What Can I Do About Morning Sickness?

May 31, 2023

Did you know that 1 in 4 pregnant women may have mild nausea during their pregnancy. Nausea and vomiting may be worse around 8 to 10 weeks gestation and will usually begin to resolve around 12 to 18 weeks gestation. Some women will have nausea and vomiting so bad that it will interfere with their daily lifestyle.

There is hope, however. Keep reading to learn what you can do to combat this challenging pregnancy symptom.

What Is Morning Sickness?

The nausea and vomiting that many women experience during pregnancy is referred to as morning sickness. This name is somewhat misleading because morning sickness can occur at any time of the day. 

Morning sickness is thought to be caused by hormonal changes that a woman’s body goes through during pregnancy, but the exact cause is unknown. If you have a history of motion sickness or other stomach issues before you became pregnant, then this can place you at risk for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. You may also be at risk for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy of your mother had issues with nausea and vomiting during her pregnancy. Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy can be worse if you are dehydrated or if your blood sugar gets too low from not eating enough.

Tips

Some women find relief from morning sickness by using simple lifestyle changes and home remedies. It is important to remember that just because lifestyle changes work for some women, they won’t necessarily be helpful to every woman. Here are some common tips for addressing morning sickness naturally:

• Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day. Maintaining the blood sugar level is thought to reduce nausea. Sometimes high carbohydrate foods are better tolerated like potatoes, rice, noodles and toast.
• Stay hydrated. Try drinking small amounts of fluids throughout the day. Sometimes cold fluids are more tolerable than warm or hot.
• Don’t take your vitamins on an empty stomach. It is best to take them at night right before bed with crackers or something small to eat.
• Consider trying natural remedies like ginger or papaya for relief. Ginger ale is wonderful for soothing the stomach. Just make sure the ginger ale is made with real ginger.
• Seabands these are elastic bands that are placed on the wrist. They can be purchased and most drug stores or on line.
• Vitamin B6 can help prevent nausea. B6 will not prevent vomiting but can help in preventing the nausea.
• Some women find that eating something like crackers or a banana before they get up out of bed in the morning can help prevent nausea first thing in the morning.
• Avoid eating greasy, fried, or spicy foods.
• Avoid lying down right after eating.

Medication for Morning Sickness

Some women experience morning sickness that regularly interferes with their lives. Severe morning sickness can also cause dehydration which can be dangerous during pregnancy.

When changing habits and using natural remedies are not helpful, prescription medications can be used to relieve nausea and vomiting that morning sickness brings. These medications have been shown to be safe to use during pregnancy. 

Find Help Here

Choices is now prescribing medication to help you control morning sickness. Schedule your no cost appointment today.