Handling pregnancy nausea and vomiting (morning sickness)

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Pregnancy nausea and vomiting
 
What works for one person doesn’t work for everyone. Try out some things. See what works for you. If none of the natural treatments are effective enough, it’s okay to take medicine. Talk to your OB about prescription nausea meds.
 
What you can take or things you can use

• B6 vitamins
• Doxylamine is an antihistamine that can help nausea. There are several brands containing this med. Unisom sleep aid is often recommended. 
• Ginger – ginger ale, drops, chews, ginger snap cookies, capsules (under 1,000mg a day)
• Lemon - lemon mint tea, lemon candy drops, lemonade, lemon water
• Peppermint – candy peppermints, candy canes, or tea
• Acupressure bracelets, often called sea bands 
• Sniffing alcohol swabs is a common nurse’s trick for nausea.

 
Food and drink

• An empty stomach can be an upset stomach. Stay hydrated. Have snacks and small meals throughout the day.
• On the flip side, large meals are not friendly to a sensitive stomach. Portion control. Take it easy. It’s okay to save it for leftovers.
• Sip on water throughout the day.
• Hot tea can be soothing.
• Crackers are a classic choice for sick days. Saltine crackers may not taste good on good days, but they can be your friend on sick days.
• Toast is another classic choice to soothe a nauseous stomach.
• Eating foods high in protein can be helpful.
• Avoid spicy foods. Acidic foods and possibly fried foods may trigger nausea as well.
• Try to stay elevated after you eat. Eating and then lying down can cause reflux.
• If you get nauseous after taking your prenatal vitamins, make sure you take it with food or eat soon after taking vitamins.
  

 
Comfort

• Put a cold towel on your forehead.
• Sitting in front of a fan or using a hand fan can be comforting to some people when they are feeling sick.
• For some women, cooler temperatures calm nausea. Extra air conditioner in the bedroom, anyone?
• Aromatherapy with essential oils: peppermint, ginger, lemon, and lavender.
• Avoid triggers. If certain foods or smells trigger your pregnancy nausea and vomiting, avoid them as much as possible.

 
Calm Yourself

• Steady your breath. Breathe in. Breathe out. Close your eyes. Regather. Calmness.
• Minimize stress as much as you can. Tension and nausea do not play well together. Do what you need to do to avoid stress.

 
Support

• If you’re having a good day, make some freezer meals for those bad days.
• If you have certain times of day or night that you are often most nauseous, try to schedule everything else around that. 
• If you have older children, get help with child care so you can take care of you.
• If you are able to get help with the cooking and cleaning, it’s okay to ask for help.

 
Self-care

• Go outside for some fresh air.
• Sit down. Slow down. Slow your pace.
• Rest when you can.
• Let go of guilt. Cleaning the house can wait. You are busy growing a human. There is no shame in taking care of yourself.
• It’s okay to decline or cancel activities. Stay home if you want to.
• Take care of yourself.

 

They say pregnancy is a good reason to be sick. Between nausea and vomiting paired with fatigue, the day-to-day to-dos are no easy task. Truly, take care of yourself. Hugs to you in this difficult season. For some women, it lasts a few weeks. For others, it lasts for months. For some, it’s mild. For others, it’s severe. Chronic nausea and vomiting should be taken seriously. Manage it however you need to. If you’re vomiting excessively or feel it’s affecting your health, there are prescription anti-nausea medications your doctor can give you. If you need it, it’s okay. Your health is important. Your nutrition is important. So, rest. Stay home. Snack. Do what works for you.
 

Maternal-infant Wellness Education
with Leanna Mae

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