Morning sickness can be a frustrating part of a pregnancy journey. If you have experienced it before, you possibly know that the name is cruelly misleading. The nauseous feeling can strike anytime during the day or at night. It can be a recurrent queasiness for some women, climaxing in the morning and dissipating in the afternoon.
For others, it is a robust reaction to particular tastes or smells. Even worse, few unfortunate women feel like it’s an all-around-the-clock sickness. Many suggest that the best way to overcome the queasiness is to give it some time. However, embracing the following remedies can offer relief to morning sickness.
1. Eat Smaller Portions More Frequently
Many of us eat three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but things get different when you are pregnant. Taking small portions five or more times a day stabilizes your blood sugar levels. This keeps you from being too full or too hungry since both of these feelings can worsen your morning sickness.
The simplest way to begin eating more often is to introduce small meals between your normal ones. For instance, you can add one between your breakfast and lunch and another between your lunch and dinner.
2. Avoid Strong Smells
Pregnancy is accompanied by hormonal changes, which may make once-pleasing smells unappealing and intolerable. Usually, the estrogen level goes high, which is the hormone responsible for the sense of smell. Even the small of your favorite meal can become a nausea trigger.
If you become more sensitive to the sense of smell during your pregnancy, it is vital to avoid strong smells like perfumes or any specific ones that trigger your nausea. Try carrying fresh smells like lemon extract to sniff when you are in a crowded place and cannot walk away or open a window.
3. Take Ginger to Soothe Your Stomach
Ginger is a non-drug morning sickness treatment that has been proven effective. You can take it in different forms, including tea, chews, or ginger ale. Ginger capsules and tablets are also an excellent option for reducing queasiness. We recommend that you avoid products with artificial ginger flavoring and only take products made with natural ginger. You can even grate fresh ginger on top of your food.
4. Stay Hydrated
Sufficient hydration is critical to your health and that of your baby. So, there is no question about staying hydrated when you are pregnant. You must be careful with your choices of drinks because your favorite ones may not be the best for your condition. For instance, soda and coffee have higher caffeine, which can lead to dehydration.
Sports drinks are very sugary, which can upset your stomach even more. Plain water should be your best friend when it comes to hydrating during pregnancy. You can sip from a water bottle throughout the day to avoid feeling nauseous. If plain water does not appeal to you, you can add a squeeze of lemon or your favorite fruit infusion to add taste. Avoid taking water for 20 minutes before and after your meal.
5. Take Anti-Nausea Foods More Often
Anti-nausea foods are very effective in guarding against morning sickness. While your cravings may lead you to take ice cream and pickles, avoiding such combinations can prevent nausea.
Foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and soups provide your body with essential nutrients necessary for fighting queasiness. Try to take at least three fruits per day along with healthy fats such as avocado or coconut oil.
Further, studies show that proteins provide a long-lasting morning sickness relief compared to carbohydrates. So you can eat high protein snacks such as nuts, cheese cottage, yogurt, and seeds.
6. Pay Attention to What Your Body Wants
Listening to your body helps you know what works for you and what doesn’t. By doing so, you can quickly determine the kind of foods, drinks, and smells that are tolerable to you.
For instance, your cravings can tell you what kind of nutrients you are lacking. It is also crucial to know when you have had enough food or need more to guard yourself against nausea.
7. Distract Yourself
Severe morning sickness, especially in the first trimester, may be difficult to ignore, but it may help find something that takes your mind off. Try going for a short walk, reading a book, or doing a Sudoku puzzle.
Some women claim that a little exercise provides relief to their nausea. However, you should consult your doctor before taking that route to be safe. As already mentioned, listening to your body is also vital. You should stop doing exercise if you feel more queasy or tired.
8. Take Vitamin B6 and Doxylamine Supplements
Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine, helps ease nausea and vomiting during pregnancy and is readily available in pharmacies. It is an excellent alternative to anti-nausea medications. The supplements come in the form of pills, and doses of up to 200mg are safe with minimal side effects.
If Vitamin B6 alone does not reduce nausea, you can combine it with Doxylamine. This antihistamine is effective in blocking certain nausea-triggering chemicals in the body. You can decide to take them individually or together. They are harmless to the fetus, and some doctors prescribe drugs that have both ingredients.
9. Wear a Motion-Sickness Wristband
You have probably heard of people wearing wristbands to curb nausea when traveling, but how about using them while pregnant? These bands apply pressure on the P6 pressure point or the Nei Guan point on your wrist, which gently restores your body balance. If you do not have the band at hand, you can try applying light pressure on this spot with your fingers. It is directly beneath your index finger.
10. Take Your Prenatal Vitamin with Your Dinner
Taking your prenatal vitamin in the morning can worsen your morning sickness. The vitamins and minerals influx can accelerate the nauseous feeling and even lead to vomiting. We recommend taking them with dinner, or after because your system has been digesting all day, so the vitamin won’t be a shock. Besides, taking the vitamin with your dinner enables your system to effectively break it down.
When to Seek Medical Attention
0.5 to 2% of pregnant women experience hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition accompanied by persistent nausea and vomiting, which often leads to dehydration. The condition often occurs before the 20th week of pregnancy and may result in a significant weight loss. Women who experience Hyperemesis gravidarum are often hospitalized to restore lost fluids and nutrients. The most concerning symptoms include:
- Rapid heartbeat
- Excessive salivation
- Rising pulse rate
- Cramping and abdominal or pelvic pain
- Over 5 pounds of weight loss
- Vomiting many times daily with bloodstains in the vomit
- Dehydration signs such as dizziness when standing, dark urine, and infrequent urination
In case you encounter any of these symptoms, be sure to contact your prenatal provider immediately for special attention.
How Binto Can Help
A healthy lifestyle during pregnancy goes a long way in warding off nausea and keeping you and your baby healthy. Embracing the above tips will keep your queasiness at bay.
If you are seeking authentic prenatal vitamins or supplements, check out Binto. We have high-quality ingredients to help you feel best when going through a hard time, both emotionally and physically. Click here to book a consultation and allow us to make your pregnancy journey smoother.