Dealing with morning sickness & nausea:

The term “morning sickness” inaccurately describes the hormonal event which causes nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. For some women, these symptoms occur primarily in the morning, but they can (and do, often) arise at any time and can last all day. About 75% of pregnant women will suffer from these symptoms, but intensity can vary greatly. The symptoms often begin by the fourth or sixth week and last throughout the first trimester of pregnancy. By week 15, almost all complaints of nausea and vomiting disappear.

Possible causes of morning sickness include an increase in circulating human chorionic gonadotropin and estrogen, enhanced sense of smell and sensitivity to odors, and digestive disturbances that are aggravated by pregnancy hormones. Some circumstances make nausea and vomiting more likely during pregnancy including: carrying multiples or a girl, a history of morning sickness in previous pregnancies, a history of nausea or vomiting while taking birth control pills, susceptibility to motion sickness, a family history of morning sickness, or a history of migraine headaches.

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy should have no impact on the health of your baby as long as you are able to eat a relatively balanced diet. Even if you gain no weight during the first trimester, do not worry. Your appetite should return once this phase passes and you body will gain weight properly over the remaining weeks of gestation.

WHAT TO DO?

• Eat small, frequent meals
• Keep a stash of snacks handy (even next to your bed at night)
• Nibble on something as soon as you wake up, then wait about 20 minutes to get out of bed
• Carbohydrate foods may seem most appealing, but protein foods seem to be more effective at alleviating symptoms
• Get up slowly in the morning, rather than jumping out of bed and straight into action
• Avoid foods with strong smells or that trigger your nausea (It is ok to eat only what appeals to you during this phase. You will return to a balanced diet once this passes.)
• Bland foods may help as well as foods that are room temperature
• Avoid foods that are hard to digest (red meats, fatty foods, heavy sauces and condiments)
• Avoid foods that can irritate your digestive tract (spicy, rich, acidic, fried foods)
• Sip fluids throughout the day, but don’t drink so much at one time that your stomach feels full
• Try a drink high in electrolytes if you are vomiting a lot (coconut water, rice water*, etc.)
• Watch for non-food triggers (flickering lights, strong smells, musty or stuffy rooms, car rides)
• Relax, take naps (nausea can be worse when tired)
• Try hypnosis, acupuncture or acupressure
• Take your supplements (including your prenatal) with food
• If all else fails, stay hydrated and rest. As uncomfortable as it is, this phase will pass.