U.S. HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES

Coping With Morning Sickness

Pregnancy morning sickness for some women isn’t just morning sickness, it’s morning, noon, and night sickness. You are sick all the time, and all you want to do is crawl back into bed. And when you aren’t hugging the toilet, you’re trying to figure out what you can eat so that you won’t end up right back in the bathroom.

There are a number of different types of pregnancy symptoms and whether or not you suffer from any of them is very much dependent on the individual mother-to-be. The majority of women find that their sickness subsides after the first few weeks of pregnancy but others have the nausea for longer.

The first thing you can do to help alleviate morning sickness is to keep your blood sugar level stable. Obviously, sleeping will make it difficult to regulate your blood sugar during the night. It is often a good idea to eat before you get out of bed. Have your significant other bring food to you every morning. Be sure to take small bites, chewing each bite thoroughly. Give your body time to get the food into your system before you get out of bed and you may be able to avoid some of the nausea you have been feeling.

Morning sickness is also triggered by certain foods. Avoid foods that will spike your blood sugar level. Processed sugars and white flour can cause morning sickness during pregnancy. Try whole grain foods and protein, as they are less likely to cause nausea.

Ginger is excellent for helping calm your stomach. You can buy ginger tea or make your own drink by infusing freshly grated ginger with boiling water and adding some honey and lemon to taste. Many women find that sipping this ginger drink can help soothe the stomach and counter the nausea that is so common to pregnancy. Nibbling on a ginger cookie or dry toast can also be very helpful.

Your doctor will undoubtedly tell you to drink plenty of water to ensure that dehydration doesn’t become a problem. While this is well-intentioned advice, many times water can make morning sickness worse. Try some alternatives to water or try mixing your water with a little lemon or lime juice. You can drink tea rather than water if you like, but make sure that the tea is decaffeinated and weak. Fruits such as melons can help, however, you should avoid citrus fruits, as they tend to exaggerate nausea.

Another issue that tends to worsen morning sickness is odors. This is a huge problem for a number of women. Smells can trigger morning sickness during pregnancy and you’ll probably find that odors you once found pleasant, or that at least didn’t bother you, will now cause you to feel ill.

There is not much you can do to alleviate morning sickness due to smells. If cooking certain foods makes you feel nauseated due to the smell, then find alternatives to these foods during pregnancy. Odors that you now seem to find offensive can be avoided if you takes steps to alter your habits until the birth of your baby.

Cravings are another pregnancy symptom from which many women suffer. You have probably heard about the more strange forms of this pregnancy symptom such as craving coal, soap and dirt, but the vast majority of forms of this pregnancy symptom are far less strange. Basically, your body is telling you that it is lacking in a particular vitamin or mineral by creating a craving for ice cream and pickles or whatever your particular desire may be. The best advice is to give in to this urge. The comfort eating aspect can help your general mood as well as pacify your body.

You can help ease morning sickness by focusing on positive things. Remember that although you may feel constantly ill for the first several weeks of your pregnancy, you are growing another person inside you. This is one of the most amazing, wonderful times in your life, and the nausea you may be feeling will not last forever. In a few months, a beautiful baby will arrive and your life will be more fulfilled than you could ever imagine. Read baby name books, look at pregnancy clothes, and try to rejoice in the fact that you are about to receive one of life’s greatest little gifts.