What Week Does Heightened Sense Of Smell Start In Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time of great physical, emotional, and mental changes for women. During this time, women can experience a variety of symptoms that are considered normal and part of the process. One such symptom is a heightened sense of smell. Many pregnant women report a heightened sense of smell during the course of their pregnancy, which can be both a blessing and a burden. But the question many women have is when does this heightened sense of smell usually start? This blog post will provide an overview of what week heightened sense of smell typically starts in pregnancy and tips for managing it.

What can I do about heightened sense of smell when I’m pregnant?

You can’t cut off your nose, but you can try to stay away from smells that make you nauseous and make other pregnancy-related symptoms worse. Some strategies to try:

Eat smart. Cook and eat only those foods you can stand to smell. Even if the old you loved cauliflower and broccoli, the pregnant you might not like the odor of cooked cruciferous veggies.

Freshen up. Leave your windows open whenever possible to banish cooking or musty odors.

Keep clean. Wash your clothes more often than usual, since fibers tend to hold onto odors.

Baby your nose. Saline washes and sprays can help keep your nasal passages moist and healthy (and also help with congestion, another common pregnancy complaint).

Ditch deodorants. Switch to unscented or lightly scented toiletries and cleaning products (or at least those with fragrances that dont make you sick).

Ask for extra consideration. Ask your partner, family, friends and nearby coworkers if they can be sensitive to your newly superhuman sense of smell. Maybe they can go easy on the perfume and cologne or refrain from reheating fish for lunch.

Microwave it. Heating foods in the microwave tends to produce less odors than other forms of cooking.

Sniff the good stuff. Try to surround yourself with scents that actually make you feel better. Mint, lemon, ginger and cinnamon are more likely to soothe your nausea than make it worse.

Distract your nose. Chew on a piece of gum or suck on a hard candy, which can help take your attention away from odors. Peppermint candies, specifically, may also help with nausea.

Go cold. Eating cold versions of your favorite foods may help, since your senses of taste and smell are so connected. A cold steak sandwich or salmon salad may go over better with your more powerful nose than grilled steak or salmon, which may taste and smell stronger served hot.

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The nose knows, especially when youre pregnant. When your heightened sense of smell during pregnancy makes you want to run for the hills (or the bathroom), here’s how to handle it.

Does the smell of deli sandwiches make you queasy before you’ve even walked into the restaurant and can you guess what’s on the menu?

One more of those odd early signs of pregnancy, studies indicate that up to two-thirds of pregnant women become more sensitive and reactive to the smells around them.

When does heightened sense of smell generally start during pregnancy?

During the first trimester of pregnancy, many women experience changes in their sense of smell. However, the importance of those modifications and their impact on expectant mothers can differ.

For instance, researchers have proposed that some women’s heightened olfactory sensitivity may result in morning sickness. (One study even discovered that pregnant women born anosmic, or without the ability to smell, do not experience morning sickness. Who knew?).

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