One of the most common drawbacks of being pregnant is having to deal with morning sickness and nausea. Just the sight and smell of some of the most common foods will make you want to run to the bathroom and hurl. Luckily morning sickness and nausea usually only last for the first three to four months of pregnancy.
Why The Morning Sickness and Nausea
Vomiting may be due to the rapid increase in hormones during early pregnancy. The hormone “gonadotrophin” is reduced considerably by the third or fourth month making you feel less sick. Also during pregnancy, your food slows down through to the digestive system and increasing the possibility of the absorption of nutrients. This is due to the decreased intestinal tone and gastric motility, which may be one of the factors leading to morning sickness.
You may begin to feel nauseous at any time of the day or night. You usually begin to feel this way when your stomach is either very empty or very full. So, to help deal with nausea it is recommended to have four moderate meals a day rather than a big lunch or a big dinner. Or if you choose, you can have six to seven small meals in a day.
Morning Sickness and Nausea Relief
There are a ton of remedies that you will hear about through family and friends. Although some remedies may work for some, sometimes it won't work for others. It really is based on a trial and error process and it also depends on what you can handle without having the feeling of wanting to throw up.
Below are some hints and tips that may provide you relief of your pregnancy morning sickness and nausea:
- Nibble on a biscuit or toast in the morning before you get out of bed.
- Avoid strong smells.
- Lemon or lime soft drink
- When you wake up, lie still for about 10 minutes before getting out of bed.
- Eat a nutritious diet of fruits and vegetables.
- Suck on a lime or a peppermint sweet.
- Sipping iced water, herb tea, mint tea or ordinary tea (without milk).
- Having crisp or salty foods.
- Eating cottage cheese.
- Carbohydrates generally stay down more easily. So you can try having biscuits, rice, potatoes etc.
- Also try eating a piece of fresh ginger as this normally tends to help.
When you find something that you can keep down without throwing up, try and resist eating too much of it at once. Try eating and drinking things you would not normally eat, in order to find out what you can keep down. Having a midnight snack is much easier to keep down, so keep a snack on your bedside table for you to eat when you get up during the night.
Food To Avoid During Pregnancy
There are common foods to avoid during pregnancy because it can make you feel worse than better and also it is not recommended to have during your pregnancy.
Below are some tips on foods to avoid during pregnancy.
- Coffee.
- Fruit juice.
- Fried and spicy foods.
- Alcohol.
- Processed meats (ham, salami, chicken meat etc).
- Raw meat, chicken, beef or pork.
- Cold chicken and turkey (used in sandwich bars).
- Raw seafood.
- Store bought sushi.
If you have any concerns regarding foods that should be avoided during pregnancy, please consult with your doctor.
Morning sickness and nausea can sometimes be a nightmare to deal with. For some pregnant woman the vomiting and nausea lasts throughout the entire pregnancy itself day and night. From any strong smell, to eating any types of food vomiting may occur. When this happens, let your doctor know and they may prescribe a tablet which will help with the vomiting and nausea.
I hope this article provides you with some helpful tips on morning sickness and nausea relief that will benefit you and a better understanding on foods to avoid during your pregnancy. I wish you the very best wishes for your pregnancy!
