Morning sickness is so cliché. But while common, it’s not universal and it doesn’t have to keep you down.

Morning sickness is caused by the hormonal changes your body experiences during early pregnancy. For some women, these new chemicals take some getting used to!

The experience of morning sickness is different not only for every woman, but different for each pregnancy. Some women never experience it at all. Some just feel a little nauseous for a few hours a day. Some seem to get no rest from it. For most women, morning sickness subsides after the first trimester of pregnancy, but some feel it for the full nine months. There’s no way to predict what your pregnancy will be like.

If morning sickness is not too severe, you can get relief by taking some simple steps: Eat in small meals. Keep saltines with you, so if you get nauseous you can get something into your stomach that won’t make you even sicker. Note when you tend to experience nausea. Sometimes it will be triggered by certain foods or certain smells. Once you know what they are, you can avoid them.

If your nausea is really severe, ask your doctor if there’s anything you can take for it. Don’t take any medication while you’re pregnant, though, without your doctor’s knowledge and approval.