Congratulations, you’re pregnant! That little sign on a stick, your first ultrasound & that unmistakable first flutter. So many firsts to be so excited about. One little first that isn’t so exciting? The first time you experience “morning” sickness.
What is “morning sickness” & what’s up with the quotations around it? To sum it up, it is the experience of mild to extreme nausea during pregnancy. Don’t let the name fool you though, because it can creep up at any time of the day (hence the quotations around morning). For most women, nausea ends sometime in the late stages of the first trimester, but some women experience it all the way through their pregnancy. If this is you, girl, you have my deepest sympathy.
What’s a suffering girl to do? here are some quick tips on making it through
Change the time of day you take your prenatal vitamins. Try taking it at night instead of in the morning. By the time that fish oil dissolves you will be off in la-la-land & not burping it up during your morning meeting. Also, chances are you will have something left in your stomach which may “cushion” the pill as it is dissolving. Another thing to try would be the prenatal gummy vitamins instead. Ask your health care provider about brands they recommend for your nutritional needs. Try a nausea relief wrist band. When you place it on your wrist, they trigger pressure points that may alleviate nausea.
Ginger helps! Fresh ginger root tea with a little bit of honey is delicious, nutritious & you can drink it hot or cold. If you are not a tea drinker, I swear by the candied ginger chews they have in most grocery stores. Try eating several small meals a day. Do not skip breakfast! Do, however, choose something that isn’t fatty or spicy to break that fast. I loved steel cut oats with unsweetened vanilla almond milk. You can make them the night before or if you have the luxury of time on your side, you can make them fresh in the morning. It’s gentle on the tummy & a good base to take the prenatal vitamin on.
Drink Ice water with lots of fresh lemon or lime. Try throwing some fresh mint sprigs in there for a cooling & soothing effect on your throat if you have been throwing up. We know, when you are nauseated the last thing you want to do is eat or drink anything but staying hydrated is SO IMPORTANT for you & for baby. The bright scent from the citrus or spicy note from the mint is an excellent distraction if you are nauseous from environmental smells.
Do smells trigger your nausea? You poor thing, I can say 100% I feel ya. The worst possible career choice was to become a nurse, oh all the smells came at me. Almost all of them made me ill with no warning. I found that a small lava bracelet (if you can wear it, put it in a bag in your pocket so you can pull it out & smell it when you need to). I would dab peppermint oil on it or sometimes a sharp cinnamon oil would help to cut through those god awful smells.
If alternative methods (over the counter/ homeopathic) do not give you at least some relief, be sure to talk to your health care provider. They may have a temporary solution of relief for severe symptoms.
Although nausea & vomiting will not cause a miscarriage or harm your baby, it is extremely important to make sure you are getting the nutrients you both need & especially that you remain hydrated. Initial signs of dehydration to be aware of are decreased urination or dark yellow urine. A good rule to follow is, if you are thirsty you are already in need of hydration.
If you are losing weight, have decreased urination, dark yellow line or are unable to eat or drink for more than one day you need to see your health care provider. Don’t wait!
