Natural Tips for Managing Morning Sickness
Written by admin on April 12, 2008 – -
Theories abound about morning sickness, but no one knows the exact cause of this less than pleasant pregnancy experience. Very few women escape it all together, most experience at least some mild nausea, and another unfortunate few have their head in a toilet for the better part of their first trimester, if not longer. Regardless of its severity, there are ways to make morning sickness a little more manageable.
Most people agree that morning sickness is tied into rapidly increasing hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone, which tend to peak and then level off after the first 12-14 weeks, when most women find a bit of relief. Blood sugar fluctuations (eating too much or too little can trigger nausea), increased sensitivity to odor, slowed digestion, and dehydration can all aggravate the condition further. Here are a few tried and true tips to help get through this challenging time:
• Upon awakening, drink as much lemon water as possible. A normal stomach can tolerate about a liter and a half. If you are having a difficult time keeping water down, sip it slowly and start with small amounts. This helps in two ways: first, since the kidneys are elimination organs, it is thought that they play a role in clearing excess hormones from the system, thereby decreasing the hormonal load during pregnancy. This morning “flush” helps wash out the back “sludge” that can accumulate in the kidneys. Second, lemon itself has strong therapeutic qualities. The smell of lemon has been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, and nausea, and many women have found it soothing and helpful during pregnancy.
• Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day. This helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and keep hunger-induced nausea at bay.
• Food combining is paramount! The digestive system slows significantly during pregnancy and food sits in the stomach for much longer than usual. Therefore, more than any other time, it is crucial to properly food combine while pregnant. Otherwise, the resulting fermenting mess in your stomach is sure to cause a great deal of upset. Of particular importance is avoiding eating fats with sugars as this can wreak havoc on sugar levels as well, further aggravating the situation.
• Avoid juices, as these tend to lead to blood sugar spikes and crashes. A little juice added to water for flavor shouldn’t cause any problems if this helps you to stay hydrated.
• If the mere act of chewing sets off your gag reflex, fruit smoothies are a wonderful solution. If you can, consume as many green smoothies as possible. Green smoothies are wonderful for balancing blood sugar and alkalinizing the body, thereby neutralizing stomach acids, which can aggravate nausea and vomiting. I know many women are completely turned off green veggies during pregnancy. I myself, formerly a salad queen, could not even look at lettuce or spinach without convulsing. I did, however, eventually find a few greens I could tolerate. For example, celery was easy for me and I could tolerate some parsley. Try to sneak a little in your smoothie, and see if you can’t build up from there. If the very sight of anything green turns you green, however, try drinking from an opaque cup with a lid. Believe me, if you can get some green smoothies in you, your body and your baby will thank you!
• Skip the (saltine) crackers. While these may afford some temporary relief, in the long run, they will perpetuate blood sugar imbalances. Try to avoid white flour products and other high-glycemic junk as much as possible, even though it may really be what you’re craving. If you have to, try some toasted sprout bread or at least whole grain crackers, which will have less impact on insulin levels.
• Snack on fruit or a small handful of seeds or nuts. Most women can tolerate, and often find relief with fruit. I found that, at times that I wanted something more substantial, a few almonds really did the trick.
• There is conflicting evidence on whether vitamin B6 can help to alleviate morning sickness, but it has long been prescribed as a remedy. At any rate, seeking out foods rich in this vitamin couldn’t hurt. Some excellent sources are: banana, sunflower seeds, spinach and other leafy greens, avocado and cantaloupe.
• Ginger tea has long been used as a calming tonic for upset stomach and nausea. Steep a little fresh ginger in some hot water and sip in between meals.
• Cinnamon has been demonstrated to have profound effects on normalizing blood sugar levels in diabetics. Try the same tea above, but with a stick of cinnamon instead of ginger.
I hope that some of these tips will help. Most importantly, try to relax, breathe, get lots of rest, and know that it will all be worth it in the end ?.
