If you have been pregnant, you have no doubt experienced morning sickness. This refers to a persistent nauseous feeling that causes some expectant mothers mild discomfort. Although the name suggests otherwise, morning sickness does not occur exclusively during the morning. Usually, it is experienced most acutely during the first three months of pregnancy, but it can actually persist for the entire duration of a pregnancy.
Although it is not common to undergo treatment for this ailment, various foods and strategies have been used by women worldwide to ease their nausea. The following are some of the best remedies for morning sickness that we recommend for expectant mothers.
Tested and Effective Morning Sickness Remedies
1. Eat or Sniff Citrus
Fruits like lemons are a great antidote to nausea. You can use lemons in obvious things like lemonades, but they can also be used in a much more versatile manner. Sucking on a lemon-half, eating products with natural lemon flavoring, or even inhaling the aroma of lemons will help cut through your morning sickness. It is also a good idea to keep some lemon juice at hand so you can mix it into your favorite drinks (or even a refreshing glass of water) and sip on it whenever you feel nauseous.
2. Include Certain Kinds of Dairy
This might be a surprising addition, but some kinds of dairy can serve as good morning sickness remedies. Cheese, for example, will help balance out your blood-sugar, and provide you the nutritional boost that is essential during a pregnancy. You can incorporate cheese into your daily meals, or a simple snack of some mild cheese will do the trick just as well.
3. Work the Magic of Ginger
As a classic nausea reliever, ginger helps settle your stomach and reduces the need to vomit. Below are different forms of using ginger for easing morning sickness.
- The tasty form of ginger remedy is a mixture of ginger juice and honey. Combine 1 teaspoon of honey with 5 or 6 drops of ginger juice, and drink it every morning you wake up.
- The best form is ginger tea. Freshly-grated ginger can be boiled in water until half liquid is left. Then cool it and add some honey before drinking.
- ? The simple form is ginger powder. Just put 1/2 teaspoon of ginger powder into a cup of hot water. Strain the mixture after 10 mins so that all the nutrients get dissolved, and then you can slowly sip on the drink. Expectant moms should not drink more than 3 times each day.
- For immediate relief, you can just chew a fresh ginger piece to ease the nauseafeeling.
4. Drink Peppermint Tea
Herbs can be one of the most natural and effective morning sickness remedies to try. Certain herbs will help settle your stomach and keep you from the urge to vomit. Peppermint is a great example. Of course, peppermint-flavored drinks like peppermint tea are easy to find in most stores today, but you can also get some fresh peppermint and boil it with your tea for a much more intense effect.
5. Stay Hydrated
Keep hydration cannot be over-stated in pregnancy. Drinking the recommended daily amount of water has been shown to lower morning sickness. Of course, if you can drink 9 glasses of water a day, you could instead snack on things like cucumbers or watermelons that will keep you hydrated without hitting a certain number of glasses every day.
6. Keep a Sound Sleep
One of the main morning sickness remedies that people might not suspect is simply a sound sleep. Your pregnancy might be tiring you out on both on physical and emotional level and sleep is essential to help iron out these spikes in your temperament and performance. It also helps to establish a fixed sleeping routine so that your body clock becomes used to a certain rhythm, and you wake up feeling even more refreshed each day.
7. Adjust Snack Habits
Pregnancy cravings are fiendish things. While you are eating for two, it is good to resist really calorific junk food and sugary drinks while you are pregnant. It is also best to avoid rich fried food or use condiments that are particularly spicy. If you do want to snack, why not try some carrot sticks with honey instead of barbeque wings and Sriracha!
8. Engage in Physical Activity
It is imperative that you get a good amount of exercise while you are pregnant. More importantly, doing physical exercises helps to better monitor your hormone levels, which are one of the causes of your morning sickness in the first place. However, make sure that these exercises are tailored specifically to pregnant women!
9. Try Vitamin Supplements
Some vitamins – such as B6 – can help with nausea as well. As one of the morning sickness remedies, vitamins can be found in various cereals and meat (such as beef and poultry). However, if you want some quick relief, you can always procure some B6 vitamins which are much more easily absorbed into the system through the use of supplements.
10. Follow Healthy Diet Routine
A well-balanced diet routine is one of the most durable morning sickness remedies. Also, remember to avoid triggers including certain food and smell.
- In the morning, prepare some crackers and dry cereal by bed, so that you can fill up your stomach after waking up.
- Through the daytime, it is recommended that you eat smaller meals more frequently rather than having three big meals in a day. This will ensure that you do not get too stuffed or too hungry, both of which can result in nausea. Also, keep hydration and get good rest, but a nap time after meal is not recommended as it may trigger the nausea.
- For the dinner, just opt for foods that are naturally-sourced, non-fatty, and mild in flavor, and avoid greasy and spicy ones. Another point is to avoid eating too much, or you can drink water before the dinner to lessen the chances of pigging out.
11. Give Acupressure a Try
This is a great ancient method to reduce nausea. For those unskilled in the art of acupressure, nausea bands can be bought very cheaply online. These work by applying pressure to a specific area on your wrist to help relieve the discomfort caused by nausea. However, you can also learn some tips and perform acupressure by yourself without spending money on specialized equipment. For example, the area on your wrist where you normally take your pulse is a good pressure point. Gently applying pressure to that region might help reduce your nausea!
12. Medical Alternatives
If your nausea is really extreme and none of these morning sickness remedies seem to work, you could instead seek medical help. Some over-the-counter drugs like Benadryl are safe for pregnant women to use, but you could also visit your GP and ask for prescription medication that caters specifically to pregnant women experiencing morning sickness.
Can Morning Sickness Affect My Baby?
Most women experience morning sickness during pregnancy. This is a very normal thing and usually is not a cause for concern. The nausea often dissipates over time and the mother is able to go back to a normal diet soon enough. In lieu of a proper diet, supplements like prenatal vitamins can help regulate the body functions of expectant mothers.
However, if the vomiting that results from your nausea is extreme and incessant, it is important to consult a doctor immediately. Other warning signs that necessitate a medical visit include spells of dizziness, an inability to urinate or dark color urine,dehydration, or your heart beating faster than normal. The doctor can help negate the effects of your nausea and ensure that no lasting damage is caused to your baby.