products were Preggie Pop Drops, sour candies made with natural ingredients. Although these didn't cure my nausea by any means, they did provide a bit of relief while I was sucking on them. Some people swear by these candies, and since they're not very expensive, I think they're worth a try.

Ginger is a classic nausea remedy — from ginger tea to ginger candy to ginger gum, it's all available (and safe for pregnancy). Even though I never wanted to have ginger, and always felt like it would make me feel worse, it somehow worked. This ginger gum was one of my favorites — my only complaint was that the flavor didn't last long.

It may seem silly that a pair of pants helped me survive the first trimester, but I cannot speak highly enough about these pants. They're stretchy and comfortable, but they look nicer than the average pair of leggings. Anytime I wore clothing that felt restrictive or tight on my stomach, my nausea became more pronounced, and these pants managed to feel supportive without constricting my stomach. I'm not lying when I say I wore them almost every day (even well into my second trimester). They also have these in a maternity version, which I've picked up as well.

One of the tips you'll see a lot for managing nausea is eating small meals and snacks throughout the day. Many people opt for saltines, but they really didn't do it for me. Instead, Life cereal was my snack of choice. I kept it right beside my nightstand and before I even got out of bed in the morning, I'd grab a few handfuls to get something in my stomach before I stood up. Other snacks that worked well for me were pretzels and Teddy Grahams.

Keeping snacks near my bed was essential during the first trimester, so I bought a small plastic storage basket to store all my single-serving snacks within my reach. I'd highly recommend doing this, especially if you don't have any drawers in your nightstand/bedside table.