What is it with your heightened sense of smell in pregnancy? Just one whiff of the wrong thing can see you spend the next two hours with your head down the toilet
Watch out for these 13 smells that could make you sick during pregnancy
What’s that smell? Cue sick bucket
- Watch out for these 13 smells that could have you running to the nearest bathroom in two seconds flat
It’s scientific fact that the estrogen you produce during your pregnancy directly heightens your olfactory system which in simple terms means, every smell in the world is going to bother you for nine months.
Here’s a few to give a wide birth (excuse the pun) while you are pregnant.
1. Eggs
Not the greatest smell in the world at the best of times, but particularly hard boiled eggs can have your gag reflex going into overdrive when you’re pregnant.
2. Mature cheese
Whether you’re a fan of strong cheeses usually or not, the smell during pregnancy can be too much to bear and even if you don’t agree when you’re not pregnant, you may start to understand why people refer to cheeses smelling like dirty old socks.
3. Coffee
Yup, afraid so. Particularly in your first trimester, the mere passing of a coffee shop could have you running for cover.
4. Perfume
The combined smell of various perfumes and cosmetics can be too much when you’re pregnant so the beauty counters in department stores are quite possibly a no go zone for nine months.
5. Alcohol
Whatever your favourite tipple normally, don’t worry about missing alcohol during your pregnancy as the mere whiff of anything alcoholic could have you heaving.
6. The contents of the fridge
The moment you open the fridge door in the morning, the wretching can start, it won’t even matter if the fridge is empty, the combination of food smells can just be unbearable.
7. Pet food
Even putting out the dog’s dry food could be too much to bear, so now is a great time to throw that little chore over to your partner, and obviously any poop scooping needs will not be your responsibility for nine months either.
8. Car air fresheners
Do not even get in a car that has had one of those dangly air fresheners in it in the last month, the lingering sweet smell could turn you green in an instant.
9. Leather
Whether it’s leather car seats or a sofa, or even a jacket, avoid, avoid, avoid!
10. Farms
If you have a toddler who is desperate to go to a farm or zoo in your nine months, come on dad, step up, even with a full on face mask, you may not be able to cope with the animal smells.
11. Your partner’s smelly feet
Gross at the best of times, but when you’re pregnant, the smell could become a make or break situation.
12. Play Doh
That sickly sweet smell as your little ones roll and squeeze Play Doh could put you off ever having the stuff in your house again.
13. Baby poo and sick
When you're pregnant, you may lose that mum immunity to the smell of baby sick and poo and changing a nappy can literally make your eyes water!
The good news is once baby arrives, your sense of smell will return to normal, whether you’ll ever eat strong cheese again after likening the smell to dirty old socks, is your call!