02 May Morning Sickness Relief Naturally
The wonderful news is that you’re pregnant! You’ve survived the TWW and got the results you’ve been waiting…Wait! Where are you going? Ah! Yes.
Yet another trip to the bathroom (or nearest trashcan, or the most vacant corner of the grocery store parking lot…)
Congratulations! You’re Pregnant…and Suffering From Morning Sickness
Morning sickness, most common in the first trimester of pregnancy and affecting more than 50% of pregnant women, really puts a downer on the joy of pregnancy. That’s especially true if you’re particularly sensitive and experience more dramatic symptoms, or if your nausea and vomiting use precious sick days you were reserving for fertility treatments.
If you feel you’re experiencing extreme symptoms of morning sickness (Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG)), contact your doctor. Symptoms of HG include:
- Vomiting that does not abate, even after the typical 12- to 13-week first trimester
- Weight loss or failure to gain weight
- Nausea, vomiting and/or fatigue that prevents you from working, playing or doing anything at all
- Complete loss of appetite, unable to keep anything down
- Dehydration
Fortunately, HG only occurs in 1% or less of all pregnancies.
Natural, Side Effect-Free Remedies for Morning (Anytime) Sickness
Just so you know, the term morning sickness is not applicable to the reality. Most women feel particularly queasy in the morning due to their empty stomach (read below), but as you’re probably aware, it can hit you just any ol’ time.
While there are medications available to treat morning sickness, be very mindful of the fact that there could be side effects that negatively impact your developing baby and may not be known until years down the road. For this reason, we recommend doing all you can to weather the morning sickness storm using natural remedies, knowing that all will be better once you’re established into your second trimester.
Eat smaller snacks and meals more frequently
By and large, pregnancy related nausea and vomiting revs up when the stomach is empty. Most women find that snacking, grazing or eating small meals throughout the day and evening is more sustainable than sticking to their normal “three meals a day” rhythm.
Season your life (purse, desk drawers, glove compartment…) with ginger
Ginger is a known remedy for stomach pain, nausea and general tummy upset. Fortunately, you can find all kinds of ways to ingest natural ginger (real ginger – not ginger flavoring) via:
- Tea
- Lollipops
- Chews and hard candies
- Pickled/preserved (in your Asian food market or ethnic foods section of the grocery store)
- Ginger beer or ginger ale made with real ginger
Ginger capsules/supplements may work but don’t seem to be as effective as the above methods.
Keep saltines or similar dry, salty crackers everywhere
These dry, salty crackers seem to be a hit when it comes to helping with nausea. First, they help achieve the “snack often” adviso cited above. Second, their alkaline (via backing soda and cream of tartar) nature quells activated stomach acids, therefore diminishing nausea.
Keep them on hand, focusing on your nightstand or where you wind down in the evening. Nibble on them and sip some water when you get up to go to the bathroom in the middle night and before you get up in the morning.
Suck on (or smell) something sour
Many women find that sucking on sour, hard candies (or slowly eating things like dill pickles, lemon slices, etc.) stave off nausea. Citrus popsicles (preferably made from real juice) are also helpful and delicious.
Try aromatherapy
Along those same lines, smelling certain aromas relieve nausea (while others exacerbate it to the breaking point).
Some of the scents women report helped relieve morning sickness are:
- Lemon
- Orange
- Citrus blends
- Peppermint
Just put a few drops on a cotton ball and keep it with you to smell when your tummy acts up or when you’re in the presence of an offending smell.
Time prenatal vitamins accordingly
Most women find there is some rhyme and reason regarding the rhythm of when they are the most/least likely to feel sick or vomit, what foods they’re most likely to keep down, etc. Take your prenatal vitamin during more optimal windows.
For example, nighttime may be better than morning, or you may want to ask your healthcare provider for a prenatal vitamin without iron (which tends to irritate stomachs) until you’ve made it past the morning sickness phase.
Do pregnancy-friendly exercises
Believe it or not, women who get up and going (fueled by small, healthy snacks!) with a regular exercise routine tend to have milder symptoms of morning sickness.
We wish you the best and hope that you’re one of the 99% that bid farewell to morning sickness during your second trimester.
Have questions about potential infertility issues? Contact that team here at the Fertility Center of Dallas to schedule an appointment.