Tips For Dealing With Morning Sickness

Nausea and vomiting are common in the early stages of pregnancy. Many pregnant people experience morning sickness, most commonly in the first trimester. Fortunately, there are proven tips for morning sickness that can help you manage your symptoms.

Understanding Morning Sickness

The name morning sickness is misleading since the condition isn’t limited to the morning. You can have episodes at any time of the day or even feel sick all day long.

Morning sickness often begins around the sixth week of pregnancy due to increasing hormone levels. If there’s an upside to experiencing the condition, it’s that some doctors feel that morning sickness indicates the placenta is developing correctly.

How Do I Deal with Morning Sickness All Day?

Use the pregnancy sickness tips below to spend less time nauseous and more time enjoying your pregnancy. While there’s no agreed-upon “best way to stop morning sickness,” you may find one or more of the morning sickness strategies work for you.

Home remedies and lifestyle adjustments

• Consume ginger. Ginger is a plant whose roots may help relieve or reduce morning sickness symptoms. It comes fresh-grated or in teas, ginger ale, capsules, candies, etc.
• Try aromatherapy. Some people find that the scents of specific essential oils help them get through bouts of morning sickness with less nausea and vomiting.
• Get more rest. Being tired can amplify morning sickness symptoms.
• Use acupressure. Studies on these bands, which can be found at most pharmacies, have had mixed results, but they provide relief for some people.
• Have acupuncture treatments. Like acupressure, acupuncture (where a practitioner inserts thin needles into your skin) isn’t a proven remedy for morning sickness. However, some people find it reduces their symptoms.
• Try hypnosis. This practice hasn’t been researched much as a treatment for morning sickness, but some people benefit from it.

Dietary strategies to ease symptoms

• Snack frequently. Keeping food in your stomach without getting full can help minimize morning sickness. Many pregnant people find it helpful to have a few crackers even before they get out of bed in the morning.
• Select the right foods. The best foods for minimizing morning sickness are high in protein and low in fat. Easily digestible foods like rice, toast, applesauce, and bananas are also good options. Avoid spicy and greasy foods. Some people find that salty foods help them manage their morning sickness symptoms.
• Get plenty of fluids. Sipping water throughout the day is helpful. Try to consume at least 6 to 8 cups.
• Identify your nausea triggers. Many people discover that specific foods and smells cause or worsen their nausea. Determine if you have triggers and avoid them when you can.
• Understand the effect of your prenatal vitamins. Some people feel nauseous after taking prenatal vitamins. It may help to take them with food. You can also try gummy or chewable versions.
• Remember to rinse after vomiting. Swishing some water with a teaspoon of baking soda can protect your teeth from the damaging effects of stomach acid.

Experiment to find the best morning sickness tips for you.

When to Seek Medical Help

Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy are typically manageable with some combination of the tips to ease morning sickness provided in this article. If none are effective, your doctor may prescribe a short-term anti-nausea medicine called an antiemetic.

However, some pregnant people develop a more severe form of morning sickness called hyperemesis gravidarum. It can cause you to be dehydrated and malnourished. If you feel like your morning sickness is especially intense, be sure to tell your doctor. They may want to perform a physical exam and order urine and blood tests to determine if you have hyperemesis gravidarum so they can treat you for it.

If you don’t have a Baptist Health provider, find a mother and baby care doctor now.