How to Combat Morning Sickness

By Cody Hanson:

Ah, the dreaded and highly talked about “Morning Sickness”…  Morning Sickness or nausea and vomiting during pregnancy is a common discomfort for most pregnant women. While not all expecting mamas will experience Morning Sickness, those that do often have varying degrees of symptoms. First time mothers usually experience more symptoms than those who have been pregnant before. Despite what the name suggests, Morning Sickness can occur at any point throughout the day.

Morning Sickness symptoms include nausea, aversions to certain foods and smells, vomiting, and queasiness feelings that suddenly arise. Katherine Crawford, a Certified Nurse Midwife at MultiCare Rockwood Clinic Women’s Center says “for most women, nausea and vomiting develop around weeks 5 and 6 of pregnancy and typically resolve in the second trimester, with the height of symptoms occurring around the ninth week”. Normal physiologic changes during pregnancy such as increased hormone levels and decreased movement of the gastrointestinal tract are contributing factors. Although not pleasant, for women with mild to moderate symptoms, this is a common occurrence in normal and healthy pregnancies.

The good news is you don’t have to suffer- Katherine Crawford, CNM suggests several home remedies that can help alleviate some of your symptoms:

-Having an empty stomach can result in feeling more nauseous, so eating multiple small meals high in protein and low in fat can help. Some common options include bananas, applesauce, toast, almond milk, melons, popsicles, and peppermint candies.

– Bland foods without strong smells are less likely to trigger a response. If your finding smells hard to handle, consider microwaving food, cooking with a window open, and washing your clothes with an unscented detergent to get rid of strong smells. Mint, lemon, or orange are all scents that can help alleviate nausea- try cutting up some fresh citrus or burning a citrus candle in the kitchen to help drown out other pungent odors.

-Drinking fluids between meals rather than with meals provide some relief while also avoiding lying down immediately after eating.

-Taking ginger (ginger tea, ginger lollipops or hard candies, ginger ale) is helpful for many women experiencing these symptoms.

-Over the counter Vitamin B6 helps with nausea while doxylamine (Unisom) can reduce vomiting symptoms. These can be taken together, but since doxylamine is a sleep aid, it can cause drowsiness.

-Acupressure bands apply pressure to the inside of the wrist and can also help provide relief. Sometimes marketed as “seasickness bracelets,” these can be found at most drug stores, health food stores, and online.

-It’s important to avoid using products that contain Marijuana/THC since these are not recommended for the treatment of morning sickness. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) do not support cannabis during pregnancy, as it can be dangerous for the baby.

Morning Sickness is not harmful to your baby, but it’s important to notify your provider if the following symptoms occur: you are unable to tolerate any food or liquids without vomiting, lose up to 5% of your pre-pregnancy weight, feel faint, or have flu-like symptoms or a fever. These symptoms are rare, but would require further evaluation by your provider.

And if you don’t experience Morning Sickness? Don’t worry! If you aren’t feeling queasy, you and your baby are just fine! Not every expecting mother goes through Morning Sickness- so lucky you! Whether you find yourself running to the bathroom at every whiff of food or you glide through your first trimester without a single nauseous moment, you’re doing great mama!