Foods that May Help Curb Morning Sickness
Author: Dr. Anna Kaplan
While morning sickness happens during some eight out of ten pregnancies, it is not necessarily in the morning. Although it is the most common early in the pregnancy, some women are nauseous throughout. It is thought to be caused by a number of hormones that are elevated during pregnancy.
Some ways to combat morning sickness will seem obvious - others you may not think of.
If there are smells, from food or anything else that make you sick to your stomach - avoid them. Tell your friends, family and coworkers if something they are eating or cooking is making you feel sick. If cigarette smoke bothers you, tell them to stop smoking. They shouldn't be smoking around you anyway and you'll be surprised how willing smokers will be to stop once they realize you are pregnant.
Ask someone else to do the cooking if the smells bother you. Often spicy, aromatic foods increase the nausea. You want plain, bland food most of the time.
If there are specific things you want to eat - cravings - go ahead and eat them. Don't overeat, because overfilling your stomach can actually make you nauseated.
Most women feel the best if they eat frequent small meals, and drink small amounts of fluids frequently. You do not want to get too low on either fluids or calories. Not eating causes a vicious cycle, because lack of calories in your system can make you feel even less like eating.
Dry crackers eaten in the morning have been recommended forever. Small amounts of dry, bland food often really help. Dry toast is also good.
To prevent low blood sugar, with not enough energy in your system in the morning, eat protein before you go to bed. If you can eat cheese, that is a good choice, but any protein source will work. Put some crackers by your bed, and eat a few when you awaken, before you actually get up. Get up slowly.
If you are having a lot of morning sickness, be sure and talk to your doctor. If your vitamins have iron, and you cannot get rid of your nausea, ask your doctor if you can stop the iron long enough to calm down your insides.
What else can help?
- Vitamin B6 helps reduce nausea. If it is not in your prenatal vitamins, ask your doctor about taking it.
- Citrus. Some people recommend the smell of citrus. You can grate the peel of a lemon, and maybe also an orange. Put the peels in a bag. When you feel nauseous, open the bag and smell the citrus. You can also try lemon hard candy, soda with lemon, or even a small slice of lemon or orange.
- Ginger. Many people recommend ginger not only for morning sickness but also for anything causing nausea. You can buy ginger tea. You can also buy ginger ale, but make sure it really has ginger in it. Taking ginger root in capsule form once a day may be helpful too. There are also hard candies made from ginger.
- Salty foods. Some women feel better eating small, salty snacks like potato chips - but not too many.
Many women do better with cold food and liquids. Sometimes popsicles and ice chips will stay down when other things won't. Others do better with room temperature liquids.
Some women swear by soda water with bubbles. Others can only drink flat soda.
That is one of the most frustrating things about morning sickness - there isn't one cure. What works for one woman may not help another. So if you are suffering with it, try some of these ideas. Start with one thing, and if it doesn't help, try the next. Ask your mother or your sister what helped her and try that.
Although some women have severe nausea and vomiting necessitating medical treatment (called hyperemesis gravidarum), the vast majority of women get through morning sickness on their own. If you are really unable to keep anything down you must see your doctor.