May - 7, 2024

How to Manage Morning Sickness

Are you in the first trimester and trying to figure out how you will survive your morning sickness? We have some tips that can help manage the nausea and vomiting. 

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Morning sickness usually begins around week 8 of pregnancy, and for most women ends somewhere around 16 weeks. Not everyone who becomes pregnant will experience morning sickness, and the women who do will have varying degrees in severity. The name “morning sickness,” is a little misleading because nausea and vomiting can strike at any time during the day or night. Now that we’ve got that covered, let’s go over some of the remedies you can try out to help get your morning sickness under control.

Remedies

Try one or all of these remedies to figure out what works best for you with managing your symptoms. Because everyone is different, what works for one person might not work for you and vice versa. 

Eat Small, Frequent Meals

You may not feel like eating, but having an empty stomach may exacerbate the symptoms of morning sickness. Figure out what foods you’re able to keep down and try to keep them on hand. It would be wise to pack small snacks in your bag, such as crackers or nuts, to help keep the nausea at bay while you’re out and about. 

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Protein-packed foods can also help stave off symptoms of morning sickness and may have a longer-lasting effect than foods that are high in carbohydrates. Avoid foods that trigger your morning sickness.

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Eating beats before pregnancy and during the first trimester could help clean the portals between the liver and the gall bladder, making it easier for the liver to break down any excess buildup of hormones causing morning sickness.

Ginger and Sour Candy

Ginger root can be consumed as candy, lozenges, soda, and tea. It’s used around the world to combat many forms of nausea, including morning sickness. 

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Sour candy has also been used to settle a sour tummy. It doesn’t just have to be candy though, drinking lemon water or sucking on a lemon can help too. 

Hydrate

Staying hydrated will be especially important if your morning sickness causes you to vomit often. It may be difficult at first to find the right amount of hydration since too much water in a short amount of time can make you feel too full contributing to worsened nausea, and too little water can cause dehydration that will intensify nausea. Take your time to drink your water, but make sure you’re getting enough. You can also eat watermelon in between meals as a snack to help boost your hydration. 

Light Exercise

Exercising is probably one of the last things you want to be thinking about or doing when you’re struggling with morning sickness, but it can help reduce symptoms of nausea and pregnancy fatigue as well. You don’t have to go all out and exhaust yourself doing a full circuit, but going for a stroll around your neighborhood would be greatly beneficial. Check out this blog post to learn more Easy Exercises You Can Do During Pregnancy.

Sleep Well

This is one of those things where we tell you to try to get a good night’s sleep, and you try your best and take what you can get. Sleeping well during pregnancy is often a challenge but can be especially difficult if you are battling nausea and vomiting. The better you can rest, the better you will feel the following day, so set up a nice bedtime routine to signal to your brain when it’s time to sleep. 

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) is a form of severe morning sickness that can last throughout your pregnancy and can lead to needing to seek medical treatment or hospitalization. If you cannot keep any food or fluids down, contact your midwife and explain your symptoms as soon as possible to avoid dehydration. Symptoms of HG include: 

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• Severe nausea and vomiting
• Weight loss
• Dehydration- lightheadedness, dark and smelly urine, thirsty, woozy

Takeaway

Eat what you can keep down, rest well, hydrate, and try some light exercise to manage your morning sickness. If you are still struggling to keep your nausea and vomiting under control, contact your midwives for help. 

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For more information, schedule an appointment today!

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