Morning sickness is one part of pregnancy most women do not look forward to experiencing. About 75 percent of pregnant women experience this nausea and vomiting during the first trimester, and for most, it fades away as they get further along in pregnancy.
In many cases the vomiting and nausea happen during the morning, thus the term "morning sickness." However, for many women the problem can happen during all hours of the day or night, and some experience sickness so severe that it interferes with their daily activities. Fortunately, there are a few morning sickness cures that can make you feel better when you are sick, and sometimes help you avoid the illness altogether.
Morning Sickness Cures
These tried-and-true methods have worked for millions of mothers, and they might work for you too. Just remember that if one thing doesn't seem to work, another might, so try these cures until you find the one that eases your tummy.
- Get up very slowly - Morning sickness is often worse right upon waking. If that's the case, keep a few packets of saltine crackers by your beside and have a small snack before you get up in the morning. This can help settle your stomach and ward off the nausea and vomiting. If the crackers aren't enough, consider small sips of juice or soda to help settle your tummy before you rise.
- Watch how you eat - Instead of eating a few large meals a day, break them into smaller meals and plenty of snacks. If you have something in your stomach at all times, the nausea might be much less. This will also help keep your blood sugar steady, and that can make you feel much better. Experiment with what you eat; for some women, bland foods work wonders as a morning sickness cure. Avoid fatty foods, which can often make nausea worse.
- Get plenty of fluids - If you have morning sickness, becoming dehydrated can happen very easily and that can make the illness worse. Sip fluids frequently throughout the day to help ward off the nausea and to replace the water necessary to keep from becoming dehydrated if you are vomiting. Some women find that cold, carbonated beverages settle the stomach, so give those a shot, too.
- Know your triggers - You can probably figure out what your triggers are rather quickly. Since pregnancy tends to heighten all your senses, certain tastes or smells might become impossible to handle, even if you loved them before. For instance, if you can suddenly no longer tolerate the scent of coffee, you know to avoid it altogether if you want to stop the nausea. If you're not sure of your triggers, start keeping a journal about what your sickness is like - include scents that are around you when you feel sick, foods you might have just had, and other details, like the time of day or how much sleep you had last night.
- Avoid fatigue - The more tired and run-down your body is, the more likely you are to get sick, and that includes morning sickness. Try to avoid fatigue as much as possible. Get plenty of sleep, take naps if necessary and simply take the time to relax every day. If you do start to feel sick, sit down in a comfortable chair or lie down for a while, taking deep breaths, to see if it might pass. These tips will not only help with the morning sickness, but work wonders on your outlook, too.
- Try hypnosis - Many women who have gone through chemotherapy found that hypnosis helped with the nausea and vomiting they experienced during treatment. You can try the same thing for morning sickness. Though hypnosis hasn't been definitively proven to help with morning sickness, it is definitely worth a try if you're feeling seriously ill.
- Take prenatal vitamins - Though prenatal vitamins are a huge help during those first few months, they can also make some women feel morning sickness. The likely culprit is iron, which has been proven to make morning sickness worse. Ask your doctors for prenatal vitamins that do not contain iron, and try taking your vitamins with meals or right before bed.
- Use acupressure bands - Usually used for seasickness, acupressure bands have been proven to help with other situations that can cause nausea and vomiting, including morning sickness. These bands press against a certain spot on your wrist and can help ease your upset stomach. Though they do nothing for some women, others swear by them - it can't hurt to give it a try!
- Try an "acustimulation" device - This is one step above the acupressure band. It uses a small bit of electrical current on the wrist to help stimulate the area, thus decreasing your nausea and vomiting. Just as with acupressure bands, sometimes this works while sometimes it doesn't. These devices are safe to use, but keep in mind that the cost - often between $60 and $140 - might not be covered by insurance.
- Try natural remedies - Natural remedies have been used for thousands of years to help with a wide variety of ailments, and many of them have been found to be morning sickness cures. Here are a few that might help you:
- Ginger - The root of the ginger plant contains compounds that ease the stomach, helping to calm down morning sickness. Ginger tea, non-carbonated ginger ale and ginger candy are all effective in helping morning sickness.
- Thyme and lavender - The scent of lavender and thyme has a calming effect, so use it generously when you are surrounded by scents that don't agree with you.
- Mint - This herb helps by easing the gag reflex, and that can mean less vomiting. Teas with mint, as well as mint-based candies are helpful options.
- Nuts and peanut butter - These foods are high in protein and have been proven to help reduce morning sickness for some women. Try them with crackers for an extra boost.
- Fruits and veggies - Test out which fruits and veggies help you through the day. For some women, fruits are the only thing that will ease the nausea, but other women need veggies to get relief. Try out different things to find the one that works for you.
- Herbal teas - These teas work with the healing power of herbs. Try teas infused with ginger, fennel seed, mint, peppermint, chamomile, red raspberry leaf and lemon balm.
These morning sickness cures can go a long way toward making your first trimester much more tolerable. Take your time in working through the cures to find the combinations that work for you, and then stick to it to keep the benefits going.