That title makes morning sickness sound terrible, doesn't it? Well for some people it is and for some it isn't SO bad. Like everything that has to do with pregnancy, morning sickness differs from person to person and pregnancy to pregnancy. I always say that pregnancy is so amazing how different it can be! The outcome is generally the same but the process can look so different.
Morning sickness is such a tricky symptom of pregnancy. You think you're in the clear, and then BAM! you smell a hotdog and you're throwing up again. The funny thing is that you didn't even know that the smell of those hotdogs would even trigger your nausea! And honestly, I don't even know why it's called "morning" sickness because for some it's all day sickness.... or evening sickness. Nausea DOES NOT CARE! If you know, you know! Lol. I know I'm not the only one that's been there.
When I first sat down to write this blog, I had 10 tips I was going to share for "morning sickness" or pregnancy nausea, as it should be called. By the time I was done writing down my bullet points (like a Southern Baptist pastor), I had 15 tips! But hey, the more the merrier! Please know that not all of these tips will work for every person and some of these may only help ease the nausea but a little is better than nothing. A condition called Hyperemesis gravidarum (or HG as it is commonly referred to) could also be your problem if your morning sickness is like, off the chain, bad. Please, please, please contact your doctor if you're getting absolutely no relief from any other source.
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Now, without further ado, let's get into making you feel better!
1. Eat small meals
You'll want to make sure you ALWAYS have something on your stomach. Instead of eating 3 meals a day, eat 6-8 small meals. Keep food by your nightstand so if (and when) you wake up during the night, you can nibble on some food. Crackers are great to keep by your bed. Bottom line here, eat like a bird!
2. Eat and drink whatever you can
The song 'You can have whatever you like' just popped into my head. For good reason, though! Because it is (mostly) true. Drinking a soft drink is better than drinking nothing at all. If you drinking just water makes you nauseous, then by all means have yourself a Coke, girl! The extra caffeine might even help you feel better. If eating Oreos is the only thing you can keep down, then eat them. Do NOT let yourself go hungry and thirsty. Most importantly, stay hydrated.
3. Coconut water or extra Electrolytes
Sipping coconut water can help you stay extra hydrated. You may also wish to add electrolytes to your water! You can buy electrolyte powder packets at nearly any store! I would try to get the most natural ones, if possible.
4. Chew ice chips
This will give you something to crunch on while also helping you stay hydrated!
5. Eat more protein enriched foods
Peanut butter, nuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, protein powder in a smoothie, protein bars, and trail mix are just a few things you could try to up your protein in take. It's best to eat more protein rich foods than sugary foods because excessive sugar will increase your nausea.
6. PEPPERMINT
Does everyone love peppermint?? You can drink peppermint tea, either hot or cold. You can also chew peppermint candy. Whatever makes your minty lovin' baby happy. Sometimes just chewing on some peppermint gum helps a ton!
7. GINGER!
Gingersnaps, ginger tea, ginger chews. Oh my! Ginger itself has an anti-nausea agent. If the flavor of it turns you off, you can head to your local nature store and grab some supplement ginger pills.
8. Lemon
Add lemon in your water, especially if you're not loving the taste of plain water.
9. Get fresh air
Seriously, go outside for a bit. Fresh air can do wonders for you mentally and help you forget about the nausea.
10. Massage, acupuncture, mindfulness
Okay, all 3 of these! Yes please! Massage won't necessarily help with your nausea, but it will help you relax! Acupuncture, if acupressure doesn't work, can be very beneficial. Read about that here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11843784/ and lastly, mindfulness. I firmly believe that your mindset is EVERYTHING. No matter what the situation is, get your mind right, and you can work through it a bit easier.
11. Morning sickness tea
https://brooklynfarmgirl.com/best-pregnancy-safe-teas/ This is a link to some great, pregnancy safe, tea recipes
12. Sea-bands
These are a form of acupressure and can be bought from any pharmacy! They're worn on your wrists and can help relive nausea.
13. Magnesium
This can be found at pharmacies and nature stores. A magnesium deficiency can causes numerous issues in your body and make your nausea even worse. You can also buy a magnesium spray and spray it on your arms when you're feeling a bit queasy.
14. Vitamin B6
This vitamin can be found at many pharmacies and nature stores as well! Vitamin B6 rich foods are sunflower seeds, bananas, pistachios, and avocadoes.
15. Essential oils
Always ask your Midwife or OB which oils are safe during your pregnancy. You can diffuse essential oils or you can put them on your body, using a carrier oil. You can also sniff them straight from the bottle if nausea hits you out of nowhere. Peppermint, ginger, lemon, lavender and fennel can all help.
Bonus: Preggie Pops - These are sour suckers that can be found at Walmart or Target. They have Vitamin B6 in them!