Shortly after you get the exciting news that you’re pregnant, the first trimester symptoms begin. One of the most common and unpleasant is morning sickness. Typically, morning sickness begins at about six weeks gestation, and it affects approximately 75% of pregnancies. If you are one of the lucky ones who sail through your first trimester without feeling sick, enjoy it. For the other three quarters of women, morning sickness is a general term for nausea and vomiting. The severity of the symptoms differ from pregnancy to pregnancy and range from slight nausea to, in rare cases (like the Duchess of Cambridge), hyperemesis gravidarum, which requires hospitalization.
How to Alleviate Morning Sickness
Since you can’t put your life on hold during the first few months of pregnancy while battling morning sickness, you need to find ways to minimize the symptoms. So, Cherokee Women’s Health has a few suggestions to help you get through the day:
- Avoid Having an Empty Stomach – The idea of eating may not be the most enticing, but having an empty stomach actually intensifies morning sickness. Try eating bland foods – crackers, toast, rice, soup, etc. – anything that will get some food in your stomach. Choosing to eat small meals more frequently throughout the day is a good way to keep your stomach full.
- Avoid Gulping Beverages – Drinking too much water or other fluid in one sitting can make you feel full and cause you to eat less. It can also be a trigger for vomiting.
- Try Ginger – Ginger is a natural remedy to ease an upset stomach and queasiness. You can use ginger in your cooking or drink ginger ale, just make sure it is made from real ginger or it won’t have the desired effects.
- Get Fresh Air – Open a window or go for a walk, whatever you can do to get a breath of fresh air.
- Don’t Lie Down After Eating – Lying down immediately after eating can disrupt the digestion process and make you feel worse.
- Medication – There are medications you can take during your pregnancy to help alleviate symptoms. To ensure they’re safety, be sure to discuss any medications with your obstetrician or midwife prior to taking.
While unpleasant, we hope that you can take comfort in the fact that experiencing morning sickness is perfectly normal and these symptoms usually subside during your pregnancy.
If you have any questions or concerns about morning sickness or anything about your pregnancy, don’t hesitate to contact our office.
