Looking for ways to relieve morning sickness? So many pregnant women experience morning sickness during the first trimester of pregnancy – but that doesn’t make it any easier when you’re running to the bathroom throughout the day (and don’t be fooled, morning sickness isn’t only confined to the morning).
I definitely was not prepared for how gross I felt… always, that just the look of ground beef would churn my stomach, and what a good relationship I’d develop with my toilet, with my head in the bowl. You might be vomiting, or feeling incredibly nauseous – this is due to those pesky hormones working overtime in your body.
There are many remedies that can help you get through the tough period of feeling sick – here are some of the most popular ones. Remember, every woman and every pregnancy is different. If you find something that works, run with it! (For me, Rice Bubbles was my saving grace!)
Thankfully, morning sickness often stops at around the twelve-week mark, with many women finding an enormous amount of relief in symptoms around the beginning of the second trimester.
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Ginger
You’ve probably heard of ginger for relieving morning sickness before – and it’s legit! Researchers aren’t entirely sure why it works – but it makes a huge difference decreasing nausea for a number of women.
Adding ginger to your diet is safe, effective – as long as you aren’t having excessive amounts of it (be mindful of how much you are consuming – many health care professionals say no more than 1000mls per day. Check with your health practitioner to be sure).
Some have ginger tea, whilst others incorporate into their diet in others ways – such as marinating it in meat, or grating it into meals, such as stir frys.
Vitamin B6
If you’re feel gross, taking Vitamin B6 is a fantastic way to help reduce the symptoms of nausea. Supplements are super affordable (no more than 200g per day – speak with your doctor) – but you’ll also find it’s present in lots of common foods. Spinach, potatoes, bananas will help you get the B6 you need to help you feel better.
Breathing Deep
It sounds ridiculous but seriously – focusing on breathing and mindfulness can help reduce some of the symptoms of nausea. While it won’t fix it every time, breathing in and out mindfully can help overcome moments of nausea.
Download a mindfulness app on your phone and focus on breathing through the moments where you feel gross.
Travel/Motion Sickness Bands
Have you seen motion sickness bands before? They sit on your wrist and a small knob presses into a pressure point – hello acupressure! This helps reduce nausea (scientifically proven) – motion sickness bands are a fantastic drug free way to relieve of morning sickness.
Yeah – they might look a little funny if you’re not wearing a long sleeved shirt, but the relief is so worth it. The other good bit – they’re really cheap. Pick some up from Amazon here.
Snack on Dry Crackers… or dry anything.
They’re plain, dry, and full of starch – so they’re ideal to munch on when you’re feeling unwell. You might not feel like eating, but you’ll find that the less you eat – the more sick you feel.
The fact that they don’t smell, don’t have much texture helps to fill your tummy, helping you feel less nauseous now, and filling your tummy so you feel better later.
Rice bubbles, toast, crackers… light and plain is your mantra, and eating is important to help relieve morning sickness, even when it seems like the worst thing ever.
Sip Tea Through the Day
If you’re vomiting and feeling really sick, it can be very hard to manage to down the water you know you need but don’t actually want to drink.
Sipping tea throughout the way is a good way to stay hydrated when you’re feeling extra gross and comes with bonus calming effects. What busy mama doesn’t enjoy a nice relaxing cup of tea? (If your kids let you drink it hot! If you’re a first time mom, enjoy this sacred time of hot drinks, cause it’s about to end).
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is traditional Chinese medicine that is practice today. It involves a practitioner putting small (teeny!) needles in the skin in certain places to help relieve ailments.
Sound a bit kooky? Maybe, but evidence has showed that it works for all sorts of things by releasing those happy hormones endorphins and blocking pain signals – and is particularly at reducing nausea when you’re feeling gross – making it a good way to relieve morning sickness.
It’s also a good trick to have up your sleeve when you’re further along, and are experiencing back pain! You might be wondering if it hurts – nope! Make sure your practitioner is qualified and experienced, then you should have no issues at all.
Try Peppermint
Evidence on this one suggests that the smell peppermint may be helpful in relieving morning sickness! How you consume peppermint may vary: tea and essential oils are the most common. However you need to check with your doctor to get the all clear on whether they deem essential oils safe for you and your pregnancy.
Avoid high fat food, and things with strong aromas
Most women find food is a trigger to being sick – if it smells or is high in fat content (particularly saturated) it won’t help you if you’re feeling seedy.
Triggers aren’t limited to food – things like perfume for example, are common too. Figure out your triggers, and speak to family and close friends so they know not to eat/have them by you. It’s okay to politely speak up!
Know when it’s not just morning sickness and seek help
Hyperemesis Gravidarum is a serious condition that is often unrecognised and under diagnosed. It occurs when a women is vomiting excessively, or experiencing extreme, debilitating nausea throughout the day.
Women with HG often struggle to get the nutrients they need, and often require additional medication and management (such as IV fluids, if experiencing excessive vomiting). If this is you – there is help available. Reach out to your doctor – and head to ER if you can’t keep anything down over a prolonged period.
