Helpful Tips for the Woes of Morning Sickness

Author: Shannon Miller Lifestyle

woman with morning sickness

Pregnancy is a wonderful experience for most women.

Excitement, anticipation, and cravings are all part of the journey!

But for some, there is the dreaded morning sickness.

While morning sickness typically subsides after the first trimester, many women can experience that nauseated feeling throughout their entire pregnancy.

According to Dr. Marjorie Greenfield, ob-gyn and author of The Working Woman’s Pregnancy Book, approximately 70 percent of women experience nausea early in pregnancy and about 50 percent experience vomiting.

So how can you get through it? Here are some tips that help you.

  1. Ditch work? – Yes, if you are having one of those mornings when the thought of dragging yourself out of bed for work is only compounding the nausea? Then don’t do it! Take a sick day and give yourself a break. Your body’s working overtime on growing that baby – you deserve it.
  2. Sniff a fresh scent – Certain scents can just make your stomach turn, and when you are in a situation where cannot get away from them, try sniffing fresh scents. Carry a bottle of lemon extract or a sprig of fresh rosemary in your bag, and stealthily sneak a sniff when you can.
  3. Speak up – Being vocal about your feelings to those around you can help alleviate morning sickness misery.
  4. Track your nausea – Your queasiness may seem to come and go as it pleases, but by tuning into your body and your surroundings, you might find that your morning sickness isn’t so random.
  5. Stay Hydrated – To stay hydrated, try different ways of tricking your body into accepting fluids.
  6. Find foods that work for you – Though there’s no hard-and-fast rule about which foods work best for all morning sick mamas-to-be, many women find that it’s easier to keep down certain types of food. Bland, carb-rich snacks like crackers, dry cereal, and pretzels have seen many preggo gals through morning sickness. Track these foods that make you feel better with a food journal.
  7. Eat a little-then eat a little more – Keep a stash (crackers, pretzels, dried fruit, and nuts — or whatever you can keep down) nearby at all times. Nibbling a little bit before you get out of bed in the morning can stave off nausea, and a light bedtime snack will stabilize your blood sugar throughout the night.
  8. Get creative with ginger – Ginger has long been touted as a stomach soother, and studies have shown that it may help quell the queasiness. Try adding a thin slice of ginger to hot water or tea, or sipping flat ginger ale. We also love ginger gum or candies that last a little longer than a small drink.
  9. Adjust your computer – The computer’s bright screen and undetectable strobe effect may make you more nauseated.
  10. Distract yourself – Nausea’s not easy to ignore, but finding something — anything — to take your mind off it may help you forget it for a while.
  11. Carry a survival kit – Don’t leave home without stocking your bag with a few morning sickness must-haves. Change of clothes, snacks etc.
  12. Consider taking meds- If you’re having a hard time keeping anything down, then it’s time to see a doctor who can determine whether you need to take something.
  13. Be open to the unusual – Sometimes the weirdest remedies work!
  14. Take a holistic approach – Many woman do find relief using the holistic methods.  Acupuncture?  Massage?
  15. Lie Down – Sometimes the best solution is the simplest. Try lying down, closing your eyes, taking a few deep breaths, and just getting some rest.

SML TIP:  Some of these tips were helpful at different times.  Every woman responds individually; if you have a remedy for morning sickness that helped you, but is not listed here, won’t you share it with us?

Source:  “15 Tips for Dealing with Morning Sickness”, parents.com

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