Apparently another fun side effect of pregnancy starts around the second trimester involving my nose. According to my What to Expect Pregnancy Club daily email, “the mucous membranes of your nose may start to swell from all the pregnancy hormones circulating in your body, which are also increasing blood flow there. The result? Your nose probably already knows: congestion, and possibly even nosebleeds.” Oh joy.
Well, over the last couple days I kept getting these really bad headaches. Not headaches like I normally get, since I am a migraine girl myself, but intense pain right between my eyes. Knowing the majority of headaches are either due to lack of sleep, hunger, or dehydration, I was going to bed even earlier, frequently snacking, and drinking tons of water. Nothing was even touching this thing. Finally I cracked and took some Tylenol. (I know, I know. Stone me. I’m hurting my unborn child. But at least it wasn’t crack, right?) But even that barely did anything and wore off quickly. Starting to get desperate and thinking that my baby just wants me to be miserable for the rest of my life, I did what all desperate women do: I went to Google.
After skimming over all the horrible sites proclaiming I had every disorder or life-threatening condition in the book, I found something that clicked. I was having a sinus headache. I retrieved the email about my nose and it all made sense. The email went on to recommend some pregnancy safe solutions such as saline sprays, nasal strips or humidifiers. Since my family always had a humidifier when I was growing up, I promptly pulled up Target.com to do some research (they have great user reviews on products from REAL people not those whose paycheck depends on them pushing this product). Well last night after work I stopped in and picked up my new humidifier, set it up when I got home and went to sleep. And I woke up this morning, only slightly stuffy, but without a headache. Glory be!
For those of you (like my husband) who mock my choice of humidifier, I would like to point out that it got BY FAR the best reviews of all the humidifiers out there. Plus it was (comparatively) cheap! And I figure since this kid is the one creating the need for a humidifier in the first place, I can pass it along to Maybe Baby for in the nursery. Besides, it is really cute and the vapor actually comes out of the trunk. And how can you argue with that?
Hi Honey! I used to get sinus headaches when I was a kid and a good thing to do is to go lay down in a dark room and put a wet washcloth, as hot as you can stand, right across the section of your sinuses that hurts. Try to lay there for about 20 minutes. Always cleared me up.
sinus headaches are not fun. this year seems to be exceptionally bad for allergies etc. i am glad that the elephant has helped out 🙂
I am amused. But also sympathetic because I know the power and pain of the sinus headache (I knew what the diagnosis was going to be as soon as you mentioned "headache"), and having to deal with those without the at least temporary aid of serious drugs is too horrid to contemplate. So humidify away, creepy or no.
Too funny. That is kinda creepy actually.
I contemplated the frog. But I thought the elephant was a little more unisex. Frog kinda screams boy to me. Plus, on the frog the vapor comes out of his eye. Now I don’t know about you, but that kinda creeps me out.
Ha Ha Ha Ha HA! Pretty funny choice indeed. I totally would have gone for the frog though! How could you pass him up, he’s adorable? Was it for your mom’s sake? I know she was always an elephant nut… 😉 Hope your sinuses clear up soon!
Well, that certainly is different! Glad your headache has passed.