Everyone knows pregnancy can have its ups and its downs, but you can make the overall ride a little easier with these simple remedies for common symptoms expecting mothers experience. (Note, this list is a compilation of things that have worked for me and it does include affiliate links, but I wanted to give you the exact products I used and an easy way to get them, so they come with my 100% I’ve tried it and I love it guarantee)

1. Probiotics/Ginger for Nausea:

We’ll start where most pregnancy symptoms start, and that’s with nausea. It’s TERRIBLE! You go from being completely fine to completely sick in a matter of seconds and if you aren’t proactive about it, there may be little you can do to prevent it. My best friend through the beginning of my pregnancy was probiotics, and honestly, I did not buy the expensive ones. I actually got these ones for a great price at Walmart and they worked! My doctor looked at them and guessed that they were effective because they contain papaya but other than that, she wasn’t really sure, and I didn’t really care. All I knew was that if I consistently took them every 4 hours, I hardly noticed the nausea. About half way through the first trimester, I switched to ginger supplements and ginger candies and continued taking the probiotics just in the morning (because let’s be honest, these ones have a nasty taste if you don’t swallow them on the first try). The candies worked like a charm in immediate situations when I didn’t have a chance to take something ahead of time or got too busy to stay on my schedule. Plus, to some extent, I think just chewing on something gives your brain something else to think about than being sick. I’ve mentioned them in my Mommy Update post, but I’ll show them here again so you can see what I’ve used.

2. Coconut Oil for Stretch Marks:

Some women who are pregnant end up with tons of stretch marks and they try every trick in the book, some don’t get any and they don’t do anything to prevent it. I think there are two factors that come into play when it comes to stretch marks: the size of your belly (and elsewhere) and how much moisture your skin has. If you think about it, it makes sense that the bigger your belly or the bigger you get in general while pregnant, the more your skin has to stretch out to compensate and therefore, the more stretch marks you will get. So, exercise can be a great way to inadvertently prevent stretch marks because if your skin doesn’t have to stretch or stretches less over a longer period of time, you’re less likely to get stretch marks. Secondly, the amount of moisture your skin has greatly effects whether you will get stretch marks and how bad they will be. With my first pregnancy, I did not want to put a bunch of lotions with toxins on my belly because whether or not you realize it, whatever you put on your skin will absorb into your body and could affect your baby. I even tried the body butters that are made for pregnant mothers and are supposed to prevent stretch marks and they just made me break out. Instead, I used plain ole’ coconut oil. The best kind you can use is organic, unrefined, extra virgin coconut oil, but as close as you can come to this will still work wonders for your growing belly. I liked to put it on at night so that it has the entire night to absorb, because it can feel oily on your skin and that may not be the best look for when you’re out on the town. But the point is that it’s natural and I did not get a single stretch mark during my first pregnancy.

3. Dandelion Root Tea for PUPPS/Other Pregnancy Rashes:

So this one was a suggestion I found on Pinterest when I was desperate and itchy in my 3rd trimester of my first pregnancy. For those of you that don’t know, PUPPS is a VERY itchy, VERY uncomfortable rash that affects some pregnant women, often towards the end of their pregnancy. To be fair, I did ask my OB/GYN whether it was PUPPS and they said they did not really know what it was, but recommended that I use hydrocortisone cream or benadryl. By now, you probably know that I wasn’t about to put a bunch of chemicals in or on my body if I could help it. So I decided to give dandelion root tea a try, and IT WORKED! About 100 times better than anything else I tried! I consistently drank a cup or two (if I was particularly itchy) and it kept it under control until I delivered. Often, PUPPS will relieve itself after you deliver, but I never thought it could come back until I was pregnant again. However, when I stopped breastfeeding, it happened again. Turns out, you can get a similar rash any time your body experiences a big change in hormone levels. Once again, I got out the dandelion tea and it worked like a charm!

4. Mineral Water for Leg Cramps:

This one was a suggestion from a doctor friend, who happens to be an OB/GYN and his wife. I didn’t experience leg cramps often, just some towards the end of my first pregnancy and usually on days when I didn’t drink enough water. But when water just doesn’t cut it and you’re getting charley-horse leg cramps, you need another solution. They recommended mineral water. I wasn’t really familiar with mineral water, but she recommended buying the carbonated version, so I though I’d give it a try. And it was effective! I couldn’t drink much because I don’t do well with carbonation and my leg cramps never really got bad enough to go back and buy another kind, but it did clear up my leg cramps and it’s something he recommends to his patients often. Tip: Here’s what I bought and I also tried adding orange juice to it and making myself think it was some sort of spritzy drink.

5. Quest Protein Bars for Constipation:

So this was something I hadn’t experienced in my first pregnancy, at least that I can remember, but it became quite a problem during my second. TMI? Sorry, Charley! Anyway, it’s a serious issue that affects a lot of expecting mothers and for those that are already dealing with weight gain and bloating, constipation is just the icing on the cake…NOT! I was so uncomfortable, I tried everything I could think of to eat and hopefully get things moving, but nothing seemed to work! At first, I thought I found my solution in prunes, which I had convinced myself weren’t that bad if you kept them in the refrigerator, but prune juice, I just could not drink (although I did try multiple times). My saving grace was actually something I discovered by accident. I was trying to get more protein in my diet, knowing that hadn’t been a strong suit of mine in my sick stage, and I turned to what I thought would be an easy way to boost my protein intake by 20 grams. Quest Bars are my absolute favorite protein bars. They are gluten free, have a ton of protein, very little (if any) sugar, and I didn’t even think about the fiber content. Alas, my problem was solved by something that was serving multiple purposes, and who doesn’t love that! (Note: They are a little pricey, but this is one of those splurge products that is so worth it that you don’t mind spending a little extra). My favorite flavors are the Blueberry Muffin and Chocolate Brownie, but I’d encourage you to try them all!

6. Peppermint oil for Headaches:

Now this is a trick my husband and I both use whether or not I’m pregnant. It was actually an idea his grandmother gave me. Basically, you just put peppermint essential oil on your skin wherever you have a headache, i.e. your temples, your neck, etc. PROCEED WITH CAUTION!!! I will warn you, the phrase “a little dab will do ya” has never been more true. The first time we tried it, my husband and I both doused ourselves in oil and by the time we got home from her house, our eyes were burning, our noses were running and we were regretting ever trying it in the first place. But I promise, if used correctly, it is so relaxing and cooling and relieves most of my headaches. We also use dab it on a tissue or cloth and sniff it to clean out sinuses, or dab it on sore muscles and it seems to help. This is what we use and one tiny bottle lasts forever! (Note: Always check with your doctor before trying essential oils. Most are harmless, but it’s always good to double check)

Well there you have it, my 6 natural prego remedies that every mama should know! Let me know what you think and if you have any other go-tos when it comes to natural remedies. We’re all in this together and in this realm, knowledge is power. Share your experiences and we can learn from each other!