Tips For Dealing With Morning Sickness
Oh the dreaded morning sickness! Which is really not a fair term since it can strike at any time of night or day and even persist throughout the whole day. Its known that about 70% of moms experience nausea and about 50% experience vomiting. Morning sickness sometimes starts as early as 6 weeks, but typically peaks around week 8 or 9, with most women finding their nausea has subsided by the start of the second trimester. Here are some of my top tips for dealing with morning sickness! I suggest these to my clients, and have even used most of them myself in my pregnancies.*
Monitor the periods of your nausea. Start a note in your phone and see if there is a trend or pattern. Is it hitting you at the same time each day? Do certain types of foods trigger it? It might take a bit of work, but it might be worth it to nail down your triggers and avoid them or be able to prepare!
Choose your foods carefully. Again, going back to the triggers- maybe dairy is a culprit, maybe its your morning cup of coffee. Never fear, if something specific is to blame, you will more than likely be able to enjoy it again soon!
Eat small and frequent meals or snacks. I know it might be hard, but start small and get something on your stomach! Stay hydrated! I suggest trying lemon water! It helps you stay hydrated, aids in digestion, and even freshens your breath which all will help fight nausea.
Smell something safe! You never know when a yucky (or normally fine) smell will trigger your nausea so I recommend carrying something that you know smells pleasant to you. Whether it is your favorite essential oil roller, mints, or even your chapstick…keep it handy!
Distract yourself with a short walk outside. The change of scenery or even just opening the window to breathe in the fresh air might do the trick.
Ginger! Ginger candy, Gin gin chews, ginger ale, ginger tea…many mamas swear by ginger for helping their nausea! I can’t even tell you how much Northern Neck (IYKYK!) I drank in my first trimesters.
Acupressure wristbands - you know that hot little accessory old ladies wear on cruises? Yep. Those bad boys. Ain’t no shame girl!
An emergency kit! Or as I called it…CAR CRACKERS…okay hear me out…I would always get hangry and on the verge of getting sick because I would go too long without eating, and don’t you know, the car crackers saved my life! (Pro tip/mom hack/whatever you want to call it…you will never not have snacks in your car again! Breastfeeding? Need car snacks. Small kids? Need car snacks. See?!)
Medication. If morning sickness and vomiting are interfering with your daily life and you cannot keep food or fluid down, you need to call your provider. They may be able to prescribe something to help. But they may also find that something bigger is at play!
*This post is not recommended as medical advice. They are my own tried and true tricks to dealing with morning sickness. Please consult your provider.