Morning Sickness Tips and Tricks
Feeling queasy? A common early pregnancy symptom is morning sickness! It’s usually harmless and caused by a rise in hormones and other factors. If you are experiencing this not-so-fun part of pregnancy, here are some tips and tricks you can try to alleviate the symptoms a little.
Eat Certain Foods
Eating certain foods can actually help improve your gut health and may prevent symptoms of morning sickness. These include:
- Cold yogurt
- Ginger ale
- Fruits (watermelon, berries, etc)
- Vegetables
- Lemons
- Peppermint tea
- Popsicles
- Cold smoothies
- Fresh fruit juices
- Crackers
- Pretzels
Everyone experiences different triggers of morning sickness, so try a variety of these foods and see what works for you!
Keep It Bland
Sometimes spicy or oily foods can trigger and further worsen symptoms of morning sickness. If these are a part of your diet, try to avoid eating extra spicy or fatty foods and see if that helps alleviate your nausea. Stick to bland foods for a while, like chicken broth, soups, and crackers, until your symptoms settle for a bit.
Plain Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are amazing for a lot of reasons! They’re flavorful and they’re full of nutrition, both of which may help with morning sickness. Fruits like watermelon can even help you stay hydrated as well as help regulate your blood sugar level.
High Vitamin B6
Studies have shown that eating foods high in Vitamin B6 or ingesting B6 supplements may help relieve symptoms of nausea. ACOG recommends a combination of Vitamin B6 and doxylamine for symptoms of morning sickness. Taking these has been shown to be safe for pregnancy and poses no harm to the fetus. (Please check with your healthcare provider before changing any of your current vitamin and supplement routine.)
5-6 Small Meals a Day (instead of 3 regular meals)
Sometimes eating too much at once can aggravate symptoms of nausea. This happens partly because your digestion slows down significantly during pregnancy. If this is affecting you, try eating 4 to 5 small meals over the course of the day instead of the typical large meals 3 times a day. This can help feel full for a longer time and may aid digestive issues.
Cold foods
Cold foods such as smoothies, yogurt, and cold drinks (water or flavored seltzer) can help relieve symptoms of nausea and vomiting. These can also prevent dehydration that may arise with vomiting.
Ginger: tea, ale, candies
Ginger greatly helps combat nausea symptoms for many people and it is also considered safe during pregnancy. You can find it in ginger tea or you can add ginger into food or soups. The carbonation in ginger ale soda can also help settle an uneasy stomach.
Use Aromatherapy
Scents can make a big difference in nausea symptoms. Try infusing your favorite essential oils to offset your symptoms. If you’re not sure which ones to use, give peppermint, lavender, or ginger a try.
Motion Sickness Bands or Acupressure Points
Motion sick bands are safe and harmless when worn properly. They are easy to get on Amazon or can usually be found at your local drug store. The bands work by stimulating the P6 (or Nei-Kuan) acupressure point, which can help relieve nausea regardless of what’s causing it, even if it’s due to a pregnancy-related hormonal shift.
Take Your Prenatal Vitamin With Food
Prenatal vitamins are very important to take during pregnancy, but one common mistake is taking them on an empty stomach. Some vitamins aren’t digested easily on an empty stomach, which can be another cause of nausea. Always try to take your vitamin supplements with a snack or meal.
Cold Washcloth
Applying a cold washcloth to the forehead, face, and neck has a soothing effect and can also help relieve nausea symptoms. Cooling neck wraps are a nice alternative and can provide longer relief, too.
We hope these tips and tricks help you have a more comfortable pregnancy! However, if you feel like you are vomiting too much and are unable to keep anything down, or if you are experiencing extreme fatigue, have noticed a decrease in urination, or have lost weight because of your morning sickness symptoms, be sure to contact your healthcare provider for help.