Pregnancy can be a joy-filled time in a woman’s life, and she feels like she’s thriving, but for many women, pregnancies are a difficult journey. While there are many more serious symptoms of pregnancy than morning sickness, no one enjoys it. Studies show that around 70% of pregnant women experience morning sickness during their pregnancy, with around 5% suffering from extreme morning sickness, called hyperemesis gravidarum. While that latter needs monitoring and treatment from your doctor, typical morning sickness can be dealt with at home. If you’re looking for relief and the ability to focus on your happiness over this pregnancy without running for the nearest toilet or trash can, keep reading for tips to combat morning sickness.
Eat Smaller, More Often
Nausea and morning sickness typically starts around the fifth week of pregnancy and can stay with you through the first trimester. When you’re focused on ensuring your baby gets all the nutrients it needs, it’s hard to feel defeated if you can’t keep food down. Try eating smaller meals but more frequently throughout the day. Many women can manage minor nausea from a snack versus the discomfort following a full meal. Even if you’re famished, take things small and slow. Slow and steady to win the race!
The Right Prenatal Gummies
For some women, the strength and dosage of a traditional prenatal vitamin can send their stomachs over the edge. Opting for prenatal gummies instead of pills gives you more control over your dosage. Prenatal vitamins contain high amounts of vitamins and minerals (iron can be especially hard on your nausea) that are essential for you and your baby’s health, but having the option to have one gummy several times a day versus one massive dose in a pill can be a lifesaver.
Avoiding Strong Scents
Having an increased sense of smell is many women’s first pregnancy symptom, which alone can prompt them to take a pregnancy test. When pregnant and battling morning sickness, intense smells can be the tipping point for your nausea. Avoiding strong smells found in candles, detergents, and household cleaners are worth it during pregnancy to decrease your gag reflex. Not to mention, most products with strong fragrances may contain harsh chemicals to which you don’t want to expose yourself or your unborn baby.
Regular Movement
While pregnant, the benefits of exercise, even as light as yoga, are well known. However, when dealing with morning sickness, the last thing you probably feel like doing is breaking a sweat. While you don’t need to do cardio, many women find that getting up on their feet and moving can do wonders for their upset tummies. While it’s important to take it easy and don’t overdo things, if you can force yourself to head out on a walk, you may find relief. Not to mention, the fresh air can help your stomach, too!
Aromatherapies
Some women find relief through aromatherapy for gentler bouts of nausea during pregnancy. It may seem counterintuitive when simultaneously trying to avoid strong fragrances, but several scents have been shown to significantly improve upset stomachs. Lemon, mint, and orange have long been known to alleviate nausea. Invest in an oil diffuser and diffuse essential oils throughout your home when dealing with morning sickness.
Alternative Therapies
One popular morning sickness remedy that’s recently gained a lot of traction is the nausea wristband. You may have scoffed at alternative therapies in the past, but when dealing with constant morning sickness, you’ll likely try anything. These motion sickness wristbands can be found in natural food stores or online and are worth a shot along with the above-mentioned ways to alleviate nausea.
Morning sickness comes in many forms and at different levels. For many women, it’s random bouts of nausea, while others feel like they’re heaving all day long. Thankfully, most cases of morning sickness have resolved by your third month of pregnancy, never to return. No matter where you fall on the spectrum of this pregnancy symptom, it’s worth trying the above ways to find relief. If you continue to struggle after implementing them, consult with your OB or GP for further guidance. And remember, pregnancy flies by in a blink, and your new baby will be worth nausea. Hang in there, mama, you got this!
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