Pregnancy nausea and morning sickness come with various symptoms and can slow you down.
With today’s discussion, you will learn facts and tips on how to reduce morning sickness. This is especially for you if you are a first-time mother going through pregnancy in its early stages.
A quick fact check: What is Morning Sickness
Morning Sickness usually begins at the end of the first trimester and continues throughout pregnancy. So, some women experience this situation for only a few weeks, while others cannot eat for the entire duration of their pregnancy.
While it’s not harmful to your baby, it can make you feel exhausted, dehydrated, and miserable.
But do not worry. You are not alone. Did you know? About one in five pregnant women experience nausea and vomiting, but morning sickness hits every woman differently.
Hormones, food, and stress can cause morning sickness. But the good news is that there are ways to reduce the symptoms of morning sickness.
Ways On How to Reduce Morning Sickness
If it’s your first time expecting, this article can help you; here are seven ways to reduce morning sickness.
Drink ginger tea or ginger ale
Ginger is an effective treatment for nausea during pregnancy. In addition, ginger helps fight morning sickness by stimulating the digestive system.
Ginger contains natural anti-nausea properties that may help relieve morning sickness in some women who are sensitive to smells and tastes during pregnancy.
So whenever you feel nauseous, try sipping on ginger tea or ginger ale. Doing so may help soothe your stomach. However, if you don’t like these beverages, try adding honey or lemon juice to them for flavour.
You can also try eating crystallized ginger pieces — be sure to cook them first correctly so they don’t cause problems with low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia).
It’s important to note that not all studies show that ginger helps with morning sickness.
Also, if you try ginger and find it doesn’t help, don’t worry! There are many other options available.
Eat some crackers before you get out of bed in the morning.
Eating anything first thing in the morning may be challenging if you have morning sickness. But eating a few crackers before bed might help slow your stomach emptying and reduce nausea.
Your body needs time to adjust from horizontal to vertical before eating anything substantial. So if you rush into breakfast too quickly, it could make your stomach even more upset than usual.
Don’t eat for at least 30 minutes after getting up. Then eat something like saltines or pretzels to help prevent nausea and vomiting. You can do this every day until your symptoms go away, even if it means waking up earlier each day.
Change your prenatal vitamin to one that is not as hard on your stomach.
For example, change it if you take a multivitamin every day and have been since before you got pregnant.
Many women find that their morning sickness symptoms subside when they switch from multivitamins to folic acid supplements or eat more leafy greens, oranges, and whole grains.
Many women find prenatal vitamins nauseous, especially in the morning. So, if you’re already taking a prenatal vitamin, try switching brands or taking a different type of vitamin that doesn’t contain as many pills per serving (making them harder on your stomach).
You can also try changing to a chewable form of vitamin. Or consider taking one without iron if you have a history of iron deficiency anaemia or had iron-rich foods like spinach or liver before getting pregnant (you’ll need more iron when breastfeeding).
Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
Eat small meals throughout the day instead of three larger meals per day. Eating smaller meals may help keep food down better than eating fewer large ones at mealtimes.
Snacking may help prevent nausea from arising while eating because it prevents long periods between meals when your stomach has nothing in it to absorb nutrients from food digested by your stomach and intestines.”
You may find that eating five or six times a day instead of three helps reduce nausea.
You may also want to eat foods that contain iron, calcium, and protein at least two hours before bedtime because these foods can cause heartburn or indigestion if consumed close to bedtime.
Avoid smells that are unpleasant to you.
Morning sickness can make you nauseous, especially when certain smells trigger your gag reflexes. This includes strong odours like cigarette smoke and cooking odours.
Avoiding those odours may help prevent nausea until it passes.
Keep a journal of what you eat and what symptoms you experience after eating.
Many foods are thought to cause nausea or morning sickness, but there is not much research evidence to support these claims. Healthcare professionals report that these foods can cause nausea or vomiting during pregnancy:
- Raw or undercooked fish or shellfish
- Aged cheese like Parmesan, blue cheese, and Brie
- Smoked meats and fish
- Caffeine (coffee, black tea, and chocolate)
- Spicy foods
Therefore it is crucial to keep a journal of what you eat and what symptoms you experience after eating. This will help you figure out which foods trigger your nausea to avoid them in the future.
If you make notes on a smartphone app like MyFitnessPal or LoseIt!, the information will be automatically stored in the cloud and easy to access whenever you want it.
Eat food that settles your stomach.
Some foods may worsen morning sickness, so it’s essential to find out what works for you. Experiment with different foods until you find ones that settle your stomach and provide energy without making you nauseous.
Avoid greasy, spicy, and acidic foods, which may worsen your nausea. Instead, choose bland and easy foods on the stomach — like toast with peanut butter, crackers, or yoghurt — until your nausea passes.
Drink plenty of fluids.
Staying hydrated is essential for everyone, but it’s especially crucial when dealing with morning sickness.
So drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. The more hydrated you are, the less likely you’ll feel nauseous or vomit.
Drink water, juice, milk, and other liquids throughout the day; don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink something. Instead, try sipping little water every few minutes instead of gulping down large amounts.
Final Thoughts
Morning sickness can be a real scourge for pregnant women, and it’s uncomfortable, embarrassing, and sometimes painful. But, you can reduce morning sickness by making minor changes to your diet and daily life.
While there’s no cure for morning sickness, there are several things you can do to reduce its severity and duration. But before you do anything, understand what it is and how it affects you.
Next, try some tips above to control your nausea and vomiting. Remember that morning sickness usually starts in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy but can last throughout your entire pregnancy.
It’s good to note that all women experience nausea and vomiting differently during their pregnancies. Some women may only experience mild nausea (or none), while others may feel very ill during pregnancy.
If morning sickness is severe or long-lasting, talk to your health care provider; they may be able to recommend other treatments.
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