Morning sickness is a relatively common complaint in pregnancy. It is estimated that between 30 and 40% of pregnant women experience morning sickness. The name can be misleading, as the nausea associated with this can happen at any time of the day or night. While most women feel better after the first trimester, some continue to have problems through the second trimester. A smaller percentage of women experience nausea throughout the entire pregnancy.
A variety of things are thought to cause morning sickness. What causes feelings of nausea can vary from woman to woman. Something that doesn’t bother you could make your friend sick. Some things that are thought to increase morning sickness include: low blood sugar, hormonal changes, nutritional deficiencies such as iron and B6, low blood pressure and spicy foods.
Sometimes dietary changes can help relieve symptoms. If low blood sugar is a problem, eating smaller and more frequent meals can help. Avoid sugar or simple carbohydrates, which can contribute to low blood sugar. These foods give an initial surge in blood sugar followed by a crash. Eating foods that are more nutritionally dense can help avoid this drop in blood sugar. Increasing your protein intake can help relieve morning sickness. Pregnant women should consume about 80 grams of protein per day. If your prenatal vitamins make you feel sick, try taking them at dinner time or before bed.
For some women, getting up too fast in the morning makes the nausea worse. Wake up slowly. Lie in bed for a while after waking up. Consider keeping some saltine crackers and ginger ale by the bed. Nibble on a few crackers and sip the ginger ale slowly. When you feel ready to move, get up slowly.
Ginger is an herb that is thought to help relieve nausea. This is why ginger ale is so effective. Other herbs that may help include cloves or red raspberry tea.
Strong odors can increase morning sickness symptoms. If this triggers your nausea, try to avoid strong smells and odors that you know make you feel sick. Essential oils are thought to help relieve nausea for pregnant women. Peppermint, chamomile and lavender are good ones to try. A few drops on a cotton ball will help rid your home of the odors that are bothering you, while relieving the nausea. The oils can also be added to massage oils or unscented body lotion and applied to your body.
Acupressure can help relieve symptoms for some women. There are pressure points on the wrist that are thought to be connected. When firm pressure is applied, nausea can be relieved. Many women find that the wrist bands sold for relieving sea sickness help with nausea associated with pregnancy. These can be purchased at some drug stores or any boating supply store.