Morning sickness can be a bear.
Okay fine, it is a bear.
It’s no fun. Annoying. And can suck the fun out of finding out you’re expecting a new bundle of joy.
Over 80% of pregnant women experience some kind of (mild to severe) nausea during pregnancy. For most, morning sickness mainly occurs during the 1st trimester however, it’s not uncommon for the nausea (& sometimes vomiting) to last all day and beyond the 1st 3 months.
Here are the Top 10 Ways to Relieve & Avoid Morning Sickness
These are in no particular order and some methods may work like a charm while others not at all. Keep in mind: every one is different, not to mention every pregnancy is different as well.
- Avoid eating big meals & eat small meals throughout the day – as often as every 20-30 minutes if necessary. It can be a nuisance, but so can vomiting & feeling horrible. For many the key is to not get hungry. If you’re used to not eating until you’re officially hungry this is new territory for you. It’s time to become more of a grazer. At least while the morning sickness is around. Keep snacking throughout they day, keeping something in your stomach at all times. Sip on water throughout the day as well to avoid dehydration.
- Keep snacks & water by the bed
- If you wake up in the middle of the night to pee, take a few bites of your bedside snack while you’re up
- Wake up early! You need time to get out of bed slowly. Eat something & drink a few sips of water before you step foot out of bed.
- Sip water or black tea throughout the day (avoid green tea as it interferes w the absorption of folate)
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- Avoid potent foods that can turn the stomach (like fish), greasy or spicy foods that cause gas (broccoli, cabbage, cruciferous veggies), & sodas as well as they can cause gas and irritate the stomach
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- Stick w bland foods / low odor:
- rice
- crackers
- steamed veggies (like carrots)
- fresh fruit
- sprouted grain breads
- chicken broth
- soups
- plain potatoes
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- Never skip the prenatal vitamins – especially B6. I get it. Many times when you’re nauseous swallowing large capsules is the last thing you want to do. But if you can power through it can relieve the nausea & make you feel quite better overall. If you just can’t do it, take liquid prenatals if you have to. Studies have found vitamin B6 (which should be found in all prenatal vitamins) to be safe to take during pregnancy and is effective at alleviating nausea. Everyone is different however, and the dose of B6 to alleviate the morning sickness varies from person to person so give yourself time to figure out how much helps you individually. This is a great supplement as it has a combination of ginger & B6 to help you feel better quick!
+ - Get as many nutrients in as you can. Eating whatever you want during pregnancy can actually be what’s making your morning sickness worse. Note that what will make you feel better are herbs and vitamins – things you’ll find in real food. If you find yourself eating more junk food, foods void of much color or that are delivered to through your driver’s side window that could be contributing to you feeling crummy. Don’t get me wrong here & start scrutinizing over calories or even nutrients but find a good balance – where you can indulge a little but are still getting plenty (plenty!) of nutrient rich foods in for the most part. Think smoothies (add a handful of spinach or baby kale – you can’t taste it I promise), juicing veggies, stir fry, soups and hearty stews with plenty of vegetables and whole fruits such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, apples, pears & mangos.
+ - Ginger: The most active ingredients to alleviate morning sickness in ginger are the pungent principles, particularly gingerols and shogaols. For decades ginger has been shown to be safe & effective in preventing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (plus – it helps increase breast milk after baby arrives – bonus!). Depending on preference and degree of morning sickness (or all-day sickness) ginger comes in many different forms: tea, gum, candy, suckers. Feel free to sip, chew, eat or suck on your ginger of choice as needed. I’ve met many women who don’t like the taste of ginger. This peach ginger tea is tasty & has been a hit with many mama’s! As one reviewer put it, “it saved my bacon during 1st trimester”. Haha!
+ - Peppermint: Just like with ginger – peppermint can be used in different ways to take the edge off morning sickness. Eating peppermint candy or (from a poll I took) using peppermint essential oil by diffusing it or rubbing it behind your ears and on your chest has helped many expectant mothers with morning sickness. Peppermint tea can also be sipped on throughout the day or when symptoms 1st begin can be a great morning sickness fighter as well.
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+ - Lemons: According to Fit Pregnancy, “Sniff them, eat them, lick them—the refreshing smell and taste calm many women’s stomachs. Suck on lemon drops if fresh fruit isn’t available.”
+ - Sea bands: These helpful little things use accupressure to help ward off morning sickness symptoms. Clinical trials have shown the effectiveness of these bands, worn on the wrist, in alleviating nausea and vomiting. Because these have been so effective in motion sickness as well you can find them at most grocery stores in the pharmacy isles.
+ - Stay hydrated. Pregnant or not, getting dehydrated doesn’t feel good. Not to mention it’s definitely the most important when the baby’s fluid around them is primarily water (along with nutrients, hormones and antibodies). If chugging water isn’t an option without your body retaliating against you, suck on ice cubs or frozen natural fruit juice popsicles as needed to keep up your water intake. The standard recommendation is to drink 8-10 glasses of water per day. However, that doesn’t have to be all in a glass. Eating foods with higher water content such as fruits, veggies, milk, tea, yogurt, etc counts. No need to measure though – pale yellow urine is a good indication you’re meeting your fluid needs per day.
How do you fight and alleviate morning sickness? Comment below!
References:
- The Effectiveness of Ginger in the Prevention of Nausea & Vomiting during Pregnancy and Chemotherapy | Integr Med Insights. 2016; 11: 11–17. Published online 2016 Mar 31.
- https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/amniotic-fluid.aspx
- https://www.babycenter.com/404_how-much-water-should-i-drink-while-im-pregnant_5283.bc
