20 Remedies for Nausea During Pregnancy
More than 50% of all pregnant women experience morning sickness during their pregnancies. We can thank the increased hormones during the first trimester for the persistent bouts of nausea that usually follow your positive pregnancy test.
True “Morning sickness” typically begins and ends in the first trimester so if you are experiencing excessive nausea and vomiting that prevents you from keeping any food down, if vomiting is accompanied by pain or fever, or if nausea and vomiting persist well into the second trimester (after the 12th week), please contact your Midwife to rule out Hyperemesis Gravidarum.
Whether you’re experiencing true morning sickness or the“all-day, all-night nausea” we want to make sure that you are staying hydrated, getting your nutrients, and eating what you can when you can.
Consider these 20 DIY remedies to give you some nausea relief and if you’re still struggling to keep things down, reach out to your care provider.
VITAMIN B-6:, taken as 25 mg every 8 hours, has been shown to have a significant effect in reducing or stopping nausea and vomiting.
IRON: Increase your iron intake
ZINC: Take zinc supplements, 25 mg per day
TEA: Sip on some raspberry leaf, peppermint, or anise tea
GINGER: Cut or grate some ginger root and pour hot water over it, then drink as a tea, you can take ginger root in capsule form, drink ginger ale, chew on crystallized ginger, or eat ginger chews.
ESSENTIAL OILS: Make your own belly rub! Use 1 drop of peppermint oil to 3 drops of camomile oil. Peppermint oil is stimulating so a little goes a long way ... Place on a warm, damp towel, and rub your belly.
PROTEIN: Eat a protein-rich snack before bed.
Go for a walk or enjoy some mild exercise to relieve hormonal activity.
Keep a box of crackers by your bed and eat a few before getting out of bed in the morning.
Avoid spicy, fried, rich, fatty, and greasy foods. Also, avoid any caffeine or artificial sweeteners.
Get out of bed slowly.
Get plenty of fresh air. And turn a fan on or open the windows while cooking (and ask for help preparing meals if possible) if the smells are bothering you.
Keep apple juice by the bed and sip thru the night. This will help keep blood sugar stable.
Wear motion sickness wrist bands everywhere you go.
Eat 5 to 6 small, frequent meals every few hours throughout the day. Make sure to have a balance of carbs and protein to maintain blood sugar.
Suck on lemon drops.
Try to get a lot of rest! Being overtired makes morning sickness worse.
Drink lemonade.
Consider acupuncture treatments.
Stay hydrated. If you’re unable to keep water down, try frozen natural juice popsicles.