-Ardis
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By nakitab on Jun 11, 2008
iam in my second trimester and still having morining sickness
[Reply]
By Ardis on Jun 12, 2008
Hi, Nakita
I’m sorry to hear that – I know it is rough! Have you tried any of the tips I suggest? They should still be able to help you. Please let me know how it goes – I’m rooting for you!
Ardis
[Reply]
By Rebecca on Jan 17, 2010
Hi, I read that a good probiotic blend would help morning sickness and it did. I used a powder by Miessence. You would ideally need to start it well before being pregnant though as it can be hard to get down once the morning sickness really kicks in. I mixed it in with juice, and it was pleasant tasting. I had tried everything else and this is the only thing that helped.
Something else I did, before I tried the probiotics, when I was so sick of throwing up my dinner every night, was to only eat an apple or two for dinner (I could usually hold fruit down) and went to bed very soon after, before the sickness kicked in again. I felt so mcuh better in the morning and I didn’t throw up my dinner!
[Reply]
By berni on Jul 16, 2010
saccromises boulardi. After being sick as a sick dog frm wk 6 im 12 wks now and i took the sacchromises (cant spell) and plenty prayer, and I went all day without vomiting and actually enjoyed food. Usually i ate sandwiches as cldnt handle cooked food.
[Reply]
By Sara on Sep 1, 2010
I’m only 6 1/2 weeks along and the nausea started at 4 weeks (before I knew I was pregnant…this was one of the tip-offs to go out and grab a test). We eat very healthy and I am aware of good food combos and food combo no-no’s. At first I was down to only being able to tolerate a sandwich at lunch time and a couple bites of veggies in the evening: breakfast was out of the question because my nausea was waking me up and my head would be in the toilet before 6 a.m. We don’t eat white flour / processed products in our house and I’m still having trouble getting anything but gatorade down during the day. The nausea is so bad that even driving past a food restaurant is enough to make me puke…(and I have…to my embarassment…in front of restaurant-goers eating outside). I’ve tried everything – I find temporary relief from cinnamon tea mixed with cranberry concentrate and 4 parts water. But it’s not enough to last. Should I contact my OB?
[Reply]
By Joanna Steven on Sep 2, 2010
Many of us think that if we eat a clean diet, we will not have morning sickness because we will not be detoxifying our system like the regular fast-food, processed food eaters. But, diet is only the tip of the iceberg. A lot of evidence points to the fact that morning sickness is caused by hormonal changes in the body, and riding the resulting roller coaster of hormones cannot be achieved by simply eating a healthy diet.
One of the most important things to beat morning sickness is to reduce your stress levels as much as you can. If you can take time off work in your early pregnancy or work from home, then do take advantage of it. When I first got pregnant, I started to feel nausea overcoming me and I was determined not to get sick, not even once. With a busy life and a lot of responsibilities, I just could not afford it. While I usually wake up at 6 am and start working right away, I would always stay in bed after waking up, and consciously relax my body, my face, focus on breathing calmly and would try to empty my mind. At first, it isn’t easy, especially if you are
driven and ambitious, but you absolutely need to slow down – it’s also great practice for when you have your baby! I also did yoga everyday, and still do, and whenever I would feel a little stressed or tired during the day, I would immediately lie down to relax.
Another important point is making sure you are eliminating everyday. I am not one to tell people to get enemas and colonics regularly, and simply making sure you are regular will be enough. It is said that pregnant women often become constipated, but that is something you have to avoid at all cost. You just cannot afford to have toxins staying for extended periods of time in your body when you are pregnant. In ayurvedic medicine, it is recommended to eliminate wastes first thing in the morning, and not wait. This is something you can train yourself to do, and you can also train your child to do later. Drinking plenty of water or infusions, eating a lot of detoxifying leafy greens, and getting enough fiber (from green smoothies for example) will be beneficial for this.
If you follow this advice closely, you should get a lot of relief from morning sickness. Some of us may have hormonal changes that are too intense and necessitate a little more, so you may not get rid of the nausea completely, but you will probably avoid vomiting. If you do not feel better, herbal remedies can help as well to balance your hormones. I personally love maca, but I know some people who did not take it while pregnant. Whether or not you choose to supplement should be your own decision.
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